REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 19, 2026
FROM
BRADLEY GATES, Director, Workforce Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant Award
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept and approve Grant Agreement (No. 08-CCEP-07) with the California Department of Transportation for the Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant program, to support litter abatement and public space beautification efforts while creating workforce development opportunities for individuals facing employment barriers, in the amount of $575,000, for the term of May 19, 2026 through November 1, 2027.
2. Authorize the Director or Assistant Director of the Workforce Development Department to execute and submit the Grant Agreement for the Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant, any ancillary supporting documents, and subsequent non-substantive amendments, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Approve agreement with Chrysalis, to deploy a clean roads crew through transitional employment and provide workforce training and support, in an amount not to exceed $500,000, for the term of May 19, 2026 through November 1, 2027.
4. Authorize the Director or Assistant Director of the Workforce Development Department to make non-substantive amendments to the agreement with Chrysalis, add to the scope of work, and terminate the agreement, in accordance with the termination provisions in the agreement, subject to review by County Counsel.
5. Direct the Director or Assistant Director of the Workforce Development Department to transmit the executed Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant agreement and non-substantive amendments executed pursuant to the authority granted in Recommendations No. 2 and 4, to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Bradley Gates, Director, 387-9856)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Employment Opportunities and Economic Value in the County.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Workforce Development Department (WDD) will use the $575,000 grant award from the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) for the Community Cleanup and Employment Pathways (CCEP) grant program to fund existing staff salaries and benefits and contractual services. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the WDD 2025-26 budget and will be included in future budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The CCEP grant program is a signature initiative under the Clean California Program, administered by CalTrans. This grant program is designed to support litter abatement and public space beautification efforts in locally owned public right-of-way while creating workforce development opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment.
On October 17, 2025, the County Administrative Office (CAO) authorized WDD to submit a non-binding grant application to CalTrans in the amount $1,643,242. The clean-up crew proposed to be funded by the CCEP grant will serve the High Desert region as well as the urban core areas in the County. Cleanup efforts will be documented, including quantifiable data such as the weight of the collected trash. This initiative will expand Chrysalis’ workforce programs within San Bernardino County, delivering a comprehensive job readiness curriculum, ongoing supportive services, and paid transitional employment to county residents facing employment barriers.
On January 12, 2026, CalTrans contacted grant applicants to inform them that they were able to increase submitted applications by up to 50% of the requested funding. On January 13, 2026, WDD received approval from the CAO’s office to increase the requested grant amount to $2,190,989.
On March 17, 2026, WDD received notification that the grant application was approved for a total award amount of $575,000. WDD received the grant award contract from CalTrans on March 17, 2026, with a term date starting from the date of approval by the Board of Supervisors (Board) through November 1, 2027. Pursuant to County Policy 05-13, Board approval is required to accept the grant award.
WDD seeks to enter into an agreement with Chrysalis to deliver CCEP services using the new award funding because of Chrysalis’ existing experience with deploying clean road crews under the Clean California Program initiative through CalTrans. Through this partnership, Chrysalis will provide living-wage, paid transitional employment to County residents facing significant barriers to employment, while also increasing participants’ marketable work experience and overall readiness for long-term employment.
WDD recommends approval of the grant agreement with CalTrans and the agreement with Chrysalis to strengthen local training pathways, improve job accessibility, and foster partnerships that build a resilient workforce throughout the county, while anticipating positive job readiness outcomes and increased employment opportunities for San Bernardino County residents.
PROCUREMENT
The Purchasing Department supports the non-competitive procurement of clean roads crew beautification and litter abatement services through a transitional employment program based on Specialized Credentials. Chrysalis has a unique and established partnership with CalTrans, along with over 10 years of experience deploying clean roads crews and is identified as the key partner within the grant requirements. The organization is uniquely qualified to integrate litter abatement services with a comprehensive transitional employment program, including job readiness training, paid work experience, and ongoing supportive services, enabling immediate implementation and alignment with the County’s workforce development goals.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 6, 2026; Risk Management (Stephanie Pacheco, Staff Analyst II, 386-9039) on April 2, 2026; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on April 17, 2026; and County Finance (Eduardo Mora, Administrative Analyst II, 387-4376) on April 30, 2026.