The Legacy of the Buscaino Community Grants

“It’s not my money,” he said. “It’s taxpayer money!” But he sure didn’t act like that was the case

To recap, in the wake of the protest following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which set off protests across the nation advocating for the end of wanton police killings of Black men and police brutality in general in July 2020, the LA City Council cut the Los Angeles Police Department by $150 million and pledged to pour that money into disenfranchised communities. Council members set aside $60 million, using much of those funds to balance the budget, leaving about $89 million for various programs.

The $89 million was spread across the neediest census tracts in the city with Council District 15 receiving the third most at $12 million. CD 15 Councilman Joe Buscaino chose to divvy-up $3 million of these funds amongst the nonprofit organizations in CD 15 through the so-called Buscaino Community Grants, in which the top vote-getting nonprofit organizations in their respective parts of the district won a grant. While stakeholders throughout the council district got to pick the deserving nonprofits that applied for the grants, it was the council office that created the parameters for the grant proposals.

About a year and a half ago, I called Buscaino out on these pages for not ensuring that all of the nonprofit organizations that won a “Buscaino Grant” received their money. The proposals had to benefit the communities of Watts, Wilmington, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway and San Pedro. And grant proposals could range from $10,000 to $100,000. In order to participate, they needed to have 501(c)(3) status or operate under the umbrella of a 501(c) (3) and have a Business Tax Registration Certificate with the City of Los Angeles.

Applications were supposed to have been vetted to ensure they met all the applicable criteria.

The voting rule was one vote, one person. By voting, residents were confirming that either they lived in the community or were a community interest stakeholder in the community in which they were voting.

Finalists were notified the first week of May 2021. The voting period opened from May 10 to May 31, 2021, and the council office began announcing the winners starting with Watts on Juneteenth in June 2021.

Those parameters dictated that all pro

posals must fall under the umbrella of at least one of the following categories:

Addressing Homelessness and

Causes;

Addressing Racial Disparities;

City Services/Beautification;

Jobs/Economic Development; Non-Profit/Community Investment; Recreation/Youth Programming; Reimagining Public Safety

It was supposed to be “simple,” until it wasn’t. It should be noted that 25 nonprofit organizations in Watts had collectively won $2.5 million in Buscaino grant money. But if you were to look at the council office website at https:// www.la15th.com/buscainogrants, there are only 14 winners.

Watts

Its Root

Keisha Daniels, COO, and co-founder of Sisters of Watts, said they received half the grant so far. They received the first $50,000, but need to submit more paperwork to receive the second $50,000, to reimburse them for money they already spent.

Anna Marie Carter, the founder of Watts Garden Club, said that her organization applied for a $100,000 grant. The community voted in her favor, but Buscaino’s office only awarded them $70,000.

Carter said they stole $30,000 from her organization. She contacted the city to complain, but city representatives said the money was at Buscaino’s discretion. The program the money was used for started on June 1, 2021, and ended in June 2022. However, Buscaino’s office made the organization spend its own money, and did not reimburse her until December 2021, when they gave them $35,000, and gave the second $35,000 in April 2022.

Timothy Watkins, president and CEO of Watts Labor Community Action Committee, said, “We were designated for an award but turned it down. It came with far too many obligations and restrictions.”

Kenny Jones, director of People for Community Improvement, said he received half of $76,000. He said the other half was lost in the mail, and he is waiting for it to arrive electronically instead.

Kevin Hunt, the co-founder of Watts Community Core, said his organization did not receive the grant money. They were awarded two grants, but Buscaino took them back and gave them to another organization. He said many nonprofits were unhappy that Buscaino gave the money to the Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD), which took 10% because they were a preferred provider by the city.

Responses from other Watt’s organizations:

• Justin Mayo, executive director of Watts Empowerment Center said they received the grant, and they are very grateful for it.

• Fiona Friend, CEO of Women of Watts and Beyond, said her organization received the money as a reimbursement grant.

• A representative of Watts/Century Latino Org, who would not give her name, said they did receive the grant.

• Jose Hernandez, senior pastor of Hope Central Watts, said they received the grant of $24,500

• Zaid Gayle, executive director Peace4Kids, said they received it.

• Cristina Cuellar, executive director of Operation of

On July 1, 2021, founders of City Lights Gateway Foundation, Howard and Kym-Graham Scott receive a $70,000 cardboard check from Councilman Joe Buscaino. Screen capture from Buscaino’s Facebook video Progress, said they received it. and a certificate,” Hernandez said. “We were told

• Representatives in the following nonprofits that the funding would arrive within a couple of admitted to receiving the grants but wouldn’t weeks at the most.” identify themselves personally. In August, Hernandez said she received an

• A representative of Lend An Ear said they email from the council office explaining they were received their grant. still working on funding the grants. But that’s

when requests for Hernandez and her staff to fill

• A representative from Calibrate said they out mounds of additional paperwork started. received it.

“In November (three months AFTER our event) we were still completing all the paperwork for the City,” Hernandez said. “On Nov. 15, 2021, we received half of the allocated funds.”

When Hernandez followed up to check on the balance of the money, she said the council office asked for more paperwork to be completed.

“We decided to not pursue it since it was already three months after the event and the red tape and paperwork was too much to go through

Harbor Gateway

Laura Hernandez, CFO/director of operations for New Challenge Ministries Fresh Rescue Food Bank, said “New Challenge Ministries, Inc., was chosen to receive $20,000 in funds from Joe Buscaino’s Community Grant Program for our Back To School Event in August 2021.

“We attended the Normandale Skatepark Grand Opening on July 1, 2021 where the Community Grant winners were given the notification

again,” Hernandez said. “We were very disappointed in the entire experience.”

Hernandez noted that New Challenge Ministries Fresh Rescue Food Bank is the largest privately funded food bank in the South Bay.

“We service the entire South Bay including the Harbor City area and we support the LAPD Harbor Division with many items to support their community outreach,” Hernandez said. “We are privately funded, so we don’t have a large staff to complete all paperwork and follow up on the projects many times to get something completed.”

Howard Scott, president and founder of the City Lights Gateway Foundation in Harbor City said its Youth Ambassadors Program received a grant, albeit $30,000 less than the $100,000 they requested. He explained that a $35,000 check was cut after having to turn in additional paperwork months later, and the second $35,000 check was cut as a reimbursement for monies spent in March 2022 after still more paperwork.

Wilmington

Michael Herrera, director of the Wilmington Teen Center, said they received half the grant. They filled out all the paperwork, and are waiting for the second half. Buscaino’s office told them it is coming, they said this about a month and a half ago.

Sherece Jefferson, coordinator for the LA Harbor College career and job placement center said her department did not receive the grant. They were going to put on a job fair, but Buscaino’s office was only willing to reimburse them. As they were unable to get the money to put on the fair, they just did a smaller-scale version of the fair and did not use Buscaino’s money.

San Pedro

Robin Aube, director of advancement at AltaSea, said they did receive the grant.

Shane Fleming of Beacon House said, “Yes we did receive the money. Covid dealt us a hard blow and the funding came at a critical time for our organization. Let me know if you have any additional questions. Anything I can do to emphasize our organization’s gratitude for the Community Grants Program.”

A representative of Eastview Little League said they received the money.

Jonathan Williams, president and CEO of the Pacific Battleship Center at the Battleship IOWA, said, “Yes, we have received it, but keep in mind that those that were due to receive it needed to comply with city contractual requirements and policy to receive payment. We are easily able to do this, as we are a tenant of the Port of Los Angeles and have to already.”

In an interview with Random Lengths News, Howard Scott said it best:

“[Nonprofit operators] are not politicians. We don’t go out asking people to vote for the work that we do. [But] for some strange-odd reason, politicians asked us to go out lobbying and asking people to vote for us, and collecting their email information and passing it on to the city. Why do they [the city] want to know? I felt like that was an invasion of their privacy for us to have to pass on this information.”