Title
Resolution authorizing the Mayor and the Director of Parks and Recreation to enter into an Agreement or Agreements with various organizations as part of the Food Justice Fund grants program, at a total cost not to exceed TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000).
Body
Whereas, the 2026 City operating budget allocated funding to continue the Food Justice Fund grants program supporting community organizations working towards a more just, equitable, and sustainable food system;
Whereas, the Department of Parks and Recreation defined program guidelines based on lessons learned from previous Food Justice Fund grant cycles, including eligibility requirements, eligible expenses and activities, and evaluation criteria;
Whereas, the Department of Parks and Recreation conducted a publicly advertised competitive grant-application process requesting proposals from organizations wishing to utilize these funds;
Whereas, a review committee of City staff from multiple departments evaluated and scored all applications that met the basic eligibility criteria;
Whereas, the review committee reviewed, discussed, and voted to approve the recommended awardees;
Whereas, the review committee recommends that the below applicants be awarded grant funding;
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. The Mayor and the Director of Parks and Recreation, on behalf of the City of Pittsburgh, are hereby authorized to enter into an Agreement or Agreements with the following organizations as part of the Food Justice Fund grants program, at a total cost not to exceed TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000).
Funds shall be paid from the following JDE accounts:
11101.500000.58.58101.2026
Section 2. The recommendations of the review committee are attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Section 3. The authorized spend of each contract shall be as follows:
Abiding Missions - $20,000
African American Dietary and Nutritional Center Inc - $20,000
Bethel-Trinity Community Development Corporation - $15,000
Bloomfield Development Corporation - $15,000
Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation (Fiscal sponsor for Eastfield Garden) - $2,422
Brookline Teen Outreach - $20,000
BTC Center Inc - $3,000
Central Baptist Church - $15,000
Involvemint Inc. - $20,000
JADA House International - $11,725
Pittsburgh Community Science Workshop - $1,653
Pittsburgh SciTech PTO - $15,000
Polish Hill Civic Association - $11,000
Single Mothers Striving For Success - $20,000
The Salvation Army - $12,200
TransYOUniting - $15,000
Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh - $15,000
We The PPL 412 - $15,000
Young Black Motivated Kings and Queens (Fiscal sponsor for Page St Garden) - $3,000
Section 4. To the extent that City Council rejects the recommendations of the review Committee and removes any project from or otherwise amends Section 3, the Council Budget Director is hereby directed to submit a communication for the legislative record explaining the reasoning behind said deviation(s).
Section 5. Said Agreement or Agreements shall include terms allowing for the audit of the grant program by the Office of the City Controller.
Section 6. If any approved grantees do not meet all necessary requirements to execute their grant award contract before March first, 2027, the Department of Parks and Recreation may consult with the review committee to select alternative recommendations from the 2026 list of qualified applicants and present them to City Council for approval by proposing an amendment to this legislation.