March 24th, 2023 Minutes - Reinvestment Committee

Meeting Date and Time: March 24th, 2023, Noon - 1pm

Meeting Type: Special Meeting of the SEC Reinvestment Committee
Meeting Location: Virtual Meeting

Meeting posted: https://egov.ct.gov/PMC/Event/Details/19293

Watch the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZFhrPZxX4g

MINUTES  

1. Call to Order and Welcome

    

   Ojala Naeem called the meeting to order.

    

2. Attendance

    

   Corrie Betts

   Andréa Comer

   Avery Gaddis

   Michael Jefferson

   Ojala Naeem

   Paul O. Robertson

    

   Staff: Ginne-Rae Clay, Executive Director, SEC; Kristina Diamond, Communications & Legislative Program Manager, SEC; Jennifer Edwards, Project Manager, SEC; Jennifer Stevens, Associate Accountant, SEC

    

3. Reinvestment Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)

    

   The Committee reviewed the draft NOFA for grant managers. Community grant applicants will apply to grant managers. A discussion ensued.

    

   The NOFA dollar amount range for the grant awards is $500-$1M, with up to $5 million available. The Committee requested adding a K after $500 to clarify it is $500,000.

    

   Discussions around “Eligible Grant Management Applicants” and “Eligible Projects Funded Using Pilot Grant Award” and criteria for grant applicants ensued.

    

   Discussion ensued on the timeline for grant managers to stand up their individual programs for funding disbursement, which includes launching the application, collecting applications, reviewing applications and making final recommendations to Council.

    

   The Committee discussed and agreed that final grant recommendations are due to the SEC by mid-September so there is time for review ahead of voting on their approval at the October SEC meeting.

    

    

   Chair Naeem asked for a motion to approve the NOFA for posting next week with the changes discussed.

    

   Motion – by Avery Gaddis

   Second – by Andréa Comer

   In Favor – All

   Opposed and Abstentions – None

   Motion passed.

    

4. Application Review Process

    

   Staff emailed a document with the timeline and application review process, which includes the following steps. Grant managers submit application, budget and proposal to staff. Staff conducts initial review and makes recommendations to the Reinvestment Committee. The Reinvestment Committee reviews and makes final recommendations to the SEC. The SEC votes on the grant awards. The timeline to fund the award to grant managers is during the week of May 22.

    

5. Reinvestment Committee Recommendations

    

   Ojala Naeem advised publishing the NOFA to the public versus invite-only. Avery Gaddis agrees the NOFA should be open to the public. We do not want to give the appearance that we are favoring any organizations.

    

   Ginne-Rae Clay scheduled the NOFA information session for March 30 from 12 to 1 p.m. Council members may attend the information session with the applicants.

    

6. For the Good of the Order – New Business, Updates and Information

    

   Discussion ensued about having a strategic planning session. Ojala Naeem asked Ginne-Rae Clay and Paul Robertson to provide an update with tentative dates for May or June.

    

7. Adjourn

Chair Naeem asked for a motion to adjourn.

Motion – by Avery Gaddis

Second – by Andréa Comer

In Favor – All

Opposed and Abstentions – None

Motion passed.

The meeting adjourned.

Minutes are a draft until approved at a subsequent meeting.