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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCONSENT Thriving Grant - The Benji Project ev')i ?die C- JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour Amanda Christofferson,Grants Administrator DATE: 4 -ii,.t27., adJ a-CP SUBJECT: Thriving Communities Small Grants Program Contracts for Execution STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Jefferson County BOCC committed awards for the Thriving Communities Small Grants program in January. Attached are contracts for the fifteen community organizations that the County awarded funds to. ANALYSIS: The fifteen awardees have provided W9 documentation and the contracts with them will secure the County's interests. These various projects will bring benefit to many communities. FISCAL IMPACT: The County allocated$10,000 in the 2026 budget in order to fund the Thriving Communities Small Grant program. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners make a motion to approve of the awards. REVIEWED BY: 16 2-{ fat)1?-6 Jos a. 'eters, County Administrator Date CONTRACT REVIEW FORM Clear Fomi (INSTRUCTIONS ARE ON THE NEXT PAGE) Contract No: TC Award Benji 2026 CONTRACT WITH: Thriving Communities Grant Awardees Contract For: TC Grant Award Term: Execution-December 31, 2026 COUNTY DEPARTMENT: Auditors Office Contact Person: Amanda Christofferson Contact Phone: 360-385-9232 Contact email: amchristofferson@co.jefferson.wa.us AMOUNT: $500.00 PROCESS: n Exempt from Bid Process Revenue: $500.00 _ Cooperative Purchase Expenditure: Competitive Sealed Bid Matching Funds Required: Small Works Roster Sources(s) of Matching Funds Vendor List Bid Fund# cs RFP or RFQ Munis Org/Obj CS57121-410571 ✓ Other: APPROVAL STEPS: STEP 1: DEPARTMENT CERTIFIES COMPLIANCE WITH JCC 3.55.080 AND CHAPTER 42.23 RCW. CERTIFIED: ❑■ N/A: . 4yrt.c2rtal- (2A./- �1 rL 4/8/2026 Signature Date STEP 2: DEPARTMENT CERTIFIES THE PERSON PROPOSED FOR CONTRACTING WITH THE COUNTY (CONTRACTOR) HAS NOT BEEN DEBARRED BY ANY FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL AGENCY. CERTIFIED: ❑� N/A: El 4m-afrtilez- �� � � _4/8/2026 Signature Date STEP 3: RISK MANAGEMENT REVIEW(will be added electronically through Laserfiche): Electronically approved by Risk Management on 4/17/2026. STEP 4: PROSECUTING ATTORNEY REVIEW(will be added electronically through Laserfiche): Electronically approved as to form by PAO on 4/16/2026. DPA JBL reviewed and approved on 4-16-2026 STEP 5: DEPARTMENT MAKES REVISIONS & RESUBMITS TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND PROSECUTING ATTORNEY(IF REQUIRED). STEP 6: CONTRACTOR SIGNS STEP 7: SUBMIT TO BOCC FOR APPROVAL 1 AGREEMENT FOR 2026 THRIVING COMMUNITIES SMALL GRANT FUNDING FOR THE BENJI PROJECT This Agreement is by and between Jefferson County, Washington(the COUNTY) and THE BENJI PROJECT("THE BENJI PROJECT"). WHEREAS, THE BENJI PROJECT is a non-profit corporation registered with the Secretary of State of the State of Washington under UBI number 93-1773705; WHEREAS, the COUNTY desires to support projects that promote a safe, secure, and satisfying way of life for Jefferson County residents and visitors. Sought projects that promote a sense of belonging, so that residents and visitors feel welcomed to share in the many activities, opportunities, and experiences available across Jefferson County; WHEREAS, the COUNTY allocated $ 10,000.00 to a fund a Thriving Communities (TC) small grant program; WHEREAS, the COUNTY published a request for proposals on September 4, 2025 that required each proposal to contain an evaluation plan; WHEREAS, THE BENJI PROJECT submitted a qualified TC proposal to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners(BoCC); WHEREAS, THE BENJI PROJECT'S qualified proposal contains an evaluation plan with criteria; WHEREAS,the BoCC staff reviewed and recommended funding all or part of THE BENJI PROJECT's qualified proposal; WHEREAS, the BoCC reviewed the staff recommendation for funding all or part of THE BENJI PROJECT's qualified proposal; IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants and agreements herein it is agreed by the parties as follows: 1. SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED USING THE THRIVING COMMUNITIES AWARD a. THE BENJI PROJECT shall use its capabilities and utilize up to the total amount of Final TC Award for the approved scope of work for the Project described in THE BENJI PROJECT's proposal for the 2026 fiscal year, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A. b. The budget for the Project is described in Exhibit B,attached. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BENJI PROJECT a. No later than January 31, 2027, THE BENJI PROJECT shall submit a report to the BoCC Staff describing the final results as compared to the requirements in the evaluation plan during the term of this Agreement due. Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 1 b. THE BENJI PROJECT shall maintain books, records, documents and other evidence that sufficiently and properly reflect all direct and indirect costs expended by it to perform this Agreement. These records shall be subject to inspection,review or audit by personnel of both parties, other personnel duly authorized by either party, the Office of the State Auditor, and federal officials so authorized by law. All books, records, documents, and other material relevant to this Agreement will be retained for six years after expiration of agreement. The Office of the State Auditor, federal auditors, the Jefferson County Auditor, and any persons duly authorized by the parties shall have full access and the right to examine these materials during this period. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the six (6) year period, the records shall be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved. Records and other documents, in any medium, furnished by THE BENJI PROJECT to the COUNTY, shall remain the property of the THE BENJI PROJECT, unless otherwise agreed. 3. RESPONSIBILITY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY a. The COUNTY shall provide THE BENJI PROJECT $500.00 in funding from the Thriving Communities small grant to be used in support THE BENJI PROJECT'S qualified program. b. Said funding is in the amount of the Final TC Award for the 2026 fiscal year. 4. TERM This Agreement shall be for a term of one year, commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31,2026,except for the reports required in Section 2,which are due January 31,2027. 5. NO ASSIGNMENT A parry's interest in this in this Agreement shall not be assigned to any other person. 6. TERMINATION a. This Agreement may be terminated, in whole or in part, by the COUNTY upon thirty (30) days written notice if expected or actual revenue from the grant is reduced or limited in any way, or for non-performance of duties under this Agreement, or for any reason. b. THE BENJI PROJECT may terminate this Agreement upon thirty (30) days written notice to the COUNTY. If there is termination under this clause, the COUNTY shall be liable to pay only for services rendered prior to the effective date of termination. If termination covers a period for which payment has already been made, THE BENJI PROJECT shall refund to the COUNTY a pro-rated share of the payment based upon the balance of time remaining in the paid period,unless otherwise negotiated. 7. HOLD HARMLESS a. THE BENJI PROJECT shall indemnify and hold the COUNTY, and its officers, employees, agents and volunteers (and their marital communities) harmless from and shall process and defend at its own expense, including all costs, attorney fees and expenses relating thereto, all claims, demands, or suits at law or equity arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from THE BENJI PROJECT's negligence or breach of Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 2 an of its obligations under this Agreement; provided that nothing herein shall require THE BENJI PROJECT to indemnify the COUNTY against and hold harmless the COUNTY from claims, demands or suits based solely upon the conduct of the COUNTY, its officers, employees, agents and volunteers (and their marital communities), and; provided further that if the claims or suits are caused by or result from the concurrent negligence of: (a) THE BENJI PROJECT's agents or employees; and, (b) the COUNTY, its officers, employees agents and volunteers (and their marital communities), this indemnity provision with respect to claims or suits based upon such negligence, and or the costs to the COUNTY of defending such claims and suits, etc., shall be valid and enforceable only to the extent of THE BENJI PROJECT's negligence, or the negligence of THE BENJI PROJECT's agents or employees. b. THE BENJI PROJECT specifically assumes potential liability for actions brought against the COUNTY by THE BENJI PROJECT's employees, including all other persons engaged in the performance of any work or service required of THE BENJI PROJECT under this Agreement and, solely for the purpose of this indemnification and defense, THE BENJI PROJECT specifically waives any immunity under the state industrial insurance law, Title 51 RCW. THE BENJI PROJECT recognize that this waiver was specifically entered into pursuant to provisions of RCW 4.24.115 and was subject of mutual negotiation. 8. INSURANCE THE BENJI PROJECT shall obtain and keep in force during the term of this Agreement the following insurance: a. Commercial General Liability Insurance. THE BENJI PROJECT shall maintain commercial general liability coverage on a form acceptable to COUNTY Risk Management for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage, with a limits of not less than in the amount of at least $1 million per occurrence, for bodily injury, including death, and property damage; and b. Worker's Compensation (Industrial Insurance). THE BENJI PROJECT shall maintain workers' compensation insurance at its own expense, as required by Title 51 RCW, for the term of this Agreement and shall provide evidence of coverage to COUNTY Risk Management,upon request. 9. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR a. THE BENJI PROJECT and the COUNTY agree that THE BENJI PROJECT is an independent contractor with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement. b. Nothing in this Agreement shall be considered to create the relationship of employer and employee between the parties hereto. c. Neither THE BENJI PROJECT nor any employee of THE BENJI PROJECT shall be entitled to any benefits accorded COUNTY employees by virtue of the services provided under this Agreement. d. The COUNTY shall not be responsible for withholding or otherwise deducting federal income tax or social security or for contributing to the state industrial insurance program, Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 3 otherwise assuming the duties of an employer with respect to THE BENJI PROJECT, or any employee, representative, agent or subcontractor of THE BENJI PROJECT. e. THE BENJI PROJECT shall be responsible for all applicable withholdings, deductions, state industrial insurance, tax reports, business licenses, registrations, and all other obligations of an independent organization. 10. SUBCONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS a. THE BENJI PROJECT Owns Contract Performance. THE BENJI PROJECT is responsible for meeting all terms and conditions of this Agreement including standards of service, quality of materials and workmanship, costs and schedules. Failure of a subcontractor to perform is no defense to a breach of this Agreement. THE BENJI PROJECT assumes responsibility for all liability for the actions and quality of services performed by any subcontractor. b. Subcontractor Disputes. Any dispute arising between THE BENJI PROJECT and any subcontractors or between subcontractors must be resolved with involvement of any kind on the part of the COUNTY and without detrimental impact on the delivery of contracted goods and services. 11. LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE While performing under this Agreement, THE BENJI PROJECT, subcontractors, and their employees are required to comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws, codes, ordinances and regulations, including but not limited to: a. Applicable regulations of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, including WA-DOSH Safety Regulation; and b. State and Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws. 12. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS THE BENJI PROJECT shall comply with all Federal, State, and local laws and ordinances applicable to the work to be done under this Agreement. 13. CHOICE OF LAW The parties agree that this Agreement is entered into in the State of Washington. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the United States, the State of Washington and the County of Jefferson, as if applied to transactions entered into and to be performed wholly within Jefferson County, Washington between Jefferson County residents. No party shall argue or assert that any state law other than Washington law applies to the governance or construction of this Agreement. 14. DISPUTES a. The parties agree to use their best efforts to prevent and resolve disputes before they escalate into claims or legal actions. Any disputed issue not resolved under this Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 4 Agreement shall be submitted in writing within 10 days to the County Risk Manager, whose decision in the matter shall be final,but shall be subject to judicial review. b. If either party deem it necessary to institute legal action or proceeding to enforce any right or obligation under this Agreement, each party in such action shall pay for its own attorney's fees and court costs. c. Any legal action shall be initiated in the Superior Court of the State of Washington for Jefferson County, subject to the venue provisions for actions against counties in RCW 36.01.050. The parties agree that the parties have the right of appeal from such decisions of the Superior Court under the laws of the State of Washington. d. THE BENJI PROJECT consents to the personal jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Washington. 15. DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED THE BENJI PROJECT shall not discriminate on the grounds of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification in the selection and retention of employees,materials, supplies, or subcontractors. 16. INTEGRATED AGREEMENT This agreement together with attachments or addenda represents the entire and integrated agreement between the COUNTY and THE BENJI PROJECT and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, or agreements written or oral. 17. PUBLIC RECORDS ACT Notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any record, including any electronic, audio, paper or other media, is required to be kept or indexed as a public record in accordance with the Washington Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW, as may be amended, THE BENJI PROJECT agrees to maintain all records constituting public records and to produce or assist the COUNTY in producing such records, within the time frames and parameters set forth in state law. THE BENJI PROJECT further agrees that upon receipt of any written public record request, THE BENJI PROJECT shall, within two business days, notify the COUNTY by providing a copy of the request per the notice provisions of this Agreement. This Agreement and any reports submitted by THE BENJI PROJECT are subject to disclosure as a public record under the Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56. 18. RECORDS RETENTION AND AUDIT AUTHORIZATION a. A minimum of six years, THE BENJI PROJECT shall maintain documented proof of payments made, contracts executed and other expenditures authorized under your Agreement with COUNTY. Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 5 b. Upon reasonable notice, THE BENJI PROJECT shall provide access to the COUNTY or State representatives to audit records related to the funds provided to THE BENJI PROJECT under this Agreement. 19. NO SEVERABILITY The terms of this Agreement are not severable. If any provision of this Agreement or the application of this Agreement to any person or circumstance shall be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement and the application this Agreement shall not be enforceable. 20. SURVIVAL Those provisions of this Agreement that by their sense and purpose should survive the term of this Agreement shall survive the term of this Agreement for a period equal to any and all relevant statutes of limitation, plus the time necessary to fully resolve any claims, matters or actions begun within that period. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, and for the avoidance of doubt, the provisions that survive the term of this agreement include: (a) controlling law; (b) insurance; and, (c) indemnification. 21. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND WAIVER a. This Agreement may be not be amended or modified to change the approved scope of services in the Final TC Award. b. Only the BoCC or their delegee by writing (delegation to be made prior to action) shall have the expressed, implied, or apparent authority to sign, alter, amend, modify, or waive any clause or condition of this Agreement. c. Any alteration, amendment, modification, or waiver of any clause or condition of this Agreement is not effective or binding unless made in writing and signed by the BoCC or their delegee. SIGNATURES ARE ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 6 JEFFERSON COUNTY WASHINGTON THE BENJI PROJECT Board of COUNTY Commissioners Jefferson COUNTY,Washington By: Signature By: Heidi Eisenhour, Chair Date Name: By: Title: Greg Brotherton, Member Date Date: By: Heather Dudley-Nollette,Member Date SEAL: ATTEST: Carolyn Gallaway, CMC Date Clerk of the Board Approved as to form only: 4-16-2026 P-114112 elee Date Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 7 EXHIBIT A- SCOPE OF WORK THE BENJI PROJECT has been awarded $500.00 (the "Final TC Award"), after recommendation by the TC staff. THE BENJI PROJECT shall use the Final TC Award consistently with its response to the request for proposal submitted. A true and correct copy of the THE BENJI PROJECT's response to the request for proposal is attached as Exhibit C. Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 8 EXHIBIT B—BUDGET THE BENJI PROJECT has been awarded$500.00(the"Final TC Award"), after recommendation by the TC staff. THE BENJI PROJECT shall use the Final TC Award consistently with its response to the request for proposal submitted to the BOCC. A true and correct copy of the THE BENJI PROJECT's response to the request for proposal is attached as Exhibit C. Applicant: THE BENJI PROJECT Contact: Heather McRae-Woolf Address: PO Box 1487 Port Townsend, WA 98368 Phone: Email: heather@thebenjiproject.org Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 9 Exhibit C THE BENJI PROJECT'S PROPOSAL Request for Proposal(RFP)starts after this page Thriving Communities Grant Award Agreement for THE BENJI PROJECT'S Page 10 OCT 24 2025 Thriving Communities Small Grants Program 2026 Proposal The Benji Project: Winter After-School Program at the Jefferson County Li i p ER R3 f.) O U NI Lim Project Overview The Benji Project is partnering with the Jefferson County Public Library to offer an 8-week after-school program, beginning February 2025. Our instructors teach the Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC-T)curriculum, sharing tools for emotional resilience with middle and high school students. We offered this class at the Library successfully last year, so we hope to make this an annual event. The Library location is ideal because it's centrally located and allows students from multiple schools to attend. We are seeking$2,000 in support from the Thriving Communities Small Grants Program to ensure that we can conduct appropriate outreach, so students throughout the Chimacum-Port Townsend area are aware of this opportunity, and that we can continue to provide sliding scale tuition options. More than half of our participants receive full or partial scholarships, and even the full price of tuition does not cover all the costs for running the program. The Benji Project instructor team consists of Nancy Israel and Steven Baird.Nancy also serves as Program Coordinator for The Benji Project. She has worked in education for more than 20 years, having served in program management roles at the Northwest Maritime Center and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. Both instructors have received intensive training in the MSC-T curriculum, maintained by the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.This is an adaptation of the Mindful Self-Compassion program for adults developed by Chris Germer, PhD,and Kristin Neff, PhD.The curriculum is rooted in three key concepts: self-kindness,common humanity,and mindful balanced awareness. MSC-T teaches principles and practices that enable teens to: • Respond to the challenges of these critical years with self-compassion. • Identify their own suffering so they can learn to give themselves what they truly need. • Know they are not alone in their suffering. • Encourage an open-minded acceptance of the struggles they are facing. • Feel supported and accepted in a carefully guided learning environment with peers. Organization Profile The Benji Project was founded in 2017 in response to the suicide of a Jefferson County teenager. Since our founding,we have delivered mindfulness and self-compassion programs to more than 2,200 youth ages 9 to 19 in Jefferson County, providing them with tools to help them traverse life's ups and downs with resilience. We deliver: 1) school-based programs in Jefferson County school districts; 2) community-based after-school programs; 3)summer camps;and 4)workshops for families. The Benji Project offers an upstream intervention that equips adolescents with tools to manage stress and emotional challenge, thus increasing well-being and preventing mental illness. Several published research studies have demonstrated the positive outcomes of the MSC-T curriculum. In the first pilot study (Bluth et al.., 2016), findings indicated decreases in depression, anxiety, stress,and negative affect after a 6-session class. Findings in the second pilot study (Bluth& Eisenlohr-Moul, 2017)demonstrated decreases in stress, and increases in resilience, positive risk-taking(willingness to take on new challenges) and gratitude after the course was over. Thriving Communities Small Grants Program 2026 Proposal The Benji Project: Winter After-School Program at the Jefferson County Library Project Scope Statement The Winter After-School Program will take place on Wednesdays, Feb.4-April 1 (with a week off for the February school break). The timing of the class, 2:45-4:45 pm, was selected to align with the Chimacum school bus schedules as well as public bus transportation from Port Townsend. Wednesdays were selected because those are early release days, which means students have more afternoon availability plus potentially more mental bandwidth to engage in a substantive program. Timetable and Milestones: January'26 Online and in-person outreach and marketing takes place. Students are enrolled. February'26 Classes begin on Feb. 4. Families receive regular email updates about the progress of the course. March'26 The course continues, on a weekly basis. April'26 The course finishes on April 1. The instructor team collects feedback from participants and community partners and holds a team debrief, summarizing any de recommendativiallit modifications or improvts. Evaluation Plan At the end of each program,we collect feedback from participants. Post-program surveys ask what practices students plan to use in the future, as well as: "How much did you learn about managing stress in your day-to-day life? (1-5 Likert Scale)and"How much did these classes help you find your inner compassionate voice?"(1-5 Likert Scale). Also at the end of each session, instructors complete an online reflection form, where they report numbers of students who participated and observations about the session. Then at the end of the program as a whole, instructors complete a more extensive online reflection form, where they report changes observed in the group during the program as well as any challenges encountered. When we offer a program in partnership, as with the Library, we also request feedback from our partner about their perceptions of the effectiveness of the program. Each quarter,we review the instructor reflection data,as well as participant feedback, from all our programs to inform ongoing program improvement. References: I. Participants from last year's after-school program at the library reflected on the value of the community connections created through the program. They shared: • "Now I feel like I have other people I can talk to who will support me." • "Now I have people I can think of when I'm going through something and know I'm not the only one." 2. See letter below from Scott Bahlmann, sbahlmann@jclibrary.info 3. Holly Mcllvaine, hmcilvaine a,ptschools.org, Student Assistance Professional at Blue Heron Middle School,was our primary contact for an after-school program at Blue Heron and has referred multiple students to our programs. She is happy to be contacted as a reference. Thriving Communities Small Grants Program 2026 Proposal The Benji Project: Winter After-School Program at the Jefferson County Library Project Budget: Expenditures _ Advertising& Marketing $225 Bank Charges& Fees(for online enrollment) $ 19 Healthy Snacks for Students $280 Program Supplies $ 75 Staff Payroll (lead instructor, ED oversight, and Operations Director support) $ 3,392 Second Contract Instructor $ 1,610 Total Expenditures $5,601 Revenue Program Registration Fees $ 1,250 Tuition Discounts(50%scholarship rate) -S 625 Thriving Communities Grant Request $ 2,000 Match Funds (Salish 1311-ASO. Jeff Co 1/10th of 1%) $ 2,976 Total Revenue $5,601 JEFFERSON COUNTY 360.385.6544 LIBRARY 620 Cedar Ave DISTRICT Port Hadlock, WA 98339 October 23, 2025 Thriving Communities Small Grant Consideration committee, As the Youth Services Librarian for the Jefferson County Library District. we are pleased to partner with The Benji Project. The weekly series Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens gives structure for young peers to gather and develop resiliency skills. This is our second year providing space for teens in the community to gather through this program. Not only do the facilitators bring considered curriculum and professional insights, they bring a flexibility that is responsive to the needs and opportunities of our community. From targeted engagement during recruitment when numbers were initially low, to adapting activities allowing a snowball fight when the weather cooperated, Nancy and Eden clearly are achieving a positive impact for participants. In working with the Jefferson County Health Department, it's clear a strong way to compact substance abuse and self-harm is through positive peer interactions. The Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens series provides direct experience in this which allows the participants to take ideas, resilience strategies, and ideally some meaningful relationships as support through their teen years. Seeing the positive impact of these engagements, this year at the library we're offering a monthly Mindfulness for Teens program as a lead up to the series with The Benji Project. Having ongoing interactions will generate interest and awareness connecting more teens with the opportunity to participate in the winter sessions. We are honored to be a space for this valuable community work. Thank you for considering this project, Scott Bahlmann Youth Librarian Jefferson County Library District www.iclibrarv.info