AGENDA DATE: 8/8/2018
TITLE:
Title
Agency Budget Review Team (ABRT) Process
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Consideration of participation with the City of Charlottesville in a comprehensive review and the FY 20 application process
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Allshouse, L, Bowman, Bittle
PRESENTER (S): Lori Allshouse
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Choose an item.
BACKGROUND: The City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County have conducted a joint application process for local government funding of nonprofit organizations since the 1980s. The Agency Budget Review Team (ABRT) was created in 1991 and the agency review process has been refined over the years to include the use of an objective rating tool and outcome measures.
The current ABRT process provides a single application process for agencies that apply for funding from both the City and the County, community involvement in the review of applications, and a focus on the achievement of identified outcome metrics. Art and cultural agency applications for County funding are not currently included in the ABRT application review process.
Following the adoption of the City’s FY 19 Budget, Charlottesville City Council suggested that there be a comprehensive review of the ABRT process. On July 16, City Council approved City staff’s recommendation to conduct a comprehensive review of the ABRT process and stated that currently funded ABRT agencies would be provided the same level of funding in FY 20 as the City provides them in FY 19. City Council stated that further details regarding the review process will be finalized after the Board of Supervisors determines whether the County will be participating with the City in the comprehensive review.
On August 1, County staff requested that the Board direct staff as to whether the County would participate in the comprehensive review of the ABRT process with the City of Charlottesville and whether the County would mirror the City’s funding approach to provide FY 19 funded agencies with the same level of funding provided in FY 20. Staff also requested the Board provide direction as to the use of the $18,900 in administrative support funding currently included in the FY 19 budget to support the joint City/County ABRT application process.
STRATEGIC PLAN: To enhance the well-being and quality of life for all citizens through the provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: On August 1, staff provided information to the Board of Supervisors regarding the City’s desire for a comprehensive review of the ABRT process and their plan regarding the freezing of the FY 20 application process. The Board of Supervisors requested that County staff meet with City staff to obtain additional information so that the Board of Supervisors can provide direction prior to the end of August. Per the Board’s direction, staff will meet with City staff to obtain additional information as to the City’s reasons for conducting the comprehensive review, the focus of the review, and to ascertain whether the City could allocate staff time to conduct the FY 20 ABRT agency application process for the County while the City is suspending the FY 20 ABRT agency application process for the City. Staff will provide this additional information to the Board of Supervisors at its August 8 meeting.
BUDGET IMPACT: The County’s FY 19 Budget currently includes $18,900 in administrative support to the City to manage the FY 20 ABRT application process. If the County desires to conduct its own FY 20 agency application process review, the $18,900.00 could be re-purposed to support the County’s application process.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Recommendation
Staff recommends that after receiving this additional information, the Board will direct staff as to: a) whether the County will participate in a comprehensive review of the ABRT process with the City of Charlottesville; and b) the approach the County will undertake regarding the FY 20 ABRT application process and use of the $19,000.00 in administrative support funding for the ABRT process currently included in the FY 19 Budget.
ATTACHMENTS: None