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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJennifer Vick - Refugee &Immigrant CollectiveApril 30, 2023 Redmond Jones Deputy City Manager City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mr. Jones, Please accept this Statement of Interest in response to the ARPA Inclusive Economic Development Program through the City of Iowa City under the category of Business Support Programs. The Refugee and Immigrant Association (RIA) is the lead applicant for this proposal titled the Refugee and Immigrant Nonprofit Collective, with the following Iowa City nonprofit organizations as co -applicants - Benebuvira Community of USA, Bakono Brotherhood of USA, Vira-Fuliiru Community, and Open Heartland. This collaboration of organizations provides services to refugee and immigrants from Africa, Mexico, and Central America. The leaders of these organizations are excited to partner in a way that will emphasize Iowa City as a premier community to locate and grow an organization, confirm an appropriate infrastructure is in place for future growth and development, and enrich a strong ecosystem with a focus on creating new pathways to success for systemically marginalized populations. The Refugee and Immigrant Association along with all the co -applicants, share a similar mission — to assist refugees and immigrants in achieving and maintaining economic self-sufficiency, family stability, and community integration, all while preserving their cultures and sharing its richness with Iowa City community members. This collective of nonprofits is open to welcoming additional organizations that serve Iowa City refugees and immigrants. Thank you for your time and consideration of this proposal. Sincerely, i Jean Paul Mugemuzi Executive Director Refugee and Immigrant Association 1566 S Gilbert St Iowa City, IA 52240 319-383-9819 1 refugeeiowa@gmail.com 2. A general description of the project including the purpose, benefits, and specific goals of the project. This project is designed to provide professional services, for a predetermined amount of time, to our group of Iowa City organizations serving refugees and immigrants. A great majority of the leaders of these nonprofits do not have professional training in nonprofit management, program development, or communications and fundraising. These are areas in which an organization serving underestimated and marginalized communities must have processes and procedures solidly in place to ensure sustainability and high functionality. By hiring these professionals to establish the foundation of these critical areas and train the leaders of our collective how to implement best practices long-term, we believe current and future Iowa City refugee and immigrant residents will experience better outcomes for themselves and their families. Sustainability is the foundational purpose of this project. By investing in trained individuals who understand effective best practices, with the ability to establish systems, templates, and structures for these nonprofits and train/mentor its leaders to maintain the groundwork laid and grow their skills, the ARPA-awarded funds would be an investment that will strengthen refugee and immigrant services and programs and keep them going after the funds are spent. These funds will also be an investment that will act as a catalyst to cultivate a strong nonprofit ecosystem with a focus on creating new pathways for success for systemically marginalized populations — both those who are leading the organizations and those receiving MILT IM9 The benefits of this project center on building capacity within our nonprofits that are serving Iowa City refugees and immigrants and ultimately improving the services and supports offered by these organizations to positively impact the lives of the community members they serve. The shared mission of these nonprofits for refugees and immigrants achieving and maintaining economic self-sufficiency, family stability, and community integration, all while preserving their cultures and sharing its richness with Iowa City community members, makes this a powerful collective. Goal 1: Hire (on contract or payroll TBD) three experienced professionals to be shared between all the collective members. One professional in each of the following specialized categories 1. Nonprofit Management — including areas of budgeting, board development, and strategic planning; 2. Program Develpment — including areas of program design, internal monitoring, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement; 3. Communications and Fundraising — including areas of marketing, public relations, social media, grant writing, annual giving, major giving, event management, and donor cultivation and stewardship. Goal 2: Each professional will develop a 24-month plan for their specialized area that includes goals, objectives, and outcomes for implementing the recommended priorities. Goal 3: The Collective leadership will work alongside the professionals to determine a plan for mentoring, job shadowing, and training. The Refugee and Immigrant Nonprofit Collective directly aligns with the Racial Equity, Social Justice & Human Rights vision in the City Council Strategic Plan, through cultural diversity and accurate cultural historical perspectives. Programming offered by the nonprofits that makeup the Collective, support the growth and healing of racial inequalities and social injustices. 3. A description of how the project builds community resiliency following the COVID-19 pandemic by building capacity to serve residents of the community. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on refugees and immigrants, who often face additional challenges such as language barriers, limited access to healthcare, and a lack of social support networks. In response, this project will play a crucial role in building community resiliency. The program development professional will assist in identifying programs that will build community resiliency. Aspects will include access to basic needs, education, healthcare, and fostering social connections and a sense of belonging. Virtual and in -person events allow refugees and immigrants to connect with one another and with members of the broader community. These events include cultural celebrations, language exchange programs, and volunteer opportunities. In addition, resources for mental health and counseling services to help refugees and immigrants cope with the stresses from the pandemic will be researched. This can not only support the well-being of refugees and immigrants but also contribute to the broader community's ability to recover and thrive. 4. An estimated project budget including how much in City assistance you are requesting. Identify both the proposed sources and uses of funds for the total project. Identify if each funding source has committed funds. Refugee and Immigrant Association Refugee and Immigrant Nonprofit Collective 24 Month Period Item I Year1 I Year2 Iowa COy Request Pending/Requested Received/Awarded Nonprofit Marhgement Cooidnator 50,000 50,000 70,000 10,000 20,000 Program Development Coordinator 50,000 50,000 70,000 10,000 20,000 Communications and FundraisingCoordinator 50,000 50,D00 70,000 10,0D0 20,000 TOTAL 150,000 1s0,000 210,000.00 30,000 60,000 $60,000 awarded by REF-24-001 Refugee Community Services through the Iowa Department of Human Services. $30,000 pending from Community Foundation of Johnson County, Green State Bank, Theisen's, ACT Corporate Giving, Amerigroup, and New Leader Manufacturing. 5. A preliminary timeline for the execution of the project. The City intends for all grant funds to be expended by December 31, 2026. If this is not possible in the project schedule, please detail the estimated draw -down timeframe. The timeline begins at the time of the Iowa City award and ends 24 months after execution of the funds. 6. A statement about the organization' s ability to perform appropriate grant and financial management, including any related experience managing city, state, or federal grant funds. Provide 3 years of financial statements of the lead organization, if available. Please indicate what type of technical assistance may be needed to help prepare the organization for grant management responsibilities. Since 2018, the Refugee and Immigrant Association has received grant funding from foundations and corporations that require financial management and grant reporting. Funding has been awarded and reports have been submitted to grantors such as Community Foundation of Johnson County, Green State Bank, Theisen's, ACT Corporate Giving, and New Leader Manufacturing. More extensive financial management and reporting experience has also been garnered by funding from Amerigroup, and most recently from the American Rescue Plan Act through the Linn County Finance & Budget department for services provided in Cedar Rapids. Recently, RIA has contracted services with Laura Evans, LLE Bookkeeping located in Iowa City. She has just started to pull financial statement together for the organization. We have included the financial statements we currently have as of today at the end of this document. We are happy to provide more details at the time we may be considered for the next step in this procedure. 7. A description of all work related to the project that has been completed to date, if any, including any secured funding, contracted professional services, property, land acquisition, grant or loan activity, etc. The Refugee and Immigrant Association is excited to report that it has just received a Notice of Intent to Award in response to our proposal to REF-24-001 Refugee Community Services through the Iowa Department of Human Services. The award is for $137,249.60 to be used for program funding for refugees and salaries for two staff members in Johnson and Linn County. Fifty percent of those funds ($68,624.80) will directly support the work of this Inclusive Economic Development Program through the City of Iowa City under the category of Business Support Programs. The Refugee and Immigrant Association gained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2015. Since that time, RIA secured facilities in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids to expand programing and serve as a meeting place for community members to come together to discuss their struggles, be provided immediate solutions, and plan for targeted programming of more complex issues. All services provided by RIA have not only been 100 percent accomplished by refugee and immigrant leaders and supporters volunteering over 30,000 hours of their personal time, but these individuals have also contributed over $100,000 directly from their own pockets to guarantee that programs and services are provided to ensure refugees and immigrants receive the services they deserve. 3:50 PM Refugee and Immigrant Association 04/30/23 Balance Sheet Accrual Basis As of December 31, 2022 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/Savings Green State Checking Green State Savings Total Checking/Savings Total Current Assets Fixed Assets Vehicles Total Fixed Assets Other Assets Other Assets Total Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES & EQUITY Equity Opening Balance Equity Net Income Total Equity TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY Dec 31, 22 16,231.40 40.00 16,271.40 16,271.40 24,500.00 24,500.00 18,815.00 18,815.00 59,586.40 58,900.15 686.25 59,586.40 59,586.40 Page 1 3:50 PM Refugee and Immigrant Association 04/30/23 Balance Sheet Accrual Basis As of April 30, 2023 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/Savings Green State Checking Green State Savings Total Cheeking/Savings Total Current Assets Fixed Assets Vehicles Total Fixed Assets Other Assets Other Assets Total Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES & EQUITY Equity Opening Balance Equity Retained Earnings Net Income Total Equity TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY Apr30,23 4,999.66 40.00 5,039.66 5,039.66 24,500.00 24,500.00 18,815.00 18,815.00 48,354.66 58,900.15 686.25 -11,231.74 48.354.66 48,354.66 Page 1