Application for 2018-2019 Iowa Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA Member Copyrighted
April 2, 2018
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 8.
ITEM TITLE: Application for 2018-2019 lowa Campus Compact
AmeriCorps VISTA Member
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval of an application for
an AmeriCorps VISTA member to serve in the Human
Rights Department with a focus on building systems related
to the transition to advancing equity work.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
2018-2019 lowa Campus CompactAmeriCorps VISTA- City Manager Memo
NNM Memo
Memo to City Manager re: VISTA Application Staff Memo
VISTA Application for Submission Supporting Documentation
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Application for 2018-2019 lowa Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA
Member
DATE: March 20, 2018
Human Rights Director Kelly Larson recommends City Council approval of an
application for an AmeriCorps VISTA member to serve in the Human Rights Department
with a focus on building systems related to the transition to advancing equity work.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen �� �
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Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director
DATE: March 20, 2018
RE: Application for 2018-2019 lowa Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA
Members
The purpose of this memo is to request your approval of the attached application for an
AmeriCorps VISTA member to serve in our department with a focus on building systems
in our department related to our transition to advancing equity work. The completed
application will be submitted on March 30, 2018, and can be withdrawn if we do not
receive City Council approval.
Background & Discussion
On January 19, 2017, we submitted an application for a three year lowa Campus
Compact VISTA member in collaboration with Loras College. The VISTA member's
position has been focused on education and supporting the local My Brother's Keeper
Network. The person in the position, Joie Brooks, is not a City employee and is
ultimately accepted into AmeriCorps through lowa Campus Compact. Joie's term will
expire in June. We have been in discussions with lowa Campus Compact about
making some modifications to our application that will allow us to have the VISTA
member more focused on capacity building in our department, including assisting with
our work to hire a marketing professional that was approved as part of the FY19 budget.
Budget Impact
The budget impact for this VISTA member is $6,000 in matching funds. We have
sufficient funds in our FY19 budget for this purpose in 10016400, 62761. Assuming our
application is approved, we will receive a memorandum of agreement from lowa
Campus Compact and, upon signing, we will be committed to paying the $6,000 cost
share regardless of whether or not we successfully fill the position. We would begin
recruiting in the summer for a November start date.
Action Requested
The action requested is that you approve submission of the attached application.
lowa Campus Compact VISTA
Community Corps Application
SITE INFORMATION
1. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: City of Dubuque Human Rights Department
2. PHYSICAL ADDRESS INCLUDING THE FULL ZIP CODE +4: 1300 Main Street,
Dubuque, lA 52001-4732
3. SUPERVISOR NAME: Kelly Larson
4. SUPERVISOR TITLE: Director
5. WILL SUPERVISION BE A FULL OR PART-TIME RESPONSIBILITY? Full-Time
6. SUPERVISOR EMAIL: klarson@cityofdubuque.org
7. SUPERVISOR PHONE NUMBER: 563-589-4190
8. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (EIN): 42-6004596
9. NUMBER OF VISTAS REQUESTED: 1
10. DESIRED START DATE: November 2018
NEED
1. THE COMMUNITY SERVED: Dubuque, lowa has a population of 55,083 and a median
household income of$48,021. While 13.8% of the white population is estimated to be below
poverty level per the 2016 ACS, the poverty rates for the populations of color are:
Black/African American: 63.5%; American Indian/Alaskan Native 47.5%; Asian 15.9%;
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 11.6%; some other race 64.7%; two or more
races 52.7%; Hispanic/Latino 39.6%.
2. TARGET LOW-INCOME POPULATION: The target population is low income youth and
adults of color.
3. WHY NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET NOW: Historically government has instituted
policies that discriminated against people of color and the impacts of those policies continue
today. See Dubuque Community Equity Profile at http://inclusivedbq.orq/?post tvpe=proiect.
Our institutions continue to operate in ways that perpetuate disparate outcomes. We can
change this by normalizing, organizing, and operationalizing racial equity work in and across
institutions. See https://www.racialequitvalliance.orq/resources/advancinq-racial-equitv-and-
tra nsfo rmi nq-qove rn me nt-a-reso urce-q u ide-to-put-ideas-i nto-actio n/
4. RELATIONSHIP TO SELECTED EDUCATION OR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PROGRAM OUTCOMES: Education is correlated with income in our community, and there
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are significant disparities in educational achievement amongst youth and adults of color.
See http://inclusivedbq.orq/communitv-equitv-profile/education/educational-
attainmentaccess-to-education/; http://inclusivedbq.orq/communitv-equitv-
profile/education/student-achievement-bv-raceethnicitv/. Addressing educational
achievement, and linking to employment opportunities, increases the likelihood of being able
to sustain self and family.
5. HOW OUR PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY/BRING INDIVIDUALS
OUT OF POVERTY
a. INTERVENTION: Our capacity building intervention is focused on training and
networking. The training intervention consists of providing contextually relevant,
developmental education about implicit and explicit bias, and the distinctions
between individual, institutional, and systemic discrimination. Our networking
intervention focuses on developing connections across organizations and sectors
that are developing plans to advance equity. providing technical assistance, and
supporting them in sharing best practices regarding changes made and impacts
of those changes on populations of color.
https://www.racialeq uitvalliance.orq/resources/advancinq-racial-equ itv-and-
tra nsfo rmi nq-qove rn me nt-a-reso urce-q u ide-to-put-ideas-i nto-actio n/
b. EVIDENCE OF INTERVENTION'S SUCCESS: Our approach to training is
premised in an adult learning, intercultural, developmental approach. See, e.g.,
http://www.idrinstitute.orq/alleqati/IDRI t Pubblicazioni/1/FILE Documento.pdf.
We have coupled this with strategies that normalize conversations about race,
organize people committed to advancing equity, and operationalizing the efforts
through tools, plans, and ongoing learning. We are modeling our work after
successes being shared through the Government Alliance on Race and Equity,
along with research related to networking and collective impact approaches to
social change. See, e.g.,
https://www.racialeq uitvalliance.orq/resources/advancinq-racial-equ itv-and-
transforminq-qovernment-a-resource-quide-to-put-ideas-into-action /;
http://www.networkimpact.ora/connectina-to-chanae-the-world/ ;
https://www.co u nci lofno n profits.o ra/s ites/defa u IUfiles/docu me nts/a-netwo rk-
approach-to-capacitv-buildinq.pdf ;
http://www.collaborationforimpact.com/collective-impacU .
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PLAN FOR SUPERVISING THE VISTAAND MONITORING PROGRESS: The VISTA member
will receive an on-site orientation with the Director and will be included in monthly staff ineetings
where we review progress on activities. The on-site orientation will include significant time in
the first three months developing relationships with network partners and learning about the
services offered by the organizations as they relate to educational achievement. Because of
the importance of recognizing cross-sector impacts on the lives of individuals, there will also be
some efforts to connect with housing, transportation, and employment initiatives. Later in the
term, the VISTA member will begin collecting data and creating systems and templates for
sustainability, meeting monthly with the Director to examine successes and any barriers to
progress that are arising.
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HOW WILL HAVING AN AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBER IMPROVE YOUR
ORGANIZATION'S CAPACITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY:
Our department has transitioned from a traditional civil rights enforcement organization to
working in partnership across the community to advance equity in key quality of life areas. This
transition has been highly dependent on the leadership of individuals in the department and
requires broader buy-in and systemic adjustments to be sustainable long term. The VISTA will
provide support in adjusting our marketing materials/narrative around our work, as well as our
performance measures and reporting systems so that there are agreements in place with key
partners regarding cross-institutional sharing of information on a regular basis. The VISTAwill
also support us in expanding the network of organizations in the community who are committing
to institutional and systemic change efforts.
HOW WILL YOD USE THE AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBER TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE
PROGRAM OR PROJECT?
The VISTA's work will revolve around setting up a system and templates for collecting
information on the impact of training and technical assistance we offer so that we can routinize
this on an annual basis. Impacts will include capturing not only policy and practice changes
within institutions who have graduated from our program, but also connections made across
institutions to collaborate on more systemic social issues.
DESCRIBE YOUR EXISTING HIGHER EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIY PARTNERS.
The Human Rights Department currently partners with Loras College Experiential Learning to
recruit students for City of Dubuque internships and volunteer positions. Additional partners
include the My Brother's Keeper Network members and graduates of our Advancing Equity
workshops who are focused on developing work plans focused on advancing racial equity in
education.
HOW WOULD THIS AMERICORPS VISTA PROJECT STRENGTHEN THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS AND/OR BUILD NEW ONES?
This project would be focused on expanding our collaboration with Loras College faculty and
staff on laying the groundwork for an anchor institution model for our community. In addition,
we are working with faculty to develop a research design for our Cultural Snapshots program
that could be customized each time a new culture or subculture in the community is featured.
Project Information
CAPACITY BUILDING GOAL: Effectiveness: You aim to increase your organization's or
program's ability to achieve better outcomes for beneficiaries.
SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND DESCRIPTION:
• Expand strengthen partnerships/networks — Develop a process for:
o gathering equity plan progress (outputs and outcomes) from training program
graduates annually;
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o improving communication and sharing of plans, outputs, outcomes, lessons learned
amongst graduates; and
o connecting graduates to one another based on an analysis of their focus areas and
interests.
• Outreach —develop a process to obtain feedback from residents regarding the Human
Rights DepartmenYs shift toward a collaborative approach to advancing equity that can help
to inform our communication, marketing, and reporting.
• Performance Measurement—develop a data collection process with partner agencies that
will help to determine the ways in which partner efforts are contributing toward advancing
equity in the community in key quality of life areas related to City Council and
Comprehensive Plan goals; align the process with the City's online performance
management system; work with partners to get data provided in a usable format on a
quarterly to annual basis; learn how to upload and publish the data and develop story maps,
create the template and associated handbook, and train full time staff; analyze data and
assist with ideas for technical support that full time staff may provide to partners. Partner
with Loras College 1-2 volunteer faculty or staff and 2-4 student volunteers to conduct ripple
mapping sessions with education partners and with graduates of training programs.
• Technology Use —work with department staff and marketing consultant to develop and
implement marketing plan for the department including developing a system for using social
media, website, and performance management software more efficiently and effectively.
SELECTED ANTI-POVERTY FOCUS AREA: Education
EDUCATION OBJECTIVE: K-12 Success
EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES FOR EACH:
• OUT OF SCHOOL TIME — duties include connecting with community partners offering
out of school time programs
• SUMMER LEARNING - duties include connecting with community partners offering out
of summer learning programs.
• MENTORING - duties include connecting with community partners offering mentoring
programs.
SPECIFIC PROJECTS OR ACTIVITIES TO BE COMPLETED BY VISTA MEMBER: VISTA
member will invite partners who are offering out of school time activities, summer learning,
and/or mentoring to participate in our workshops and networking opportunities; also will collect
data from these partners regarding their program outcomes (disaggregated by race), as well as
information on changes in actions, policies/practices or systemic interventions designed to
improve outcomes and the impact of those changes.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
CAPACITY BUILDING OUTPUTS: Number of staff and community volunteers that received
training (of one or more types) as a result of capacity building services provided by CNCS-
supported organizations or national service participants.
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TARGET NUMBER: 60
DATA COLLECTION METHOD: Data will be collected through an on-line survey.
DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT: We have pre and post assessments that are used to
assess learning and action plans during the sessions.
CAPACITY BUILDING OUTCOMES: Number of new systems and business processes
(technology, performance management, training, etc.).
TARGET NUMBER: 20
DATA COLLECTION METHOD: Data collection will be conducted through a combination of on-
line survey and a ripple mapping session.
DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT: VISTA member will develop on-line survey and will
support full time staff in designing and implementing a ripple mapping session using University
of Minnesota Guide to Ripple Effects Mapping.
SELECTED ANTI-POVERTY OUTPUT: ED2 Number of students that completed participation
in CNCS-supported K-12 education programs
TARGET NUMBER: 100 K-12 students
DATA COLLECTION METHOD: Each partner has an established method for collecting data for
their programs. The VISTA member will develop a process for annual submission of output
data that includes a brief survey.
DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT: Member will develop a brief survey to collect data on
system improvements made as a result of training and the impact of those improvements on
student participation using the instrument described under our capacity building goal.
SELECTED ANTI-POVERTY OUTCOME: ED27 Number of students in grades K-12 that
participated in a mentoring or tutoring or other education program, including CNCS-supported
service learning, who demonstrated improved academic engagement.
TARGET NUMBER: 25 K-12 students
DATA COLLECTION METHOD: Each partner has an established method for collecting data for
their programs. The VISTA member will develop a process for annual submission of data that
involves a brief survey.
DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT: Member will develop a brief survey to collect data on
system improvements made as a result of training and the impact of those improvements on
student participation using the instrument described under our capacity building goal.
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