TAMRMS#: B06
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CSAC Recommendations: Community Capital Grant
Presented by: Anna Royer, Manager, Community Grants & Partnerships
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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1. That the following 2019 Community Capital Program Grants be awarded:
• Friends of Leo Nickerson School Enhancement Society: $60,000 for the playground replacement project.
• Friends of Neil M Ross School Society: $60,000 for the playground replacement project.
• Lo-Se-Ca Foundation: $85,000 for the expansion and renovation of their facility.
• Society of Friends for the St. Albert Botanic Park: $6,000 for irrigation and fencing.
• St. Albert and District Community League: $38,000 for replacement of HVAC system and insulation upgrades.
• St. Albert Tennis Club: $1,000 for the keypad entry system.
2. That the 2019 budget for the Community Capital Grant Program be increased, on a one-time basis, in the amount of $90,789 to provide the full funding request from the St. Albert Curling Club to accommodate extraordinary request to upgrade the Ammonia Refrigeration System with funding from the Stabilization fund.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
This report brings forward a recommendation from the Community Services Advisory Committee (CSAC) for allocation from the spring intake of applications for the 2019 Community Capital Grant Program for Council’s consideration and approval, as per attached Council Policy C-CS-06 - Community Capital Program Grant.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Community Capital Program Grant
- To provide a source of funds for eligible capital projects to be undertaken by eligible not-for-profit community groups that provide broad and inclusive recreational, cultural or social services with the City of St. Albert.
- Total funds available is set by Council and is budgeted at $250,000 per year.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
The Council direction that has resulted in this matter being brought before Council is Council Policy C -CS-06 - Community Capital Program Grant.
On April 1, 2019 Council made the following motion:
(AR-19-198)
That a one-time exemption to Council Policy C-CS-06 - Community Capital Program Grant be approved to allow the St. Albert Curling Club to apply for 2019 funding through the Community Capital Program Grant.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
As per the Community Capital Program Grant, the City may offer financial assistance on a matching grant basis for eligible St. Albert not-for-profit community groups that submit applications for eligible capital projects.
Applications are reviewed by the CSAC and recommended to Council for approval.
2019 Grant Intake
On April 30, 2019, the CSAC reviewed the submissions for the 2019 intake and have provided recommendations for funding. This year’s intake experienced a substantial oversubscription with a total of $583,428 in funding requested from within the $250,000 budgeted funding envelope. While the trending over the past five years has been for an increase in total requests exceeding the available grant funding, this is the first year that the requests have exceeded the budget by a substantial amount (over $330,000). It has also been noted in more recent requests that groups are not necessarily applying for the full 1/3 of funding as they are aware of the limited funds available which all groups are drawing from.
The task of determining funding amounts for recommendation to Council was challenging as all projects provide significant benefit to the organizations and to the community. The organizations all presented strong rationale and commitment for their proposed projects.
Administration facilitated a prioritization exercise with CSAC resulting in a ranking of the projects. The ranking was then used as a discussion tool to assist CSAC in developing a recommendation for funding within the approved budget for this program.
Implications to groups not receiving full project funding have not been explicitly discussed with the groups, however Administration assumes the options would include revising their project scopes, pursuing other funding sources and/or delaying their projects.
Organizations who receive funding through the Community Capital Grant Program are eligible to receive one grant every two years. To date this program has provided over $2.9 million in funding for 78 capital projects. Interest in this program has continued to increase and this remains a popular funding source for community groups.
Seven applications were received for consideration and are as follows:
1. Friends of Leo Nickerson School Enhancement Society ($60,000):
a. The school parent organization is requesting funds to assist with the redevelopment of the existing play structure located on the west side of the school. The existing structure was constructed in 2004 and some of the equipment is near the end of its lifespan. The population of the school has doubled since the initial build, and the project committee has identified a need to make the playground more accessible to a wider variety of play needs.
b. The total project budget is $300,000 and the grant request was for $60,000.
c. The CSAC is recommending full funding of this grant request.
2. Friends of Neil M Ross School Society ($60,000):
a. The school parent organization is requesting funds to assist with the redevelopment of the existing play structure located between Neil M Ross school and Keenoshayoo School. The playground built in 2001 is heavily utilized by both schools and has reached the end of its life cycle. Some play components have already been removed due to safety concerns with their poor condition.
b. The total project budget is $250,000 and the grant request was for $60,000.
c. The CSAC is recommending full funding of this grant request.
3. Lo-Se-Ca Foundation ($85,000):
a. The Lo-Se-Ca Foundation is seeking funding support for their expansion and renovation project of the day program space for adults with developmental disabilities. The program space allows clients to learn life skills, vocational skills, social skills and experience community inclusion. The space is currently at full capacity, resulting in families unable to access programs. The expansion also includes plans for a larger Thrift Store which is the organization’s main source of fundraising revenue.
b. The total project budget is $716,753 and the grant request was for $238,918.
c. Due to the limited funding available in this grant program, the CSAC is recommending a grant of $85,000.
4. Society of Friends for the St. Albert Botanic Park ($6,000):
a. The Friends for the St. Albert Botanic Park are seeking funding support to complete phase IV of their mobility project. Completion of this project would improve access to the park’s west gardens for the mobility impaired and families with strollers. This project also includes improvement to the irrigation in the west park, fencing and gate replacements to improve security, and signage. The organization indicated that the irrigation component must be completed prior to the mobility component (pathway).
b. The total project budget is $67,682 and the grant request is for $22,560.
c. Due to the limited funding available in this grant program, the CSAC is recommending a grant of $6,000 which will support the irrigation and fencing/gate components of this project.
5. St. Albert & District Community League ($38,000):
a. The organization has applied for funding in support of the upcoming renovations to the St. Albert Community Hall which focuses on improving the energy efficiency of the building. Components within the proposed project include replacement of the current insulation with more flame-resistant material, refitting or replacement of the HVAC units, upgrading lighting to LED standards, upgrading bathrooms, upgrading eave troughs, installation of solar panels, and replacing the main entrance door as well as two additional doors for improved accessibility.
b. The total project budget is $300,000 and the grant request is for $100,000.
c. Due to the limited funding available in this grant program, the CSAC is recommending a grant of $38,000 which would support the HVAC replacement and insulation components of the project.
6. St. Albert Tennis Club ($1,000):
a. This organization is requesting funds to assist with replacing the existing court lighting with an efficient LED lighting system. The project also includes an improved security component for the club house with the installation of a keypad entry system on two of the doors.
b. The total project budget is $44,643 and the grant request is for $11,161.
c. Due to the limited funding available in this grant program, the CSAC is recommending a grant of $1,000 which would support the keypad security component of the project.
7. St. Albert Curling Club ($90,789):
a. The organization is requesting funds to assist with completing safety related upgrades to the Ammonia Refrigeration System and Machine Room at the curling club as required by the City. The project addresses code and safety concerns surrounding ammonia-based refrigeration systems and is unplanned and urgently needed.
b. The total project budget is $272,367 and the grant request is for $90,789.
c. Due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding this request, the CSAC feels very strongly that this funding support be provided; and are recommending that the requested amount of $90,780 be provided as an additional amount to the 2019 funding envelope for the Community Capital Grant program.
CSAC Program Feedback
Due to grant program budget limitations, not all projects received full funding. The CSAC expressed that, all project requests would have been recommended to be supported in full if funding was available.
There was concern expressed by the CSAC that the current budget for this program is not meeting the need of the community and consideration should be given to increase the annual amount. The CSAC is currently engaged in the review of the Community Capital Grant program and governance policy and if required, will bring recommended changes forward to Council for consideration.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
All applicants are encouraged to meet with Administration, prior to the intake deadline, to ensure the applicant and the project meets the basic requirements set out in Council Policy C-CS-06 - Community Capital Program Grant, confirm the process with the applicant, and to assist with the application if needed.
All community groups applying for this grant provided a verbal presentation to the CSAC, and answered all questions raised.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
Total funds available for disbursements in 2019 are $250,000.
The amount recommended by the CSAC within the first recommendation is within the funding available. The CSAC has recommended the budget for this program be increased by $90,789 with the increased amount directly allocated to the St. Albert Curling Club. If Council is supportive and this motion is carried, the funding source will be the Stabilization fund.
Council Policy C-CS-06 - Community Capital Program Grant states that funding provided by the City to any one project will not exceed one third of the total project budget.
Legal / Risk:
Grant recipients are required to utilize funds as specifically authorized and to report to the City in a specified manner on the use of those funds. Recipients are advised that the failure to comply with these requirements may result in demands to repay the funding or refusals to provide grant funding upon future applications.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
None at this time.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternatives could be considered:
a) That the funding requests, as identified, be approved for an alternate amount as per the direction of Council.
b) That the funding requests as identified be denied.
Report Date: June 17, 2019
Author: Anna Royer
Department: Recreation & Parks Department
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble