Urban Sustainability Director's Network (USDN) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fellow Position Copyrighted
March 18, 2019
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 18.
ITEM TITLE: Urban Sustainability Director's Network(USDN) Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion Fellow Position
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval of a temporary, full-
time Urban Sustainability Director's Network(USDN)
Equity, Diversity and I nclusion Fellow to be hosted in
Dubuque for twelve weeks during the summer of 2019.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receiveand File;Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
USDN Fellow Position-MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
EDI FellowHostCityApplication SupportingDocumentation
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Urban Sustainability Directors Network Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Fellowship Position
DATE: March 14, 2019
Sustainable Community Coordinator Gina Bell recommends City Council approval of a
temporary, full-time Urban Sustainability Director's Network (USDN) Equity, Diversity
and Inclusion Fellow to be hosted in Dubuque for twelve weeks during the summer of
2019.
Dubuque was one of eight USDN member offices selected to host a 2019 summer fellow with
the Kendeda Fund covering $5,000 of the fellowship cost. The City will cover the remaining
$1,960.
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
Gina Bell, Sustainable Community Coordinator
THE CTTY OF Dubuque
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TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gina Bell, Sustainable Community Coordinator
DATE: March 13, 2019
RE: Urban Sustainability Directors Network Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Position
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request City Council approval of a temporary, full-time Urban Sustainability
Director's Network (USDN) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Fellow to be hosted in Dubuque for twelve
weeks during the summer of 2019.
BACKGROUND
In 2011, Dubuque became a member of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. USDN connects local
government practitioners to accelerate urban sustainability in US and Canadian communities. USDN
partnered with the Kendeda Fund to create the EDI Fellowship program. The program addresses existing
disparity in the representation of people of color in sustainability fields and the USDN member network.
Dubuque was one of eight USDN member offices selected to host a 2019 summer fellow with the Kendeda
Fund covering $5000 of the fellowship cost. The City will cover the remaining $1,960.
The Sustainable Community Coordinator, the Human Rights Department and Planning identified a project
that addresses both equity and sustainability. The final work product will be guidelines for future RFP
creation, setting forth a clear path of how to build sustainability and equity into a process starting from the
very beginning.
DISCUSSION
USDN member communities selected to host an EDI Fellow will partner with Global Philanthropy
Partnerships (USDN's fiscal sponsor) which will contract with a temporary fellow to work with Dubuque's
sustainability staff during the summer of 2019. The position will be 40 hours per week for twelve weeks,
beginning in June 2019.
BUDGETIMPACT
Per the December 17, 2018 City Council approval decision, the City of Dubuque has committed to provide
$1,960 through FY19 budget line item of Sustainability Intern.
REQUESTED ACTION
I respectfully request City Council approve this temporary position.
cc: Jenny Larson, Director of Budget and Finance
Randy Peck, Personnel Director
USDN EDI Fellows Host Office Application Form —City of Dubuque
1. Basic Information.
USDN Primary Member Name: Gina Bell
Jurisdiction: City of Dubuque (lowa)
Title ofthe Fellowship: Equity & Sustainability in Procurement Fellow
2. Scope of Work.
a. Goals statement for the overall projed and fellowship.
Beginning in 2006 and every year since, the City of Dubuque City Council has made
sustainability a Top Priority. More recently, they have identified becoming an equitable
community of choice as a high priority. This vision has begun to be integrated into the City's
operations, most importantly through our performance measurement work and our efforts to
become a more data-driven organization. The fellow, with support from multiple departments,
will develop a new process for the City to embed equity and sustainability into daily operations
at all levels, beginning with Requests for Proposals (RFP). As a pilot, the fellow will have the
opportunity to put into practice their work product by assisting in the creation of an RFP for a
consultant that will assist the City and its partners in creating a community-wide poverty
reduction action plan.
Dubuque's City Council identified the creation of a poverty reduction action plan as one of its
top priorities for the 2018-2020 policy agenda. We are in the early stages of creating this plan
and intend to hire a consultant to facilitate the process. To advance our sustainability initiatives
and our commitment to equity, our Request for Proposal (RFP) policy and processes need
updating. To ensure an equitable community engagement process and a final product that
centers on equity, and to ensure that sustainability initiatives are woven throughout, these
themes must intentionally be used as a frame for consultant selection through the RFP process.
We propose a scope of work that includes data collection, best practices research, community
engagement and focused work on practice or approach to keep under-represented
communities and sustainability initiatives at the forefront of our work.
Dubuque's mission is to deliver excellent municipal services that support urban living;
contribute to an equitable, sustainable city; plan for the community's future; and facilitate
access to critical human services. We will use this work to further advance our mission through
increased transparency and systems creation to serve those generally forgotten. Dubuque, in
turn, becomes a model city, exemplifying how to do business to best support ALL residents
while addressing critical environmental issues in all City business. Residents of Dubuque will
feel empowered to participate, at any level, in our procurement process as well as benefit from
a tighter relationship with City government.
The fellow will work with Sustainability, Finance, Human Rights and other City departments to
gain experience in RFP creation, community engagement, data collection and review of best
practices. They will be surrounded by a diverse group of professionals who will support their
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 1
work and offer insight and understanding to the inner workings of municipal governments,
focused on sustainability and equity.
This work will positively change the relationship the City has with underserved and under-
represented communities. Through an engagement process to design RFP criteria, traditionally
unengaged and marginalized populations will be consulted. Additionally, City staff have
identified a goal of increasing the percentage of contracts that are awarded to minority and
women-owned businesses. It is our intention that that goal will be incorporated into RFP
criteria and resulting outreach will increase those numbers.
b. Detailed scope of work for the proposed project.
i. Who developed the proposed project scope?
Gina Bell, Sustainable Community Coordinator (USDN Core Member) worked in conjunction with
Assistant City Manager, Cori Burbach (former Core Member) and two employees in the Office of
Human Rights, Kelly Larson and Taj Suleman on the project scope. This project is part of a
workplan developed by the City's multidepartment Equity Team.
ii. Is it a new project or a project already underway?
This is a new project for the City of Dubuque. Our RFP process has not been updated since 2006.
The Poverty Reduction Action Plan was identified earlier this year and work has not yet begun.
iii. What are the proposed project outcomes and the strategy for achieving them?
• The City will receive guidelines for future RFP creation, setting forth a clear path of how to
build sustainability and equity into a process starting from the very beginning.
• Have data on best practices, potential to update MWESB policies for the City.
• Documentation ofthe fellow's process and lessons learned; including but not limited to
research of best practices; research on available contractors to perform the various
components of the contract; evaluation of what the city does or doesn't have to outsource/
what needs to improve in the city for equitable planning process; working with consultants
on this project
• The City of Dubuque will create an RFP for our Poverty Reduction Action Plan that has been
crafted to consider sustainability and equity as critical to successful proposals.
• Fellow will develop training and tools to deliver to all departments who issue RFPs.
• Present work to City Council.
iv. How will you apply an equity lens to the project (see definition above under 2.b.)?
In the process of creating this process, the Fellow and City staff will work closely together to
engage community. Working with partner groups, we will meet residents "where they're at" to
gather information, needs and desires. Our outreach will focus on specific communities most
adversely affected by poverty in our area: African Americans, Latinos, Marshal Islanders and
residents of the Washington and Jackson Neighborhoods. Members of these communities will
form a Community Advisory Group to give input and share needs and desires, assuring from the
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 2
beginning that the residents we intend to help via the poverty reduction action plan have their
needs addressed.
v. What are the roles and responsibilities ofthe fellow in the project and how will they work
within a broader project team?
The fellow will work as a part of a team on community engagement, RFP creation and process
creation. The team will be made up of staff from the City Manager's Office, and Planning,
Sustainability, Human Rights, and Finance departments.
The Planning Department has been charged with the creation of the Poverty Reduction Action
Plan while working closely with a core group of other leadership team members. The creation of
the RFP will be the responsibility of the whole team, including members of our Finance
Department. Creation of the guidelines/process for RFPs as well as research will be the
responsibility ofthe fellow however staff will provide ongoing support.
vi. What is the work plan and timeline for the fellow's role and the overall project?
June 2019 — Fellow begins work; data collection, research, community outreach and creation of
community advisory group which meets regularly. Shares information with advisory group and
facilitates group to make recommendations supporting RFP creation.
July 2019 — Creation and execution of Poverty Reduction Plan RFP with input from staff, fellow
and community advisory group. Continue research and begin draft of RFP policy/process for City.
Au�ust 2019 — Finalize RFP template for City and present work to advisory group, City Council
and City Leadership. If time allows, begin to train staff on new guidelines and practices.
c. Management plan.
i.Who will supervise the fellow?
Gina Bell, USDN Core member, Sustainable Community Coordinator
ii.Who will track hours and deliverables, and share this information with USDN?
Gina Bell
iii.lf your jurisdiction had a USDN Fellow in the past: N/A
1. What worked out well and what did not work out well for your fellow?
2. What lessons have you applied to this application to host a fellow?
3. What lessons have you applied to recruitment and retention more generally?
d. Supporting information. Relevant links to any online materials, like an office website or
project description.
Sustainable Dubuque background
Information on Human Ri�hts Department & our Equity and Intercultural Competency work
City of Dubuque Contractual Services Procurement
Inclusive Dubuque Equity Profile
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 3
3. Sponsorship Fee Calculation.
Proposed Wage Per Hour: (min $12) $14.50
Total Proposed Hours: (12 weeks @ 40 hours/week would be 480 hours. Hosts can choose to
hire their fellows for a longer period.) 480
Total Wages (Wages per Hour Multiplied by Total Hours): $6,960
Host Sponsorship Fee (Total Wages less $5000 from USDN): $1,960
USDN is able to cover the sponsorship fee for 1 of the top 8 applicants to host a fellow. If you
apply for a waiver from the sponsorship fee and do not receive it, you will not be eligible to
host a fellow. Please check off whether you meet the 3 requirements to apply for a waiver from
the fee:
X My jurisdiction has not already hosted a USDN summer fellow.
X My jurisdiction is under 100,000 population.
o I cannot obtain the required Host Sponsorship Fee of $ for a USDN summer
fellow.
4. Your Lessons From the USDN Equity in Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Fact Sheet
and Webinar Training.
Please provide 2 or more paragraphs that reflect on the USDN Equity in Recruitment, Hiring, and
Retention Fact Sheet (https://www.usdn.org/documents/25323) and October 4, 2018 USDN All
Network Call on Prioritizing Diversity in Recruitment and Retention of Employees
(https://www.usdn.or�/events/29997).
There is much information to glean from the fact sheet and all-network call and we are very
fortunate to have this expertise shared with us. The item that has stuck with me the most:
Ongoing evaluation of the organization: does your commitment to racial equity, diversity, and
inclusion include a commitment and openness to changing the culture of your organization?And
how will you continue to advance your skills in cultural competency and management to support
the success of a racially diverse team? I see this question at the epicenter of the work we do. It
needs to be asked continually to department managers as well as within our personnel office.
This isn't something that you do once and then it goes away—we are committed to implement
these practices. It is a process, to shift an organization, but with each job description we write,
with each hire in which we implement pieces of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in
Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Fact Sheet and use it as a guide to change, we are cementing
those practices until they become standard operating procedure.
I am pleased to say that, having recently gone through the interview process with the City of
Dubuque, many of the suggested questions and wording were a part of my interview. I also
recognize the work that we must do as a City, especially regarding asking our staff members of
color to be on every committee, team or council regardless of how it fits into their area of
expertise. The City is committed to using data and ongoing evaluation to continue to improve
and will use the fact sheet as a guide to this critical work.
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 4
5. How You Will Meet Host Office Responsibilities for Inclusive Recruitment, Hiring, and
Retention.
i. Inclusive outreach and promotion.
a. How will you generate a strong pool of diverse candidates?
The City uses a three-tiered approach to reach diverse candidates for our job postings. First,
working with our Personnel Department we reach out to a wide variety of professional
associations and affinity groups including: National Black MBA Association, National Alliance of
Black School Educators, Water Environment Federation (WEF), Society for the Advancement of
Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, Diversity Women, Prospanica, Hispanic
Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, Racing
Towards Diversity, Colors Careers, Diversity Abroad, EOP's Diversity and Inclusion Career
Center, IM Diversity, Hispanic Chambers throughout the area and the National Minority
Update.
Next, leveraging the many partnerships we have in the community we reach out to our
Multicultural Family Center, partners from nonprofits that work with and serve communities of
color. We will work with our three local universities to reach groups that are led by students of
color. We also share through the local newspaper (Telegraph Herald), Access Dubuque job-
posting website, the personal networks of our equity team members, Inclusive Dubuque and
our Facebook page.
Last of all, we cast a wider net with partners outside our local area: GARE, the League of lowa
Human and Civil Rights; lowa Department of Human Rights and their commissions,the
Intercultural Communication Institute, Sietar, and My Brother's Keeper.
b. How will you ensure that the qualifications in your job description do not unnecessarily
exclude diverse candidates?
We will ensure the job description is supportive of diverse candidates in the following ways:
• use of inclusive language
• relevant experience and expertise will be sufficient in place of certain educational
requirements
• focus on skills and experience, abilityto build authentic relationships and build consensus
among diverse stakeholders
• Sustainability office will review applicants; and work with our personnel office; ensuring
that these supports are met.
ii. Supportive and inclusive work environment:
a. Can you meet these minimum requirements for creating a supportive work environment
for your fellow? Y or N
o Provide workspace, a supervisor, and project support for the fellow.
o Provide a mentor (for fellows who are people of color, provide a mentor who is a person
of color, if feasible).
o Provide an orientation to the office and programs.
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 5
o Include fellows as part of the project team.
o Provide specific directions for how to complete the project and consistent feedback on
progress.
o Check in with the fellows on how they feel about the work environment.
o Participate in USDN learning opportunities and engage in ongoing learning for managing
in a diverse workplace.
o Arrange for the fellow to do a presentation to the Host Sustainability staff and others at
the end oftheir fellowship.
b. What more will you do to create a supportive work environment for the fellow?
Our leadership is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and understands that
diversity brings differences in experiences, and perspectives and is willing to make the time to
address issues that may arise. Weekly check ins with the fellow will identify areas where growth
is necessary, and give the chance to explore opportunities, address barriers, and ensure progress
while maintaining open, clear communication with peers.
We have already identified potential mentors for the fellow and have excelled in the past
connecting other visiting international fellows (not from USDN) with the community and
professional networks. We offer many professional development opportunities. We've worked
closely with our Human Rights Department on this application and will continue this partnership
when hosting a fellow and we are a part of Inclusive Dubuque, a coalition of local leaders,
dedicated to advancing justice and social equity in our community.
6. Guidance on housing.
What guidance is your office able to provide on housing for the fellow?
The City has hosted visiting fellows for varying timeframes in recent years and has several
connections including the landlord's association and community partners who have all worked
together in the past to help find temporary/short term housing for guests of the City. We will
continue to research additional housing options as well.
7. Please provide any additional information that the Host Selection Committee for the USDN
2019 Summer EDI Fellows Program should consider in evaluating your application to host a
fellow.
The City of Dubuque is committed to equity and sustainability and we believe that we have a lot
to offer an EID fellow. The potential for impact in our micropolitan area is great and while small,
we offer many amenities and some rich cultural offerings to our residents and visitors alike. We
also recognize we have a lot of work to do to continue our journey towards racial and social
justice and believe we can support a fellow who in turn can advance our work— promoting both
sustainability and equity in our contracting process.
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 6
Attachment 1. Host Office Roles and Responsibilities Agreement
To supportthe success of USDN Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Fellow placements with host
offices and advancement ofthe overall program goals,
USDN and Global Philanthropy Partnership (GPP), USDN's fiscal sponsor, will:
• With input from the Host Offices, develop the fellowship job description and candidate
criteria.
• Assist with recruitment of fellows, although the Host Offices will take the primary role in
recruitment.
• Receive all fellow candidate applications and then send them to each of the Host Office
local governments.
• Strongly consider the 3 top candidates ranked and recommended by the Host Offices in
choosing the fellows for each of them.
• Onboard the fellows for a short-term engagement and manage payroll including
withholding taxes and worker's compensation coverage for fellows through GPP (USDN's
fiscal sponsor).
• Provide mentorship, including ensuring fellows and their supervisors have clarity about
initial project expectations and tools to evaluate progress.
• Provide regular peer learning opportunities for participating fellows, including access to
the USDN.org website (with strict privacy policy agreement), a learning cohort, and
attendance at the USDN 2019 annual meeting with all costs covered by USDN.
• Provide mentorship for participating supervisors in how to support fellows and enhance
their ability to manage racially diverse staff as needed.
• Promote USDN-wide learning on recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
Host Offices will:
• Provide input to USDN on the fellowship job description and candidate criteria.
• Generate a strong pool of diverse candidates by promoting the fellowship opportunity to
local community networks and to national and professional networks for people of color.
For example:
o Historically Black Colleges and Universities
o Professional Associations or Student Organizations for Students of Color
o National Urban Fellows Public Sector Leadership Diversity Program
o Networks of colleagues who are people of color
• Form a selection committee that includes at minimum the USDN principal member and
proposed fellow supervisor and at least one person of color to review the applications
forwarded by USDN and choose their top three candidates to recommend to USDN for
engagement.
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 7
• Provide a sponsorship fee to USDN unless USDN waives thisfee.
• Create a supportive and inclusive work environmentforfellows.
o Provide workspace, a supervisor,and project support for the fellow.
o Provide a mentor (for fellows who are people of color, provide a mentor who is a
person of color, iffeasible).
o Provide an orientation to the office and programs.
o Includefellowsaspartoftheworkteam.
o Provide specific directions for how to complete the project and consistent
feedback on progress.
o Checkinwiththefellowsonhowtheyfeelabouttheworkenvironment.
o Participate in Sponsor-Host learning opportunities and engage in ongoing learning
for managing in a diverse workplace.
o Arrange for the fellow to do a presentation to the Host Sustainability staff and
others at the end of their fellowship.
o Provide suggestions for housing, if possible.
• Complete a program evaluation atthe conclusion of the fellowship, including lessonsfor
recruiting and retaining a diverse staff
If I am selected as a Host Office, I commit to provide a sponsorship contribution (unless I am
offered a waiver), undertake inclusive recruitment,generate a strong pool of diverse candidates;
review applicationsforwarded by USDN and recommend 3 candidatesfor USDN'sfiscal sponsor,
GPP, to onboard for short term engagement; host a GPP-engaged fellow in the sustainability
program; and create a supportive and inclusive work environmentfor the fellow.
Gina Bell __ Dubuque, lowa
Name City/County
�7�� _11/30/2019
Signature Date
USDN 2019 EDI Fellowship—Host Office RFP—Page 8