City Manager Letter

I am hereby submitting the proposed Community Benefits Ordinance (the "Ordinance") for your consideration. The purpose of this Ordinance is to establish a Community Benefits Advisory Committee (the "Committee")  which would be charged with identifying community benefits needs of the residents of Cambridge based on the priorities established by the City Council and with soliciting and evaluating applications for the provision of said services by qualified applicants in order to make recommendations to the City Manager for the allocation of Community Benefits Funds pursuant to grant agreements or contracts for the provision of said services. The Ordinance proposes establishment of a process for the City Council to periodically assess the City's funding priorities based in part on a needs assessment submitted by the City Manager which will identify Cambridge's most pressing community benefits needs and to make appropriations to a Community Benefits Stabilization Fund based on recommendations by the City Manager. The Ordinance also sets forth provisions governing the Committee's powers and duties as well as those relating to the appointment of Committee members and their terms.

In addition to the Ordinance, I am also submitting to the Council a document outlining a proposed governance framework which provides additional detail regarding the anticipated approach to the administration of funds for community benefits purposes. In particular, the Governance Framework is meant to provide context to the process set forth in the Ordinance by describing 1) the needs assessment process, 2) the City Council's role in establishing funding priorities, and 3) the guiding principles for the allocation of funds.

Collaboration with the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition

Throughout this process, the City has worked with the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition, a group comprised of executive directors from a number of local nonprofit organizations. The Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition's stated mission is to develop a collective voice for the nonprofit organizations that serve Cambridge residents and to promote collaboration by and among these organizations to address the needs of and thereby improve the quality of life for the City's residents. The result of the City's discussions with the Nonprofit Coalition is the development of the proposed governance framework that is transparent, equitable, and grounded in robust community engagement.

Update on the Citywide Needs Assessment Process

Further, I am pleased to report progress on the communitywide needs assessment. After the City Council appropriated funds to conduct a communitywide needs assessment on June 1, 2015, I convened a Needs Assessment Advisory Committee to begin work with TDC, the City's third-party consultant, to identify the community's most pressing needs and service gaps. The needs assessment is the first step to assist the City Council regarding funding priorities, and the subsequent development of recommendations for the investment of funds tied to the City Council's priorities.

We expect TDC to complete its work in Spring 2016 at which point the results of the needs assessment will be forwarded by the City Manager to the City Council for its consideration in establishing funding goals for the Community Benefits Advisory Committee. I recommend that the City Council vote to refer the Ordinance to the Ordinance Committee for consideration.