REQUEST FOR DIRECTION
DATE: November 6, 2019 Report No. FIN-19-020
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Ian Irvine, Director of Financial Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Council Policy ADMIN-32 Local Grants
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ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
What areas of improvement to the existing Local Grants Policy would the Committee like to see?
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the COTW receive Staff Report No. FIN-19-020 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council's consideration.
Body
BACKGROUND:
During its meeting on March 4, 2019, Council approved the recommendation that staff prepare a report for discussion at a future Committee of the Whole meeting. This was brought forward by Local Grant Committee members who acknowledged the challenges faced when evaluating applications and making funding allocation decisions based on the existing Council Policy ADMIN-32 Local Grants (Attachment No. 1).
Previously, during two separate meetings held in 2016, Council approved a number of revisions to the Local Grant Policy. These revisions included a significant shift in the timing of the process, changes to how the annual account balance was determined, as well as the creation of established event criteria which had impacts on other topics such as in-kind support and liability insurance coverage.
ISSUES:
Council Policy ADMIN-32 Local Grants states that the purpose of the program is to financially assist community groups and not-for-profit societies and organizations in achieving their objectives. As well, local grant funding is intended to provide support to societies, organizations and committees with the expectation that alternate sources of funding will be secured. While the current program provides financial assistance to a number of applicants, further improvements may be possible through Council Policy revisions.
Local Grant Allocations
During its meeti...
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