TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: November 18, 2024 Report No. ADM-24-074
TO: Committee of the Whole
FROM: Ter?se Finegan, Manager of Economic Development
SUBJECT: Review of Local Grant Funding and Policy Options
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Committee of the Whole recommends to Council that it consider the proposed Local Grant Guidelines as attached to Staff Report ADM-24-074 which will inform the changes to FIN-20.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Council directed staff to review how other municipalities in the CRD handle grants. Staff researched best practices for local grant programs and included options for Council's consideration. Comments raised at the April 15, 2024, Committee of the Whole meeting were carefully considered by staff and addressed in the analysis below.
BACKGROUND:
At the April 15 2024 meeting the Committee of the Whole recommended to Council that staff be directed to conduct a review of Local Grant policies of comparable municipalities in the Capital Regional District and identify policy options regarding funding criteria and amounts, processes used to make approval decisions, types of categories, and lengths of grants.
Staff Report FIN-24-007 (April 15, 2024) provides a chronological overview of past reviews and discussions dating back to February 2016.
ANALYSIS:
1. Committee of the Whole - April 15, 2024, Comments.
The following summarizes the Committee of the Whole comments from COTW April 15, 2024, ordered thematically and addressed with responses from staff. These themes played a key role in shaping the subsequent analysis and recommendations.
1.1 Strategic Alignment and Prioritization
* Comment: There are local established events which rely on funding received through the Local Grants program and whose initiatives and events are valued by the community.
* Comment: Some local grant applicants are filling gaps in services which are responsibilities of higher levels of government, but it is...
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