REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: January 21, 2021 Report No. FIN-21-003
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Ian Irvine, Director of Financial Services
SUBJECT:
Title
2021 Local Grants Allocation
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council consider the allocation of local grants in the amount of $128,500 as set out in the schedule as attached to Staff Report No. FIN-21-003.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Council Policy No. ADMIN-29 Local Grants Esquimalt High School
Council Policy No. ADMIN-32 Local Grants
Council Policy No. ADMIN-52 Local Grants L’Ecole Victor Brodeur
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Support the arts, culture and heritage community
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with Council Policy No. ADMIN-32 Local Grants, funding for local grants is provided within the annual Financial Plan. This Policy allows for up to 90% of the annual budgeted amount to be allocated for applications which satisfy the submission requirements. Any unallocated funds would be available throughout the year for other local grant applications received.
The current Policy includes a mechanism for increasing the total annual amount available. This updated calculation results in the local grant account balance being adjusted to an amount equivalent of a .50% tax increase based on the previous year's actual financial results. Based on the 2020 information, an amount of $151,500 has been included in the local grants account within the draft 2021-2025 Financial Plan.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
The Local Grant Committee, comprised of Councillors Armour, Helliwell and Vermeulen, held a meeting on January 20, 2021, to review applications and to prepare its recommendations to Council. Representatives from each of the 20 applicant organizations were available and provided responses to questions from the Committee members.
Attached to this report is the Local Grant Schedule (Attachment No. 1) which includes the complete list of applicant organizations, grant amounts issued in 2018, 2019 and 2020, as well as the applicant requests and Committee’s recommended allocations for the 2021 fiscal year. As detailed in the schedule, the total of all 2021 local grant funding requests was $194,925 which exceeded the $151,500 account balance.
This year, in kind and cash payments are being recommended for organizations hoping to hold events within the Township even though uncertainty remains about whether they will actually occur. If an event does not proceed, in accordance with the Council Policy, the Township must be notified at which time a refund of any cash payments will be requested and any in kind allocations from the local grant account will be reversed.
2. Organizational Implications
There are no organizational implications of this decision.
3. Financial Implications
The Committee recommends the distribution of $128,500 in local grants, as indicated in the attached schedule. This figure includes amounts for L’École Victor Brodeur and Esquimalt High School as outlined within their respective Council Policies. The remaining balance in the account after this allocation would be $23,000 and would be available during the remainder of the year to fund future grant requests.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability or environmental implications of this decision.
5. Communication & Engagement
All applicants will be formally notified of Council’s decision and those approved for cash funding will receive a cheque payment from the Township. As part of the notification, approved recipients will be reminded of the Council Policy’s annual reporting requirements.
Internally, applicable municipal departments will be notified of those established events which were approved for in kind support during the 2021 fiscal year to help ensure the costs can be appropriately tracked, recorded and communicated.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council consider the allocation of local grants in the amount of $128,500 as set out in the schedule as attached to Staff Report No. FIN-21-003.
2. That Council amend and approve an amended local grant allocation schedule.