REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: March 29, 2016 Report No. FIN-16-004
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Ian Irvine, Director of Financial Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Local Grant Request - Creatively United for the Planet Society
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
It is accepted procedure that staff not make recommendations on local grant funding applications. Options available to Council are listed below under ALTERNATIVES.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Council Policy No. ADMIN-32 Local Grants
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Build a vibrant and sustainable arts, culture and heritage community
BACKGROUND:
The Creatively United for the Planet Society is seeking support for its mandate of environmental protection through community connection and collaboration. The requested funding would be used to offset the costs of their Earth Week Festival to be held in April 2016 at the Royal Bay Secondary School in Colwood and at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.
The purpose of the festival is to (i) showcase sustainable ideas, businesses and organizations; (ii) celebrate social innovation; (iii) unite communities and (iv) achieve a more just and sustainable world by inspiring individual, community and global well being.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
Grant funding requests are reviewed by the Local Grant Committee in May each year after the Financial Plan has been approved. As this event takes place in April, the applicant is seeking early funding approval to support its 2016 festival.
Within the recently revised Council Policy ADMIN-32 Local Grants, the ability to provide early funding approval to Established Events was created. However, this festival does not qualify as an Established Event as it does not meet the requirement that the event be held within the Township for two or more consecutive years.
2. Organizational Implications
There are no organizational implications of this decision.
3. Financial Implications
The Local Grant Account in the 2016 draft Financial Plan contains $97,076 prior to any payments being made. Any payment would result in a reduced amount of available funds for all other applicants participating in the local grant process.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability or environmental implications of this decision.
5. Communication & Engagement
A letter of support would be drafted and a cheque would be issued to the Creatively United for the Planet Society upon approval by Council. This letter would also remind the society of the conditions of funding as identified in Council Policy - Local Grants Policy No. ADMIN-32.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council approve the local grant request of $2,500.00 for the Creatively United for the Planet Society allocated from the Local Grant Account.
2. That Council approve funding in part.
3. That Council deny the funding request.