Executive/Council Action Form (ECAF)
ITEM TITLE:
Title
Motion 23-563, approving and authorizing the County Executive to execute the Washington State Department of Commerce Grant Agreement to Stabilize New Refugees Including Those from Ukraine and Afghanistan
body
DEPARTMENT: Human Services
ORIGINATOR: Leila Bettys
EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATION: Approved by Lacey Harper 12/11/23
PURPOSE: Approve and Authorize the County Executive to Execute the Washington State Department of Commerce Grant Agreement to Stabilize New Refugees including those from Ukraine and Afghanistan.
BACKGROUND: Since Afghans began resettling in Snohomish County in 2021 and Ukrainians since 2022, Snohomish County has been partnering with Volunteers of America Western Washington and Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest to support newly arrived Afghans and Ukrainians into Snohomish County. The partners opened the Snohomish County Welcoming Center on October 1, 2021, and since that time, it has served approximately 2,400 Afghans and 5,250 Ukrainians. The model that Snohomish County and our partners created is widely recognized as the "gold standard" for care and service for newly arrived refugees.
The Washington State Department of Commerce is offering a contract to Snohomish County for a total of $2,000,000 which was appropriated through ESSB 5187. Under this contract, Snohomish County and our partners would be able to continue supporting newly arrived refugees by providing basic needs and resettlement and rehousing assistance.
This grant award exceeds the 2023 grant workplan (GWP) amount and budget, but these funds were included in the 2024 GWP and budget and will be included in the 2025 budget. Human Services has sufficient 2023 budget authority in Fund 124 to support this request and no budget actions will be necessary.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
EXPEND: FUND, AGY, ORG, ACTY, OBJ, AU
2023
2024-2025
TOTAL
124 5044611011/2013
$0
$20,000
$20,000
124 52059304101
$1,000,000
$980,000
$1,98...
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