HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-08-024 - Festival of Neighbourhoods - Community Development Infrastructure Program Grant Application
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Community Services
Report To:
Date of Meeting:
Submitted By:
Community Services Committee
March 31 , 2008
Prepared By:
Ward(s) Involved:
Date of Report:
Report No.:
Subject:
Mark Hildebrand, Director Community Programs and Services
Ext. 2687
Natascha VolI, District Facilitator, Ext. 2503
All
March 5, 2008
CSD-08-024
FESTIVAL OF NEIGHBOURHOODS
CITY OF KITCHENER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM GRANT APPLICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
That a $15,000 grant allocation be approved for the Festival of Neighbourhoods, from the
Community Development Infrastructure Program, for expenses related to a strategic
review of its activities and the preparation and first step implementation of a Five Year
Plan for the Festival's future.
BACKGROUND:
The Community development Infrastructure Program (CDIP) was established to aid
associations and community groups in their efforts to develop structures and processes that can
contribute to their resiliency and stability. CDIP is intended as one time seed funding to support
neighbourhood and community projects in their efforts to strengthen community capacity,
cohesion and stability. CDIP grants aim to support neighbourhoods and communities in putting
an infra-structure in place that can enhance community development goals. The grant policy
states that the allocation of CDIP funds is not to exceed a maximum of $15,000.
REPORT:
Overview
The Festival of Neighbourhoods is a unique and successful program founded in 1994 presently
designed within a supportive framework consisting of the City of Kitchener, the Social Planning
Council of Kitchener-Waterloo, and John MacDonald Architect. It fosters informal connections
among neighbours; to support individuals and organisations in taking small, initial steps toward
social and citizen participation; and to recognize and reward these initiatives. It promotes
positive relations among neighbours as a fundamental building block of our quality of civic life.
Report No.CSD-08-024
Page 2
The Festival now has a clear track record of success, of engaging at the informal
neighbourhood level with positive spin offs including the development of new neighbourhood
entities. Numerous community capacity building projects have been achieved through the
Festival's work that otherwise would not have happened.
The basic organisation of the Festival is shown in Chart Form in Appendix A. The Festival's
activities have for many years supported civic goals that are identified as important City
Strategic Initiatives: leadership and community engagement, quality of life, effective and efficient
government, and stewardship of the environment. It has done so using cost-effective bottom-up
grassroots facilitation and citizen empowerment methods rather than direct program delivery.
Participation by City staff in both the neighbourhood celebrations and the City-sponsored capital
grant program creates understanding and dialogue between civic government and the citizens it
serves. As an independent partnership of public, not-for-profit, and private sector leadership, the
Festival is a powerful tool for communication and the pursuit of the City's objectives for the
future.
Sponsors and Partners for the Festival are listed in Appendix B.
Participation in the Festival and in the City-funded Capital Grant Program are contained in
Appendices C and D.
Previous Strategic Planning
The Festival has undertaken periodic formal reviews of its activities, most recently in 2003 as
the Festival prepared for its 10th anniversary. At that time, an assessment of the core activities
of the initiative and its value to the community was undertaken. This exercise was funded by the
City of Kitchener.
Results of Previous Planning
The results of the review confirmed the initiative's role in fostering community and citizen
capacity, and its potential as a larger tool in achieving these goals. The Festival was
strengthened as a brand, with its core messages reinforced. As a major part of this review, the
organisation began a process of engaging other funders for its core operating activities.
A summary of grants obtained and the approaches to funders is contained in Appendix E.
The Festival operations were augmented to include a part-time contract co-ordinator position to
implement the one-on-one contact and facilitation that emerged from the review of operations as
the single most effective tool in promoting Festival participation. This position has been
augmented by an annually funded Service Canada (HRDC) Summer Student worker, further
assisting the Festival in pursuing its activities.
This re-organisation has clearly boosted the profile of the Festival, with marked increase in
participation, especially among first-time individual neighbours, a key target group.
The implementation included a search for stable funding for the Festival's core activities, with
less success. Approaches to organisations including granting agencies, the private sector, and
government highlighted the difficulty in matching the geographic scale of the Kitchener initiative
with the aims of these potential funding organisations, especially in the private sector.
Report No.CSD-08-024
Page 3
Although clearly acknowledging the worth and value of the Festival, the private sector (including
the media) often matches its sponsorship and donation resources to the geographic area of its
market, at a regional scale or beyond. The Kitchener-centric nature of the present Festival
structure has proven problematic for achieving stable funding, and outreach work undertaken
since the last strategic review has confirmed rather than overcome this difficulty.
The Need to Examine Core Stability Together with Growth
The Festival has for several years concentrated on its core activities, in the face of increasing
requests for growth and assistance.
Requests have been made that the initiative grows to a year-round cycle in lieu of the present 7
month season of operation. This oft-cited question must be explored and answered.
A neighbouring municipality has expressed interest in the initiative, for "roll-out" within its
municipal borders. FoN must recognise its leadership role, and respond to the opportunity to
help others, as good neighbours. It must also preserve the strength and character of the
Kitchener program and partnerships, as it examines its outreach. Study and decision is
necessary.
The Festival is increasingly working with partners whose sphere of activity is complementary,
but whose geography is of a different scale. Housing providers, police and emergency services,
health advocates and civic planners work at neighbourhood and city levels, but also regionally.
In the past two years these partners have become keen advocates for the Festival and the
benefits it confers upon citizens and community, especially in vulnerable neighbourhoods. FoN
must respond to this opportunity with a clear structure of assistance.
The Festival has applied for and received funding from granting agencies (most notably the
Region of Waterloo, Community Foundation and the United Way) for project-specific work that
is often peripheral to its core activities because of the project nature of the funding and the
geographic mandate of the funder.
The Festival requires stable operational resources to address these needs and opportunities.
This puts pressure on the organisational model to move its centre of gravity away from its
present base, and there is clear concern for how to accomplish this stability while strengthening,
not weakening, the benefits of the Festival for Kitchener, its founding community.
Key Questions Faced by the Festival's Organising Committee
· What is the effective investment model that sustains and builds the Festival of
Neighbourhoods most appropriately?
· How is stable operating funding to be matched with the Festival's geographic mandate
and potential sources for Kitchener-centric investment?
· What is the preferred continuing role and investment from the City of Kitchener in the
Festival's operations?
· How can the leadership and innovation shown by the Festival and investment in this by
the City of Kitchener as a key partner, be best used for larger benefit?
Report No.CSD-08-024
Page 4
· Should the Festival expand its Season to the full calendar year and, if so, how would this
be supported?
CDIP Grant Request
The purpose of the grant request is to fund the development of a five year strategic plan that
addresses the above issues and puts FoN on a more solid footing for maintaining its
effectiveness and developing its potential. The Festival does not have the resources to
undertake such a process in addition to its annual Festival activities, yet challenges and
opportunities for its future must be met.
These challenges arise directly from the growing realisation by the project sponsors (John
Macdonald Architect Inc, Social Planning Council, City of Kitchener) and participating Festival
partners (award sponsors, Waterloo Regional Police, Waterloo Regional Housing, individual
festival participants) that the Festival is clearly an innovative nascent model for facilitating
community capacity building, and that this model must be explored and captured for the benefit
of the initiative, its founding community of Kitchener, and neighbouring communities.
FoN is seeking Organisational Development funding for a year-long strategic review and
implementation program that will determine organisational structure in light of the perceived
need for growth, and begin the implementation of this strategy by moving the 2008 Festival
operations from present structure toward the organisational model that will be articulated
through the strategic planning work.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The CDIP account has a current balance of $58,000 for the budget year 2008. Approval of this
request would bring the balance to $43,000.
COMMUNICATIONS
The grant applicant has received a copy of this report.
Mark Hildebrand
Director, Community Programs and Services
APPENDICES
Appendix A:
Festival of Neighbourhoods Organisational Chart
A copy of the Organisational Chart is attached.
Appendix B:
List of Sponsors and Partners 2007
· Founding Partners and Major Supporters
City of Kitchener,
Social Planning Council of Kitchener Waterloo,
John MacDonald Architect
· Funding Contributors
Service Canada (HRDC)
· Award Sponsors (2007)
Youth - Kitchener Youth Action Council
Inclusion - Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region
Arts & Culture - Waterloo Regional Arts Council
New Neighbour - City of Kitchener Safe and Healthy Advisory Committee
Neighbourhood Pillar - Mayor's Advisory Council on Kitchener Seniors
Safer Neighbourhood - Community Safety and Crime Prevention Council (Region)
Green Neighbour - People's Car Co-op
Appendix C:
Festival Participation
Now in its fourteenth year, Kitchener's Festival of Neighbourhood has seen a significant
increase in participation with the introduction of a contract Co-ordinator position. Outreach and
promotional activities performed by the Co-ordinator have provided increased profile for the
Festival within the community and at the grass-roots level from which neighbourhood leadership
emerges. In addition, the Co-ordinator role has been leveraged through an annual HRDC
Summer Student grant hire, further increasing the ability of the Festival to reach its grass-roots
target.
In 1994, the first year of the Festival, activities were registered between May long weekend and
Labour Day - total registered activities were 17, of which 13 were represented at the Festival
finale.
The following Tables are an overview and several "snapshots" of recent participation.
Table C-1 2003 - 2007 Festival of Neighbourhoods
Summary of participation held April - October
Year of Festival Total number of
registered activities
2003 72
2004 92
2005 79
2006 49
2007 79
Snapshots
Table C-2 2003 Festival of Neighbourhoods
Summary of participation held April - October 2003
Total number of registered activities 72
Total number of participants as known from 60 neighbourhood quizzes 10,186-11,751
that were returned (low estimated total - high estimated total):
Total number of organizers and partners named in the 60 returned 213
quizzes
Total number of individuals/groups named as organizer or partner in 27
more than one event
Total number of individuals/groups named as 'Good Neighbours' or 158
'good deed doers' within returned quizzes
Total number of the Good Neighbours that are not included in the list of 97
organizers/partners
Total number of individuals/groups named as Good Neighbours for 10
more than one registered activity
Table C-3 2006 Festival of Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhood Activities held April - October 2006
Eby /Cedar/Ch u rch/Charles Earth Day Clean-up
"New Kids on the Block" April 22, 2006 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
50+ houses Flyers del ivered
Suddaby School Catchment Area Suddaby Fun Fair; June 1, 2006 5:00 to 8:00 pm
"Suddaby" 150+households School flyers
Corner of King and Green Streets Year-end Thank You Breakfast/BBQ and Planting
"Breakfast Club", one.kci, horticulture classes. June 16, 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. at KCI
KCI staff & students, Central Fresh Market, Grand At school: Posters, announcement and parent council.
River Hospital, CCAC, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, All others: e-mail and posters
Calvary United Church
(diff to estimate # of houses due to apt bldg.)
W eber/Victoria/Lancaster/F rederick Earth Day Clean-up
"Civic Centre Neighbourhood" April 29, 2006 10:00 am
800 houses Newsletter
Margaret/Guelph/W eber/Erb Community Carnival (games, rides, BBQ)
"Glen Acres Baptist Church" Saturday June 17, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the church,
about 800 houses Large sign, Flyers
All of Wyandotte Ct. BBQ with Live Band (in centre of circle) Sun. July 23
Wyandotte Tribe; 24 houses (afternoon); Flyers
King/Hwy 8/Westmount/Queen Community BBQ; Aug 26, 2006 10:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Mill
"Mill Courtland Neighbourhood" Courtland Community Centre
2000 houses Door-to-Door Flyers and the Media
Stoke Drive/Bankside Drive Abiramy Dance Academy at Bankside Terrace
50 houses June 06,2006 7:00-7:30 p.m.
Flyers handed out to neighbours in Forest Heights area
of Kitchener
Alpine School Catchement Area Terry Fox Run, BBQ, entertainment for students and
(Lucern/Ki ngswood/ Appalachian Drive) community
"Terry Fox Fun Run" September 22, 2006 9:10a.m. at Alpine School
450 Students plus community support. All homes on School newsletter and community flyers
the running route around the school are invited; (diff to
estimate # of houses)
Vista Crescent, 30 Houses Commmunity BBQ, Sept 9, Flyers handed out to
everyone living in the crescent
Charles/Floral Kitchener Horticultural Bulb Sale at Rockway Gardens
Rockway Gardens Registered activity; did not qualify for Grant Draw
200 houses
Timber Ridge Ct./Tomas Slee July 1, 2006 at Timber Ridge Ct.
"Timber Ridge July 1 st Celebration" 8:00 a.m. Golf, 1 :00 p.m. Road Hockey, 4:00 p.m. Happy
15 houses Hour, 10:00 p.m. Fire Works
Door-to-Door invitation and now an annual tradition
(flyer --copy was attached)
Queen/Mill/King/Ottawa Streets Multicultural Family Fun Day familiarizes families with
Mill-Courtland services of the centre. Adults had snacks and coffee
30 Households while meeting Outreach Worker, kids played basketball,
dodgeball and races, Jazz and hip hop dancie lessons
Tuesday, June 27,12:00-3:30 p.m. at
Community BBQ Aug 17th 3-7pm, advertised in
Highway 7&8 Fairway & Courtland community newsletter and The Record
Canada Day BBQ July 1 st, Free lunch, Fiddle Band,
donations collected sum of $800.00 for Canadian Cancer
Victoria Place Retirement Residence Society, signs and flyers sent out
Amos Ave Units 31-45 Aug 16th, 6:45pm, Commmunity Fun Day, flyers Kelly's
69 town houses involved, community bbq, neighbours Klown, grand trunk, police with impared driving simulator,
encouraQed to brinQ salad and desserts, over 5 years now, AUQ 23
Breithaup Carnival held @ Breithaup Centre, games,
food, Carnival, food, prizes, merry go round, annual
event in it's 12th year, flyers posted and distributed in
North Ward, Victoria, King and Waterloo Boundary community, Wed Aug 16th 4:40-7:30
Forest Heights Community Centre June 10th, 11-3, Fun Day BBQ, carnival games,
advertised through comm newsletter and brochures sent
out to nearby schools
Chandler Mowat Comm Centre public art project for new community centre, everyone in
the community invited, flyers sent out and posted, july
20th 11-3, wed july 19th, 11-3
Grand River from 401/Homer Watson Park and Doon Community Concert
Heritage Croosroads/Homer Watson Bvld/ Huron Thursday, August 17
Road Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre
Doon Pioneer Park Community Posters in Neighbourhood, handed out at the centre,
lots of houses sign in front of centre, alteady a known annual event,
word of mouth
Victoria Park area, approx. 1 00 houses environmental awareness day, guest speakers,
skateboard park, live music, car free festival, posters and
postcards, media release, Sept 17th, run Millenium Kids-
--youth group for social justice and environmental issue,
12-5pm
Valleyview Rd, 45 houses Summer Safety Community Clean-up, community bbq,
July 21 st, flyers
Paulander Dr. 75 units Street Party, Flyers, AUQ 19th 1-7pm
Doon Village/Pioneer Park Band & BBQ end of summer bash
Country Hills Co-op 715 Doon Village Rd.
54+ houses Sun Sept 3, 2006 4-11 p.m.
flyers and ticket sales
Mount Hope/Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood: King to
Lancaster, Breighthaupt to Guelph Streets Picnic with games for kids, draws for teens & adults,
2,400 houses skate board park, displays by police and fire, food by
Optimist Club
Saturday July 8,2006 12:00-3:00p.m.
Flyers delivered door-to-door
George Lippert Park
Pattandon Avenue BBQ and Deck Party
46 houses 26 Pattandon Avenue
August 26
Pamphlet put in mailbox of each home
Fischer Hallman to Stirling, Ottawa to Queen Silent Auction (ollecting donations from businesses)
"Neighbourhood of Opportunities" June 1 0, 11 :30 to 2:30 p.m.
450 houses (approx) Signs, word of mouth
Ottawa Street, Fischer Hallman, Expressway, "Bring on the Summer Event"
Westmount 50 Vallyview Rd
Valleyview Wision Friday July 21 , 3-5pm
150 approx. Flyers handed out to every household
Lancaster St. Krug St. Victoria St, Edna St. Clean up day
"Central Frederick Neighbourhood Association" Weber Park May 13 1 0 :00-1 :00
Lots of houses newsletter, N.A. newsletter, AGM, Suddaby and St.
Anne's Schools newsletters, Poster in Weber Park.
Hidden Creek/Victoria/Westforest Trail Pond/Park clean up day
"The Pond Gang" meet at supermailboxes on Westforest Trail
100 Sun May 7 at 1 :OOpm
handed out flyers and posted notices on supermailboxes
Victoria, Lancaster, Krug, Expressway Open house at the Downtown Community Centre
"Central Frederick" Downtown Commumity Centre
1,900 Tues Sept 26 6:30 to 8:30
Newsletters, posters, flyers, word of mouth
Ottawa/F red e ri ck/W e4be r /Exp ressway St. Anne Community Fun Fair
"The Aud Neighbourhood" Games. Prises, Food, Bake Sale, RummageSale
1000 at St. Anne's School
Flyers/Sign in front of school
Highland/FischerHallman/Belmont and Waterloo Ground Breaking for new addtion
Victoria Hills Neighbourhood Assoc. 10 Chopin Dr
10,000 May 4, 2006
Flyers and sign at school
Driftwood Park Informal get-together
"Ethiopian community Driftwood Park" Cu Itu ral Exchange
550 Driftwood Park
September 24/06
Door to Door Flyers, word of mouth
Victoria Street North to Chicopee Earth Day/Spring Welcome Event
"Stanley Park Community" Stanley Park Community Centre
12,000 (35,000 individuals) April 22/06 11-2
Newspapers, flyers, letters to schools, signs
Sh e rwood/ I s Ii ngto n/R osem 0 nt Ballgame, kids' games, BBQ and pot luck
60 households Notre Dame School
September 23/06 3-8p.m.
hand-del ivered flyers
Off Highland Road Past Westmount Open Doors for Int'I Day of Older Persons
"Meadowcroft Place" October 1 2-4pm
100 Sign postings in area and in community centre
Family Fun Day, raise money for building a school free
Pine, Mary, Union Streets the children
Sun Oct 15
email, CKCO, Flyers, word of Mouth
Lancaster/W eber/Victoria/F rederick Neighbourhood Picnic Potluck & BBQ
Civic Centre Neighbourhood Association Hibner Park
2500 Sept 24@5pm
Neighbourhood Flyers
Downtown Neighbourhood Alliance Downtown Community Centre
10,000 Bi rthday party for all iance
September 12
newsletters, flyers and at centre
Deer Ridge Drive, Pioneer Tower Summer Party: Golf, street dance, band, food and drinks,
"Deer Ridge" pony rides
300 June 24, 2006
Email, Posters, Hand Delivered Invitations
Victoria St/King St/Union Bvld/Lancaster Weekly movie night at Breithaupt Centre
"Mt Hope-Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood" September to mid May, Fridays @ 7:00pm
400+ flyers, road signs, word of mouth, advertised at a
previous event
KW and surrounding area Outdoor movie and music nights in waterloo park
July 13, 2, Aug 17 at 7:00 pm
flyers, radio, word of mouth
Duke St./Madison/ Benton/Courtland Ave. Free Soccer program for kids from 3-13
"Downtown East Ya Gotta Luv it!" May - June
1700 flyers posted at Mill Courtland Community centre and
through schools
Fergus to Old Chicopee, to Grand River, to Hwy 8 Neighbourhood invitation to registration party for COPS
"Centrevi Ile-Chicopee" program for youth for 2006
5000 141 Morgan Ave
Centreville Chicopee Community Centre
Tuesday June 20 5:30-7:30
Outdoor Signs at community centre
Around Cedar Hill Celebrating Cedar Hill Neighbourhood with Art
"Cedar Hill" Thursdays 6:00-8:00, July 13-August (10 weeks)
200-300 Newsletter, Poster, Word of Mouth
Bridgeport: Union/Lancaster/Expressway, Bridgeport, Bridgeport Reunion
Bridge Street West, Waterloo, Bridge Street Bridgeport Community Centre
East/Bloomingdale RoadlWoolwich Township September 10 2:00-6:00 pm
"Bridgeport" Flyers, KW Record
3116 residents Jackie Hayes wrote about it in the Record
Theresa Street, Jubilee Drive, Victoria Street Hootenanny--social BBQ and potluck
"Theresa Street" Theresa Street closed for event
30 houses Sept 16: 4pm
Posters, mailbox drops, e-invite
Glasgow, Westmount, Belmont, Brybeck, Westwood A week-long Multicultural Festival at Westmount PS
Westmount Public School (dance, music, food, clothing, citizenship court)
230 Mon April 3-Fri April 7
school newsletter, website, classroom letters, parent
meetings
Appendix D:
City of Kitchener Capital Grant Project Achievements
The following is taken from 2008 Budget Issue Paper regarding Festival of Neighbourhoods
Capital Improvement Grant, with update of 2007 winner.
Festival of Neighbourhoods (FON) started in 1994 with support from the City of Kitchener. It is
the first healthy communities initiative that the City has been supporting and continues to
support today. The FON ends each year in a Finale held at City Hall where all registered
events are entered in a draw for a capital improvement grant of $10,000. The winning
Neighbourhood receives the right to work as a Neighbourhood Committee to develop, in
conjunction and with the final approval of City council, a capital project (i.e. a physical thing or
things built on public property) that will benefit the community costing the City of Kitchener no
more than $10,000.
Following is a brief overview of the capital projects completed by FON awards:
1994: Duke Street Park improvements
1995: Vanier Park improvements
1996: Fagade Improvement loan program ( still active today)
1997: College Street upgrades in benches, sidewalks and lighting
1998: Kilkerran Crescent nature trail improvements
1999: Mobile Skatepark ( city wide and still operating today)
2000: Upgrades to Brubacher Street Green
2001: Cherry Street Asgard Green Upgrades
2002: Lippert Park upgrades ( completed)
2003: Country Hills Multi Sport Pad beside the CHCC ( completed)
2004: Mount Hope Breithaupt Park winter rink and movie projector ( completed this fall)
2005: Chandler Mowat CC spray pad ( completed)
2006: Glen Acres Church - Improvement to Hartwood Green ( pending)
2007: Auditorium Neighbourhood - ( pending)
When a registration wins, they are contacted by Community Programs and Services staff who
help the winners engage the community and a visioning process is started. The process always
helps staff identify a number of things that need to be communicated through to other city
departments. In each situation a number of other improvements occur simply because they are
identified and communicated to other departments.
Following is a list of criteria for the final project:
· be permanent construction, not temporary,
· be constructed on public property
o on City of Kitchener property by permission of City Council
o on Region of Waterloo property with permission of the Region and City Council
o on public utility property with the permission of that utility and City Council
· be easily maintained and durable,
· improve the quality of life in the public realm (i.e. streets, parks, on public property, etc)
both in your registered "neighbourhood" and in the city as a whole; and
· the improvement should reasonably help further the City's municipal objectives for its
capital spending program at the level of your neighbourhood.
The capital grant of $10,000 does not usually cover all the costs of the project that the
community ends up choosing. The final grant of $10,000 is always leveraged and in most
cases, the improvements are valued much higher than $10,000. The group usually looks for
other sources of support to ensure that the project is completed.
The FON capital improvement grant is an excellent vehicle for the City of Kitchener to engage a
community in identifying needs in its infrastructure. Often the process provides key insight for
city staff and helps them better meet many community needs.
Following are a list of Strategic Initiatives connected to Kitchener's Festival of
Neighbourhoods Capital Improvement Grant program:
Leadership and Community Engagement:
· Having a grant helps staff engage the local community to better meet community needs
and many issues are identified beyond the final grant project.
Quality of Life:
· In each situation, the winning neighbourhood enhanced quality of life for the residents.
The visioning process helps with neighbourhood cohesion and community ownership.
Effective and Efficient Government:
· For minimal funding, a capital project always leverages other supports and the final
project is always valued at much more than the amount spent by the City of Kitchener
· The process provides significant feedback to civic government as to neighbourhood
priorities and interests, so that
Environment:
· Many of the final projects chosen by residents have an environmental benefit, reflecting
the importance of this issue for citizens. Often the project is an enhancement to a public
green space and its use.
Appendix E:
Summary of Funding Outreach and Search for Core Operating Funding
The strategic planning undertaken by the Festival in 2003 and 2004, as it approached its tenth
anniversary, and the funding of a Co-ordinator position for the Festival's operations, have
allowed the Festival to approach various funding agencies and private sector firms regarding
funding for Festival Operations.
E.1 Grants from Funding Agencies
The outreach has included agencies from which one-time project grants have been received:
· The Region of Waterloo
· The United Way Community Capacity Building Fund
· The K-W Community Foundation
These funds have been linked to specific outreach initiatives and one time projects, because of
the nature of the funding. They have assisted only peripherally with core operating needs.
A hiring grant for a summer student has been achieved each year in the past four years,
through Services Canada (HRDC). This grant is not guaranteed each year, but must be applied
for each spring.
The following funding agencies' criteria have been reviewed in an effort to pursue core funding
for operations:
· The Trillium Foundation
· The Laidlaw Foundation
· The Bertelmann Foundation
· United Way
· K-W Community Foundation
Investigations and applications have confirmed that there are few if any sources of funding
grants that may be applied to the Festival's core operations.
In 2003 the Festival approached most service clubs in the Kitchener-Waterloo area with a
request for funding, without success.
E.2 Partnership Approaches
Our work over the past few years regarding community partners has evolved into an Award
Sponsors program, with connection to community resource organisations and sector groups
(such as the Waterloo Region Arts Council) to highlight Festival participation by activity sector
(Arts and Culture, Environment, etc). This partnership program generates a small amount of
funding from each partner ($250 or less) in accordance with their means, to cover promotions
and gifts for the winners in the awards program.
In recent years the Festival has strengthened its ties to the Waterloo Region Police Services
through a working liaison with officers involved in its community outreach programs. The
working relationship does not involve a funding contribution from WRPS.
In 2003 the Festival worked in partnership with the Kitchener Fire Department to help promote
its Direct Detect program.
E.3 Media
Approaches to media (newsprint, radio, and television) for significant core funding have been
unsuccessful. Most local media target a geographic territory larger than Kitchener, and are
reluctant to make significant contribution to only one aspect of their market.
Media sponsorship may often take the form of a boost to promotion that is linked to initial
advertising and revenue placed with the media outlet. Festival of Neighbourhoods does not
have a hard currency advertising budget which may be used to leverage further promotion in
this manner.
The Festival has benefited from good media relations and coverage of registered
neighbourhood activities, as stories within the news media.
The Festival takes full advantage of media community service promotional programs offered by
the media, as part of our promotional outreach.
E.4 Private Sector Funding
The Festival has been able to obtain assistance for distribution of its promotional literature from
local BMO bank branches.
An offer from a local housing developer to assist in the development of a website for the Festival
was not carried beyond preliminary work stages, due to the withdrawal of the firm's staff who
were to perform the work.
Various in-kind support has been provided by businesses, but approaches to these businesses
for a commitment of funds for the Festival's operating needs have been unsuccessful. Our
experience is once again that the geographic market of these firms is often cited as a poor fit
with the Festival's activities, and firms are not able to commit actual funds beyond small, one
time donations. The Festival does not have an adequate budget for staffing and operations
required to raise funds through a widespread and ongoing small donation campaign.
Our approaches have included firms from the following sectors:
· Technology
· Development
· Construction
A broadcast letter campaign to large local businesses was also unsuccessful in landing
donation or sponsorship assistance.
Individual and targeted approaches to business leaders has met with some interest and
encouragement, but no commitment of funds.
Appendix F:
Deliverables for the Qualified Contract Assistance
(draft only, to be further confirmed)
Stage 1 Information Gathering
a. Assessment of Existing Operations
b. Cataloguing of Existing Idea-Assets and Skillsets
c. Information gathering from present partners, participants, and sponsors
d. cataloguing the priorities and needs of potential funders in relation to the Festival
d. Strategic Sessions with FoN leadership to confirm goals for project and organisation
e. Research into analogous organisations or structures
Stage 2 Scorecard Development, Development of Options, and Scoring of Options
f. Scorecard Criteria for evaluating potential organisational models, including:
· Potential for leveraging of the initiative to a larger base, in Kitchener and beyond
· Potential for successful achievement of operational stability
· Needs for core funding and potential for achievement of these needs
· Ease of transition
· Relation to adjacent structures, existing and potential partners, and appropriate fit
· Benefit to Kitchener residents and civic corporate goals
g. Identification of options for organisational structure, including:
· Growth of the existing structure geographically
· Growth of the existing structure to year round festival
· Growth in a new structure
· Consequences of Retaining the existing structure
Stage 3 Score Potential structures, Select Preferred Model, Explore
h. Strategic Sessions with FoN leadership to score options
i. design a preferred model
j. Communicate and share with Partners and Sponsors
Stage 4 Initiate Transition to Preferred Model
k. Design of a transition strategy, and implementation of shifts in the 2008 Festival that begin
this transition through hands-on assistance with the organisational change.
Appendix G:
Proposed Budget for Grant Expenditure
Item Description Proposed Expenditure
1 Qualified Contract Assistance (600 total hours) $13,200
Support
2 Mileage and Travel $200
3 Meetings and Consultation Support $350
4 Office Supplies $450
5 Printing and Promotional $500
6 Administrative and Overhead Costs $300
Total $15,000