Adopt resolution authorizing execution of Workforce Investment and Opportunity Services Contract with the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency and accept a $167,502 grant for the operation of Maker Space/Incubator Services for the Capital Region Slingshot Project for the period of May 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018; and approve agreements with the Center for Land Based Learning for $87,252 and AgTech Innovation Alliance for $71,875 for the period of May 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018, to utilize the grant funds. (No general fund impact) (Larsen)

1. Adopt resolution authorizing execution of Workforce Investment and Opportunity Services Contract with the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) and accept a $167,502 grant for the operation of Maker Space/Incubator Services for the Capital Region Slingshot Project under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for the period of May 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018; and
    
2. Approve agreements with the Center for Land Based Learning for $87,252 and AgTech Innovation Alliance for $71,875 to utilize the grant funds. Both agreements are for the period of May 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018.

The Capital Region group is a coalition of local employment investment boards of which Yolo County is a member. SETA is also a member and serves as the lead agency for the Capital Region’s SlingShot Project. The project takes ideas from across the region and applies for California WIOA grant funds to launch them. This particular grant round provides funding to develop entrepreneurship and small businesses in the Sacramento area.
 
The Capital Region’s SlingShot Project recently awarded two competitive grants to Yolo County in the amount of $167,502. One of the grants is for a partnership with the Center for Land Based Learning. The second grant is for a partnership with Agtech Innovation Alliance.
 
The agreement with SETA (Attachment A) enables Yolo County to contract with and provide WIOA grant funds to the Center for Land Based Learning (Attachment B) and the Agtech Innovation Alliance (Attachment C) in the amount of $87,252 and $71,875, respectively. The remaining $8,375 of the $167,502 WIOA grant would be retained by the County for administrative expenses.
 
The Center for Land Based Learning will expand and grow the California Farm Academy (CFA) farm business incubator program. The program provides support services and physical resources to establish farm startups in a low-risk environment. CFA will help farmers access and serve larger and/or better paying markets, achieve profitability sooner, and provide farmer network support. Training workshops and courses are also built into the program.
 
The Agtech Innovation Alliance will fully outfit the Woodland based agriculture technology incubator with appropriate office equipment as well as assist new agriculture technology start-ups with direct connection to regional farms for design and testing of their agriculture technology innovations. It will also provide support group meetings for farmers and agriculture technology entreprenuers and create one large agriculture technology showcase event promoting the program.