TAMRMS#: B09
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CSAC Recommendations: C-CS-22 Outside Agency Operating Grant Program Grant Allocations
Presented by: Anna Royer, Recreation & Parks Department
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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1. That the following Outside Agency Operating Grants be awarded from the 2020 Municipal Operating Budget:
St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship: $8,000
St. Albert Housing Association: $44,650
St. Albert Seniors Association: $239,617
St. Albert Victim Services: $66,402
St. Albert Community Village & Food Bank: $90,707
Stop Abuse in Families: $36,000
St. Albert Family Resource Centre: $47,785
Visual Arts Studio Association: $28,488
St. Albert & District Further Education: $23,474
2. That the Michif Cultural Connections be awarded an Outside Agency Operating Grant from the 2020 Municipal Operating Budget in the amount of $9,615 pending verification of active status with Corporate Registries, and submission of financial statements for 2017 and 2018 to Administration by December 2, 2019.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
This report brings forward a recommendation from the Community Services Advisory Committee (CSAC) for the allocation of funding through the 2020 Outside Agency Operating Grant Program for Council’s consideration and approval, as per attached Policy C-CS-22.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Management of Community Granting:
Provision of funding to eligible St. Albert Not-for-profit organizations and residents in the areas of special events, sport and culture development, operational funding and capital renovations and development. Applications are accepted on an annual basis with submissions reviewed by the Community Services Advisory Committee in the fall of each year with recommendations forwarded to Council for final funding approval. Total budget for this grant program is based on a funding formula of $9 per capita.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
The Council direction that has resulted in this matter being brought forward is Council Policy C-CS-22 - Outside Agency Operating Grant Program.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
As per the Outside Agency Operating Grant Program Policy C-CS-22, the City may offer financial assistance in the form of an operating grant for eligible St. Albert not-for-profit community groups to assist with facility operating costs and/or staffing.
Applications are reviewed by the CSAC and recommended to Council for approval. On September 24, 2019, the CSAC reviewed the submissions for 2020 operating grant funding and have provided recommendations for Council consideration. Total budget available for this grant program in 2020 is $594,738 which follows the funding formula of $9 per capita, identified in Policy C-CS-22.
Eleven applications were received for review with CSAC providing recommendations which support funding for staffing and/or operating expenses as outlined in Policy C-CS-02. Not all organizations received the funding amount which they were eligible for as the requests for funding exceeded the overall budget for this program. A historical view of funding providing through the Outside Agency program is attached. Details for funding are as follows:
Application #1 - St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship
• Funding Request: $9,000
• Eligible Grant Amount: $9,000
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $8,000
• The funding is in support of four contract staff, insurance and storage.
Application #2 - St. Albert Housing Society
• Funding Request: $65,650
• Eligible Grant Amount: $44,650
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $44,650
• The funding is in support of the Operations Manager position, two contract positions, and a number of facility related expenses including rent.
Application #3 - St. Albert Seniors Association
• Funding Request: $239,617
• Eligible Grant Amount: $287,540
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $239,617
• The funding will provide support to both full-time and part-time positions including the Executive Director, and facility-related operational expenses.
Application #4 - St. Albert Victim Services
• Funding Request: $90,291
• Eligible Grant Amount: $90,291
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $66,402
• The funding will provide support to the Executive Director and two part-time Program Managers. This is the same amount as provided in 2019.
Application #5 - St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank
• Funding Request: $90,707
• Eligible Grant Amount: $97,647
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $90,707
• The funding will be utilized to support the position of the Executive Director, two part-time positions, and facility-related operational expenses.
Application #6 - Stop Abuse in Families (SAIF)
• Funding Request: $36,000
• Eligible Grant Amount: $36,000
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $36,000
• The funding will be utilized to support the position of the Executive Director.
Application #7 - St. Albert & District Further Education
• Funding Request: $51,468
• Eligible Grant Amount: $47,541
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $23,474
• The funding will be used to support the Literacy Coordinator position and to assist with the rent.
Application #8 - St. Albert Family Resource Centre
• Funding Request: $48,973
• Eligible Grant Amount: $47,785
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $47,785
• The funding will be used to support a full-time administrative assistant, IT support, and facility-related operating expenses including rent.
Application #9 - Visual Arts Studio Association
• Amount Applied For: $29,701
• Eligible Grant Amount: $29,701
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $28,488
• The funding is in support of four contract positions, the Executive Director, and a number of facility-related expenses.
Application #10 - Michif Cultural Connections Ltd.
• Funding Request: $9,615
• Eligible Grant Amount: $9,963
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $9,615 Pending submission of missing documents.
• The CSAC is recommending funding support as requested in the application; however, this recommendation is conditional upon the organization providing documentation demonstrating that they are in good standing with Alberta Corporate Registries, and the provision of the Annual Financial Statements for 2017 and 2018. All documentation must be provided to the City by December 2, 2019 or the CSAC have expressed that their recommendation for funding for the Michif be withdrawn.
Application #11 - St. Albert Community & Volunteer Information Centre
• Funding Request: $23,675
• Eligible Grant Amount: $23,675
• CSAC Recommended Funding: $0
• The CSAC are recommending to not provide funding for CIVC based on the fact that they are not recommending FCSS program funding. There was not an understanding of what the activities or services CIVC would be offering to the community in 2020 with the removal of the FCSS program funding.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
All applicants are encouraged to discuss their application with Administration prior to the intake deadline, to ensure the applicant and the components being applied for are eligible as per the governing Policy, assist with the application if needed, and to provide clarification.
All community groups applying for this grant were provided a time slot at the September CSAC meeting to respond to questions from the Committee.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
Total funding currently included in the proposed 2020 municipal operating budget for the Outside Agency Program is $594,738. The allocations being recommended by CSAC for funding total $594,738.
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 failure to comply with these requirements may result in a demand to repay the funding or a refusal to provide grant funding upon future application.
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:
1. That the funding requests, as identified, be adjusted as per the direction of Council. In the event that adjustments create an overall increase in the total allocations, an increase to the proposed 2020 Outside Agency Grant Program budget would be required to balance the new approved grant amount.
2. That the Outside Agencies’ funding requests for 2020 be denied. This would result in a decrease in the 2020 City budget for Outside Agencies but could cause significant hardship to the Outside Agencies which currently rely heavily on this grant program to maintain operations.
3. That the Outside Agencies’ funding requests be approved at 50% of the CSAC recommendation, with the final allocation amounts determined in Q2 2020. This would allow the organizations to receive some funding but would leave uncertainty around their anticipated revenues when planning for the year. Funding allocations would then be as follows:
St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship: $4,000
St. Albert Housing Association: $22,325
St. Albert Seniors Association: $119,809
St. Albert Victim Services: $33,201
St. Albert Commun. Village & Food Bank: $45,354
Stop Abuse in Families: $18,000
St. Albert Family Resource Centre: $23,893
Visual Arts Studio Association: $14,244
St. Albert & District Further Education: $11,737
Michif Cultural Connections: $4,808 ***
***pending submission of required documents
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Report Date: November 4, 2019
Author(s): Anna Royer
Committee/Department: Recreation & Parks Department
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble