TAMRMS#: B06
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CSAC Recommendation: Outside Agency Operating Grant Program
Presented by: Anna Royer, Business Manager
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
recommendation
That the following 2019 Outside Agency Operating Grants be awarded from the 2019 Municipal Operating Budget:
St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship: $5,472
St. Albert Housing Association: $53,375
St. Albert Seniors Association: $239,617
St. Albert Victim Services: $66,402
St. Albert Community Village & Food Bank: $73,763
Stop Abuse in Families: $46,592
Michif Cultural Connections: $9,560
St. Albert Community & Volunteer Info Centre: $29,491
St. Albert Family Resource Centre: $43,050
Visual Arts Studio Association: $27,378
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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 2019 Outside Agency Operating Grant Program for Council’s consideration and approval, as per attached Policy C-CS-22.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO ADMINISTRATIVE PRIORITY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO 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. Funding available is based on a funding formula of $9 per capita.
COUNCIL DIRECTION
The Council direction that has resulted in this matter being brought before Council 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 25, 2018, the CSAC reviewed the submissions for 2019 operating grant funding and have provided recommendations for Council consideration.
Ten applications were received for review with CSAC providing the following recommendations:
Application #1 - St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship
Category: Core Support Service
Amount Applied For: $4,530
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $5,472
CSAC Recommended Funding: $5,472
Recommended funding is above that applied for as the administrative review of operating expenses led to additional components identified as eligible under the Policy.
Application #2 - St. Albert Housing Society
Category: Core Support Service
Amount Applied For: $78,250
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $73,375
CSAC Recommended Funding: $53,375
Original submission by the society included ineligible funding components which decreased the “eligible” grant amount. In addition, the CSAC did not recommend funding all staffing positions submitted, as two of the positions also provide support and administrative functions to an additional not-for-profit society although funding for the positions were from only the applicant.
Application #3 - St. Albert Seniors Association
Category: Core Support Service
Amount Applied For: $244,436
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $251,643
CSAC Recommended Funding: $239,617
The Seniors Association indicated that although they were eligible for a higher funding amount, they were only requesting an amount comparable to what was previously provided.
Application #4 - St. Albert Victim Services
Category: Core Support Service
Amount Applied For: $80,562
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $80,562
CSAC Recommended Funding: $66,402
Victim Services had requested funding support for one full time Executive Director position and three part-time Program Manager’s. Due to the extensive in-kind support that the City already provides this agency through the provision of facility space at Maloney Place, the amount CSAC is recommending includes the percentage portion of the Executive Director and two of the three part-time Program Managers.
Application #5 - St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank
Category: Core Support Service
Amount Applied For: $154,560
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $88,520
CSAC Recommended Funding: $73,763
Original submission by society included ineligible operating components which decreased the “eligible grant amount”. In addition, the proposed operating budget was showing a substantial net profit, and the Policy governing this grant program does not support a surplus. The recommended funding was adjusted accordingly.
Application #6 - Stop Abuse in Families (SAIF)
Category: Core Support Service
Amount Applied For: $71,692
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $71,692
CSAC Recommended Funding: $46,592
This is the first time this organization has applied to the City for operational funding support. The funding recommendation by the CSAC includes funding two of the three positions requested for consideration.
Application #7 - Michif Cultural Connections Ltd.
Category: Additional Support Service
Amount Applied For: $10,099
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $10,099
CSAC Recommended Funding: $9,560
The funding being recommended was decreased as the group indicated during their discussion with the CSAC that they anticipated savings in utility costs due to previous overpayments.
Application #8 - St. Albert Community & Volunteer Information Centre
Category: Additional Support Service
Amount Applied For: $51,004
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $29,491
CSAC Recommended Funding: $29,491
Original submission by the society calculated the percentage eligible for funding as a “core” support service rather than an “additional” support service. The numbers were adjusted accordingly based on the corrected percentage.
Application #9 - St. Albert Family Resource Centre
Category: Additional Support Service
Amount Applied For: $43,049
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $43,049
CSAC Recommended Funding: $43,050
This is the first time this organization has applied to the City for operational funding support.
Application #10 - Visual Arts Studio Association
Category: Additional Support Service
Amount Applied For: $27,858
Total Eligible Grant Amount: $27,378
CSAC Recommended Funding: $27,378
Original submission by the society included ineligible operating components which decreased the “eligible” grant amount.
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 2019 municipal operating budget for the Outside Agency Program is $594,700. The allocations being recommended by CSAC for funding total $594,700.
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 2019 Outside Agency Grant Program budget would be required to balance the new approved grant amount.
2. That the Outside Agencies’ funding requests for 2019 be denied. This would result in a decrease in the 2019 City budget for Outside Agencies but could cause significant hardship to the Outside Agencies which currently rely heavily on this grant program in order to stay in operation.
Report Date: November 5, 2018
Author(s): Anna Royer
Committee/Department: CPS Administration
General Manager: Richard Gagnon
City Manager: Kevin Scoble