HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-15-007 - Environmental Committee Recommendation - Community Enivonmental Improvement Grants Staff Report
rTC.�r R finance and Corporate Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: January 19, 2015
SUBMITTED BY: Environmental Committee
PREPARED BY: Carrie Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner 519-741-2200
(ext. 7068)
Dianna Saunderson, Committee Administrator 519-741-2200 (ext.
7277)
WARD(S) INVOLVED: NA
DATE OF REPORT: January 2, 2015
REPORT NO.: FCS-15-007
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION -2014
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT(CEIG)
RECOMMENDATION:
That the 2014 Community Environmental Improvement Grant (CEIG), to be funded from
the Environmental Stewardship Capital Account, as outlined in Finance and Corporate
Services report FCS-15- 007, be awarded as follows:
• $2,000. to JF Carmichael School Council for a School Greening Project. The
project is to create a school greening club, two edible gardens, a naturalized
butterfly garden, and a waste diversion program (to create compost for the
gardens); and,
• $1,500. to Kitchener-Waterloo Newcomer Environmental Group [KW-NEG] for a
Full Circle: Organic Food Cycle Program. The program will educate the
community (especially newcomers) and build environmental stewardship
through workshops on sustainable, low impact behaviours (verm icom posting,
seedling, canning, etc.) by creating a community garden. [The grant is
conditional upon receipt of the other funds to complete the project and proof
that a minimum of 10 participants have committed to the program. The grant is
not to cover harvesting party or appreciation gifts]; and further,
• $1,500. to Mansion Greens Community Garden for a Rain Water Infiltration
Project in Weber Park. The project will install an infiltration gallery that will
capture and sink excess storm water from turf grass and community garden
area. The community garden will be able to utilize water collected in the garden
area. The project will also include a workshop and permanent signage. [The
grant is conditional upon receipt of proof of approval of City Parks Operations
and receipt of the other funds to complete the project]
2 - 1
BACKGROUND:
The Community Environmental Improvement Grant (CEIG) was created in 2004 to foster a
sense of environmental stewardship throughout the City. The aim of the CEIG program is to
encourage residents to actively participate in environmental initiatives, by undertaking projects
that meet the following objectives:
• increase awareness of how residents view and treat the air, water and land resources,
and encourage solutions to improve the quality of these resources;
• promote healthy lifestyle practices;
• foster a sense of environmental stewardship;
• promote and initiate the development of short-term, intermediate and long-term
community-based environmental programs; and,
• support environmental research.
To facilitate this program, annually $5,000. is budgeted to the Environmental Stewardship
Capital Account.
REPORT:
This year the Environmental Committee received eight CEIG applications, from the following
groups:
• JF Carmichael School Council;
• Kitchener-Waterloo Newcomer Environmental Group (KW-NEG);
• Mansion Greens Community Garden;
• Forest Heights C.I. (Waterloo Region DSB);
• St. Dominic Savio Catholic Elementary School;
• WT Townshend Public School & Parent Council;
• TurtleHaven; and,
• THEMUSEUM of Ideas Transcending Objects.
To facilitate the evaluation process, Environmental Committee members completed scoring
sheets for each of the applications; the results of which were compiled to produce an aggregate
ranking of all the applications. Upon review, if an application met the eligibility criteria, the
average score it received in the ranking was used as a percentage of its overall funding request
to determine a potential baseline for funding. A sub-committee of the Environmental Committee
met to consider the results of this ranking evaluation process, and brought forward a
recommendation for funding to the Environmental Committee.
At the November 20, 2014 Environmental Committee meeting, the Committee received
presentations from 2 of the 8 applicants regarding their applications and considered the sub-
committee's recommendation. Based on its deliberations, the Environmental Committee has
recommended that a total of $5000. be allocated to three of the eight CEIG applicants, as
outlined in the recommendation contained herein.
It should be noted that only four members of the Environmental Committee were in attendance
at the November 20, 2014 meeting and the recommendation contained herein was endorsed
without a quorum.
Council Policy 1-590 (Grant Program - Community Environmental Improvement) and grant
criteria have been attached hereto for Council's reference.
2 - 2
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The CEIG supports the community priorities `leadership and community engagement' and
`environment' of the City of Kitchener's Strategic Plan and the recommended projects support
initiatives found within the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Air Quality in Kitchener.
The CEIG also helps achieve the Citizens' Vision for the Environment (2027), in which our
community focuses significant energy and resources on becoming more environmentally
friendly.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The Environmental Stewardship Capital Account has been allocated $5,000. in 2014 for the
CEIG program.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM AND COLLABORATE: The CEIG Program was advertised in fall 2014 in the Kitchener
Citizen (East and West Editions), Kitchener Post and various social media outlets including
Facebook, Twitter and the City's website.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dan Chapman, Deputy CAO Finance and Corporate Services
2 - 3
POLICY NUMBER: 1-590
SUBJECT: GRANT PROGRAM —COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
COUNCIL POLICY RESOLUTION
POLICY NUMBER: 1-590 DATE: OCTOBER 4, 2004
AMENDED: OCTOBER 6, 2008
AMENDED: MARCH 15, 2012
POLICY TYPE: FINANCIAL
SUBJECT: GRANT PROGRAM - COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
POLICY CONTENT:
1. Purpose
Grants are provided to organizations that operate within the City of Kitchener. The purpose
of the program is:
a) to increase people's awareness of how they view and treat air, water and land
resources and encourage them to be involved in solutions to improve the quality of
those resources;
b) to foster a sense of environmental stewardship;
c) to promote community environmental awareness;
d) to promote and initiate the development of community based environmental projects;
e) to support environmental research.
2. Funding Source
Funding is available to a maximum of $3,000.00 for each project in a given year to be
funded from the Environmental Stewardship Capital Account.
3. Criteria
a) Applicants:
i. Applications will be accepted from non-profit groups, neighbourhood associations
and communities of interest. A community of interest is defined as a group of
individuals who voluntarily associate with each other because they have
identified common environmental concerns that impact the city.
ii. Applicants must demonstrate an ability to initiate and follow through on projects
by having an organizational structure in place to lead and manage the activities
and to account for finances.
KITCHENER Page 1 of 4 MARCH 2012
2 - 4
POLICY NUMBER: 1-590
SUBJECT: GRANT PROGRAM —COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
iii. Applicants must submit a completed community environmental improvement
grant application form, along with all supporting documents as noted in the
application form, by the deadline to the City of Kitchener.
iv. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that provide as much public
participation and access as possible, e.g. minimum charge or no admission
charge whenever possible.
V. Applicants seeking continual support for a project are encouraged to seek other
funding sources but may reapply every three years.
vi. A limit may be placed on the number of applications considered from schools or
school related entities in a given year.
b) Projects:
i. Each project for which funding is requested must demonstrably meet Council's
strategic objectives as documented in the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan for the
Environment and other policy documents, namely: Natural Heritage Systems and
Recreational Amenity Areas, Water Resources, Air Quality, Land Resources and
Growth Management, Energy Systems, Resource Consumption and Waste
Management, and Environmental Education and Public Awareness.
ii. Projects must consider inclusion and accommodation of persons with disabilities.
iii. Projects should normally be completed within one calendar year from the date
the application is approved.
iv. Projects that conflict with or are in direct competition with projects performed by
the City will not be supported.
V. Projects provided by the applicant for which funding is requested must be
provided directly to the citizens of Kitchener.
c) Financing:
i. Projects that bring additional external financing, material or human resources to a
project through partnerships are favoured over projects that are only sponsored
by the City of Kitchener.
ii. Funding for consultants or professional salaries will only be eligible if provided
within the context of a partnership with other funders. Applicants must be
operating for City of Kitchener residents. A pro-rated contribution may be
considered where residence of participants is mixed with other municipalities.
Such fees may be allowed to a maximum of$500.00.
KITCHENER Page 2 of 4 MARCH 2012
2 - 5
POLICY NUMBER: 1-590
SUBJECT: GRANT PROGRAM —COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
iii. Where applicable, proof of adequate liability insurance should be presented by
the applicant requesting the grant.
iv. Projects that are the responsibility of other levels of government Municipal,
Regional, Provincial or Federal will not be eligible for a Community
Environmental Improvement Grant.
V. Projects having received funding through the City's Budget process, Tier 1 or 2
Community Grants or Community Garden Grant will not be eligible for a
Community Environmental Improvement Grant.
vi. Community Environmental Improvement Grants are intended for one time
funding only for a specific project.
vii. Projects that distribute funds to other organizations will not be considered, e.g.
fundraising events.
viii. Costs that are associated with ongoing business activity and not a specific
requirement of the proposed initiative will not be eligible for a Community
Environmental Improvement Grant, e.g. office supplies, telephone/internet fees,
salaries, in-kind donations or volunteer time, travel and accommodation costs
etc.
d) Revisions:
i. Any changes to the project timeline, nature and or content of an approved project
shall be subject to a revised proposal being submitted to the Environmental
Committee which will forward a recommendation to City council as to whether the
previously approved funding should be withdrawn.
ii. Failure to submit a revised proposal may result in the withholding or repayment
of funds.
e) Recognition:
i. Applicants receiving funds from the City of Kitchener will recognize the City's
contribution. The City will provide its corporate logo and corporate name for use
in promotional literature and material that may be prepared by the
organization/group for which a grant has been received. Such promotional
material and literature is to be developed in accordance with the City's Corporate
Standards Manual. The format of the recognition will be negotiated by staff and
the organization/group.
ii. Applicants receiving a grant must give a presentation to the Environmental
Committee at the June Committee meeting. A final report detailing grant
KITCHENER Page 3 of 4 MARCH 2012
2 - 6
POLICY NUMBER: 1-590
SUBJECT: GRANT PROGRAM —COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
expenditures, summary of activities undertaken, environmental outcomes
achieved that include photographs, copies of media coverage received or written
feedback must be submitted within one month of the completion of the project or
at the November committee meeting, whichever occurs first.
iii. All project documentation and photographs become the property of the City of
Kitchener for use on its website or other educational material or events.
4. Grant Submission Process
a) All grant requests will be reviewed and evaluated by the Environmental Committee and
City of Kitchener staff.
b) Community Environmental Improvement Grant applications will be received once per
year, normally in mid-September (specific deadline dates will be published annually).
c) A sub-committee of the Environmental Committee will make grant recommendations
based upon input from Environmental Committee members to allocate resources within
budget.
d) Applicants will be notified of the sub-committee's grant recommendations prior to
consideration by the Environmental Committee, normally in October (specific deadline
dates will be published annually).
e) Applicants who request a grant will be afforded the opportunity to address the
Environmental Committee or appropriate Standing Committee of Council as a delegation
pursuant to Council's Procedural By-law; delegations are permitted to address the
Committee for a maximum of five (5) minutes.
f) Generally, grant recommendations will be brought forward for consideration by Council
at an appropriate Standing Committee of Council meeting, normally in November or
December (specific date will be published annually).
g) All decisions made by the appropriate Standing Committee of Council must be ratified by
City Council before they are final. The Committee's decision from this meeting will be
considered at the next regularly scheduled meeting of City Council.
h) Formal notification of successful grant recipients and amounts will be sent to applicants
following decisions by Council.
i) Payment of grants will occur after Council approval.
KITCHENER Page 4 of 4 MARCH 2012
2 - 7
CEIG Criteria Score System
Offer a brief description of the program or project 10 points)
description of program or project /10
Describe a s ecific issue or problem in Kitchener that the program or project addresses 10 points)
Organizations must be operating for City of Kitchener
* residents(a pro-rated contribution may be considered /10
where residence of participants is mixed with other
municipalities)
Describe the benefits to the community of the program or project 40 poi nts
Community projects should build a level of knowledge
�k and ability within the community to promote further /5
stewardship initiatives.
Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment
�k ... Natural Heritage Systems and Recreational Amenity /5
Areas
* Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment /5
... Water Resources
* Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment /5
...Air Quality
* Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment /5
... Land Resources&Growth Management
* Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment /5
... Energy Systems
* Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment /5
... Resource Consumption and Waste Management
* Relates to Kitchener's Strategic Plan for the Environment /5
... Environmental Education and Public Awareness
Outline the Proi t implementation plan and schedule 20 points)
* Groups must demonstrate... an ability to initiate and /5
follow through on projects.
* Groups must demonstrate... an organizational structure /5
in place
* Groups must demonstrate... lead and manage the /5
activities
Where applicable, proof of adequate liability insurance
�k should be presented by the organization requesting the /5
rant.
Provide the bud et for the program or project 10 points)
�k Request for one-time funding only, for a specific project. /5
�k Groups must demonstrate... account for finances /5
Please list any additional partnership or funding contributors 10 points)
Additional external financing, material or human
* resources brought to a project through partnerships are /10
favoured over projects that are only sponsored by the
City of Kitchener.
�k Taken from the 2012 approved grant criteria
Page 1 of 1
2 - 8