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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-16-003 - Community Environmental Improvement Grant REPORT TO: Committee of the Whole DATE OF MEETING: January 25, 2016 SUBMITTED BY: Environmental Committee PREPARED BY: Dianna Saunderson, Committee Administrator 519-741-2200 ext. Carrie Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner 7277 and 519-741-2200 ext. 7068 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: January 6, 2016 REPORT NO.: FCS-16-003 SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION - 2015 COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT (CEIG) ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That a total of $6,500.00 from the Community Environmental Improvement Grant (CIEG) capital account be awarded as follows: $2,400. - to Crestview Public School Council for a School Garden Project; and, $2,000. - to Rockway Public School Greening Project - Waterloo Education Foundation Inc. for a School Greening Project; and, $1,000. - to IMPACT: Eastwood Collegiate Institute’s Environmental Group for a School Greening Project.; and, $550. - to Sustainable Youth Canada – Waterloo Region for a ‘What can YOUth do?’ conference; and further, $550. - to Grand River Ontario Professional Organizers in Canada for an ‘Organizing Your Environment for Better Living & Healthier Communities’ workshop series. 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: *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 4. - 1 Increase awareness of how we view and treat 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. REPORT: The Environmental Committee received 7 grant applications for the 2015 Community Environmental Improvement Grant (CEIG) from the following groups: • Crestview Public School Council; • Rockway Public School Greening Project; • IMPACT: Eastwood Collegiate Institute’s Environmental Group; • Sustainable Youth Canada – Waterloo Region; • Grand River Ontario Professional Organizers in Canada; • Community Renewable Energy Waterloo; • Huron Cleanup Crew. Requested Recommended Group Grant Grant Funding Crestview Public School Council $3,000 2,400. Rockway Public School Greening Project $3,000 2,000. IMPACT: Eastwood Collegiate Institute’s $3,000 $1,000. Environmental Group Sustainable Youth Canada – Waterloo Region $3,000 $550. Grand River Ontario Professional Organizers in $2,650 $550. Canada Huron Cleanup Crew $1,000$0 Community Renewable Energy Waterloo $850$0 To facilitate the evaluation process, Environmental Committee members completed scoring sheets for all CEIG applications, the results of which were compiled to produce an aggregate ranking of all the applications. Additionally, applicants were invited to attend the November 19, 2015 Environmental Committee meeting to make short presentations on their grant requests, of which 5 of the 7 applicants opted to make presentations to the Committee at that meeting. On November 26, 2015, the 2015 CEIG Sub-Committee evaluated all seven applications received based upon the criteria for funding, the merits of the applications, and the scoring provided by the Environmental Committee members. Based on its deliberations, the Sub-Committee brought forward a recommendation as outlined in Community Services Department report CSD-15-093 for consideration at the December 15, 2015 Environmental Committee meeting. 4. - 2 At the December 15, 2015 Committee meeting, members expressed support for the recommendation as outlined in Report CSD-15-093 and based on its deliberations, the Environmental Committee has recommended that a total of $6,500. be allocated to 5 of the 7 CEIG applicants, as outlined in the recommendation contained herein. Council Policy 1-590 (Grant Program - Community Environmental Improvement) and grant criteria have been attached hereto for Council’s reference. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The Community Environmental Improvement Grant capital account has $6,500 available for use toward the 2015 CEIG program. The annual allotment is $5,000; however, a 2014 recipient was not able to utilize the $1500.00 allotted to them and so those funds were carried over to 2015. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM - This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the Environmental Committee meeting. In September, Planning staff sent targeted e-mails to a database of approximately 60 relevant organizations, non-for profits and neighbourhood associations. The September edition of the Kitchener Citizen (east and west) included an advertorial highlighting the J.F Carmichael School Greening Club who received a grant last year and how to apply to CEIG this year. The focus of communication was social media such as Facebook, Twitter and the City’s website. COLLABORATE – This initiative was done in collaboration with a Sub-Committee of community volunteers. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dan Chapman, Deputy CAO, Finance and Corporate Services Appendix A - Council Policy 1-590 (Grant Program - Community Environmental Improvement) 4. - 3 4. - 4 4. - 5 4. - 6 4. - 7 4. - 8