City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: JANUARY 8, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: KATE GARVEY, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Acceptance of a grant award from the Camber Collective to the Center for Economic Support in the Department of Community and Human Services.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: City Council's acceptance of the Department of Community and Human Services' (DCHS) grant award for the Center for Economic Support (CES) to design, launch, and evaluate a digital narrative change communication pilot.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Authorize the retroactive acceptance of the grant award for funding to DCHS in the amount of $30,000 for the Camber Collective Narrative Change grant, duration of four (4) months with no match required, to design and launch a digital pilot initiative for narrative change; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The grant supports the design, launch, measurement, and evaluation of a digital narrative change pilot to address and shift harmful and false narratives about why people experience poverty. This grant enables the DCHS Communications and CES program team to receive technical assistance from the Camber Collective and $30,000 to plan and launch a digital narrative change campaign. This funding from the Camber Collective will allow for a more strategic, inclusive communication plan. This plan will result in the production and dissemination of communication materials, aimed at accessing critical mass and intended audience of the community.
DISCUSSION: Existing misperceptions and long-standing harmful tropes prevalent in popular culture and media can distort and limit the design of policies and programs intended to support economic mobility. Economic mobi...
Click here for full text