The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCSD-09-064 - Combined - 2010 Community GrantsREPORT REPORT TO: Community Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: November 16, 2009 SUBMITTED BY: Pauline Houston, General Manager, Community Services PREPARED BY: Kathleen Woodcock, Manager, Departmental Planning, Research & Technical Support (Ext. 2597; Renate Willms, Supervisor of Administration (Ext. 2395) WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: November 6, 2009 REPORT NO.: CSD-09-064 SUBJECT: 2010 COMMUNITY GRANTS RECOMMENDATION: That, subject to final 2010 budget approval, the 2010 budget for Community Grants Tiers 1, 2 and 3, in kind facility grants and travel assistance grants be set at $2,408,068, to be allocated as follows: That Community Grants Tier 1 in the amount of $1,495,402 as outlined in Report No. CSD-09-064 be approved for community groups in 2010. That Community Grants Tier 1 in the amount of $716,416 as outlined in Report No. CSD-09-064 be approved for minor sports organizations in 2010. That the budget for Community Grants Tier 2 be set at $178,808 in 2010. That the budget for Community Grants Tier 3 be set at $10,260 in 2010. That the budget for In Kind Facility Grants and Travel Assistance Grants be set at $7,182 in 2010. That the General Manager of Community Services, or designate, be authorized to execute Tier 1 Community Grant Agreements, all such agreements to be subject to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor. ê ó ï REPORT: Community Grants Tier 1 (formerly annual operating grants) Community Groups The City of Kitchener provides a variety of grants to a number of organizations providing municipal services in the areas of arts and culture, special events, sports and recreation, and community support and development. The attached Appendix A identifies those organizations and provides details including 2009 grant amounts, 2010 grant requests and recommended grant allocations for 2010. Grant requests were reviewed by staff and the increase recommended is a 2% inflationary increase except for cases where an additional increase or decrease was deemed as justified and/or uncontrollable. Staff has been working with Tier 1 organizations throughout 2009 to develop agreements with each grant recipient, beginning January 1, 2010. These agreements set out City responsibilities, grantee responsibilities, terms of agreement and clauses regarding liability, contract termination and inclusivity/access. Agreements are in length from one to five years, with grant allocations being subject to Council approval and budget availability annually. Tier 1 agreements will be finalized following final budget approval in January and, if signing authority as recommended in this report is approved, will be signed by the General Manager of Community Services. During the development of the Community Investment Strategy, in 2008 Council approved that several annual operating grants be transferred to other funding sources where there was a better fit as the grants did not meet all of the Tier 1 community grant criteria. These groups are as follows: Transferred to Economic Development Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region Chamber of Commerce Health Care Recruitment Council Junior Achievement of Waterloo Region Skills Canada Transferred to Community Programs & Services Division Operating Budget ROOF (Reaching Our Outdoor Friends) Minor Sports Organizations The City of Kitchener provides grants to minor, non profit sports organizations who provide instructional, intramural, recreational, inter-city (competitive) programs and/or opportunities to Kitchener residents who are 18 years of age or younger. The attached Appendix B identifies those organizations and provides details including 2009 grant amounts and recommended grant allocations for 2010. Minor sport organizations that receive Tier 1 funding from the City of Kitchener have applied for and met the criteria for affiliation under the City of Kitchener’s Minor Sports Affiliation Policy I- 471. Each organization is reviewed annually by staff to ensure that these criteria are being met. ê ó î Grant requests were reviewed by staff and the increase recommended is a 2% inflationary increase except for cases where an additional increase or decrease was deemed as justified and/or uncontrollable. Staff has been working with Tier 1 organizations throughout 2009 to develop agreements with each grant recipient, beginning January 1, 2010. These agreements set out City responsibilities, grantee responsibilities, terms of agreement and clauses regarding liability, contract termination and inclusivity/access. Agreements are in length from one to five years, with grant allocations being subject to Council approval and budget availability annually. Tier 1 agreements will be finalized following final budget approval in January and, if signing authority as recommended in this report is approved, will be signed by the General Manager of Community Services. Community Grants Tier 2 (formerly general provision grants) Community Grants Tier 2 are intended to provide assistance to not for profit organizations/groups that provide services within the City of Kitchener for the common good of residents. Only organizations/groups providing municipal services in the areas of arts and culture, special events, sports and recreation, and community support and development will be considered for funding. The application deadline for 2010 Tier 2 grants was Friday, November 6, 2009. A public information session was held on October 21, 2009 to provide organizations an opportunity to become familiar with the grant process and procedures. Organizations/groups applying for funding to the City of Kitchener for the first time or those who have received a Tier 2 grant in previous years are eligible to apply. Community grants Tier 1 groups are eligible to apply for Tier 2 funding only for one time special projects or events. A Peer and Staff Review Committee, comprised of community representatives and staff, will review applications as per a variety of assessment areas such as community need, organizational need and capacity, partnership support and financial analysis. This Committee will allocate resources within budget availability and make recommendations to Council. Tier 2 grant recommendations will be brought forward for consideration at a Community Services Committee meeting scheduled in March 2010. Community Grants Tier 3 Also known as the “Community Services Innovation Investment Fund”, Tier 3 programs and projects will be sponsored by the City of Kitchener in partnership with other community funders. As a result of periodic meetings among funders in the community (e.g. United Ways, community foundations, private foundations, other municipalities and other levels of government), staff will investigate opportunities to collaborate on innovative projects with other funders and will provide recommendations to Council for support. ê ó í In Kind Facility/Travel Assistance Grants The City offers in kind (non cash) facility grants to groups and organizations providing a specific event to the general public, intended for the common good of Kitchener residents, in the areas of arts and culture, minor sports and recreation, and community support and development. In kind facility grants are not intended for ongoing facility rentals for meetings or programming, but rather for one time special events. The purpose of in kind facility grants is to waive facility rental fees for events held at City of Kitchener facilities. Grants are intended to cover rental and staff costs for a basic set-up only. The travel assistance grant applies to residents of the City of Kitchener, 18 years of age or under, involved in non profit minor sports or cultural activities, who have qualified to compete in sport championships/cultural events. Grants are intended to assist with the cost of travel to and from the event location only, where round trip travel exceeds 500 kilometers. In kind facility and travel assistance grant requests are considered by staff of the Community Services Department and processed upon receipt. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The total 2010 budget recommended for community grants (Tiers 1, 2 and 3), in kind facility and travel assistance grants is $2,408,068. This represents a 2.6% increase over 2009. The funding formula for community grants, as approved by Council in September 2008, is as follows: “The funding pool for community grants (all Tiers) for 2010 and subsequent years will be increased, subject to annual budget deliberations, by the following factors: increased cost measured by Bank of Canada inflation target, plus population growth measured by assessment base growth, plus community complexity factor of approximately 1%” Based on current levels, for 2010 budget purposes this formula has been estimated at 2.6%. This report recommends that the budget be allocated as follows: ê ó ì 2009 Grant 2010 Grant % Grant Type Budget RecommendationIncreaseNotes Community Grants $1,471,979$1,495,4021.6%2009 budget has been Tier 1 (adjusted adjusted to reflect the: budget) (community groups) transfer of four grants to Economic Development ($35,504) transfer of ROOF grant to CSD operating budget ($6,038) transfer of grant amount previously allocated to Theatre & Company to Tier 2 ($56,390) 2010 Tier 1 community grant recommendation includes the reduction recommended for the Social Planning Council ($17,154) Community Grants $698,261 $716,4162.6% Tier 1 (minor sports organizations) Community Grants $157,806* $178,80813%2009 budget has been Tier 2 (adjusted adjusted to reflect the budget) transfer of the grant amount previously allocated to Theatre & Company from Tier 1 ($56,390) *Less pre-committed grant of $41,250 to Magnetic North 2010 Tier Theatre; therefore 2 grant funds available will be $137,558. Community Grants $10,000 $10,2602.6%Programs and projects to be Tier 3 sponsored by the City in partnership with other community funders In Kind $7,000 $7,1822.6%Requests approved by staff Facility/Travelupon receipt Assistance Grants TOTAL $2,345,046 $2,408,0682.6% ê ó ë COMMUNICATIONS: Staff has been working with Tier 1 community groups and minor sports organizations throughout 2009 to develop agreements to commence January 1, 2010. Tier 1 grant recipients have been informed of the department’s recommendations for 2010 grant allocations and were given the opportunity to attend the November 16, 2009 Community Services Committee meeting to speak to their grant requests. Tier 1 grant recipients have been informed that they will be advised of their final 2010 grant amounts after final budget approval in January. The process for Tier 2 grants was advertised on the City’s website and in the Leisure magazine. Previous Tier 2 grant recipients were also sent information regarding the 2010 Tier 2 grant process, as were all Tier 1 grant groups. This report has been reviewed by Legal and Financial Services staff. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, General Manager, Community Services ê ó ê ê ó é ê ó è ê ó ç ê ó ïð ê ó ïï ê ó ïî ê ó ïí ê ó ïì ê ó ïë ê ó ïê ê ó ïé ê ó ïè ê ó ïç ê ó îð ê ó îï ê ó îî ê ó îí ê ó îì ê ó îë ê ó îê ê ó îé ê ó îè ê ó îç ê ó íð ê ó íï ê ó íî ê ó íí ê ó íì ê ó íë ê ó íê ê ó íé ê ó íè ê ó íç ê ó ìð ê ó ìï ê ó ìî ê ó ìí ê ó ìì ê ó ìë ê ó ìê