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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN 040 Community Grant Policy Policy Procedure Title: Community Grant Policy Number FIN 040 Reference Res. #11/83 Res. #240/14 Res. #33/15 Res. #125/16 Res. #143/16 Res. #267/17 Res. #403/18 Res. #48/19 Res. #240/20 Res. #849/22 Res. #160/23 Date Originated (m/d/y) February 7, 1983 Date Revised (m/d/y) January 2008 May 20, 2014 March 23, 2015 January 18, 2016 March 29, 2016 February 27, 2017 March 15, 2018 March 25, 2019 February 24, 2020 March 22, 2021 March 28, 2022 April 24, 2023 Pages 5 Approval: Chief Administrative Officer Point of Contact Director, Finance & Treasurer Policy Objective The objective of this policy is to define policy guidelines for responding to organizational requests for grant money. Index 01 Definitions 02 Eligibility Criteria 03 Procedures 01 Definitions 01.01 Not-for-Profit - Community organizations that operate with controlling members or boards to fulfill a mandate that serves to better a specific group within the community or the general community at large. Not-for-Profit community organizations can be incorporated but are not required to be under this policy. 02 Eligibility Criteria 02.01 To be eligible for a grant pursuant to this Policy, an organization must be a community association, arts or cultural group, service club and/or sport group: Policy Title: Community Grant Page 2 of 5 Policy Number: FIN 040 (i) that is not-for-profit; (ii) that serves, in whole or in part, the residents of the City of Pickering; and, (iii) at least 80 percent of whose members reside in the City. 02.02 The following organizations are not eligible to receive community grants from the City: (i) those that benefit from Bingo lottery proceeds; or, (ii) those that receive funds from United Way Durham. 02.03 Religious organizations may be eligible for funding if their event is open to the general public and the event is located on public or commercial grounds. 02.04 A regionally-based organization may be considered for grant funding if it can demonstrate that its services will directly benefit the residents of the City. Organizations with a political mandate, such as ratepayers’ associations or tenant/landlord associations are not eligible for grants pursuant to this Policy. Individuals are not eligible for grants pursuant to this Policy. 02.05 For new applicants, the maximum grant amount that an organization can receive is $3,000. New applicants are required to demonstrate their ability to deliver their promised benefits before being eligible to receive a higher amount of funding. 02.06 To be considered for funding, a grant application by an organization must meet the following criteria: (i) the grant must be used to fund activities, programs or initiatives that serve the residents of the City or that provide an economic benefit to the City or to a local community within the City, or that create a positive image of the City; (ii) the grant must be used to fund activities, programs or initiatives that take place within the municipal boundaries of the City; (iii) the grant must be used to fund activities, programs or initiatives that are not provided by any level of government; (iv) the grant must not be used to offset administrative costs of the organization or for debt repayment; (v) the grant must not be used to fund insurance expenses; (vi) the grant must not be used to fund donations made by the organization; (vii) the grant must not be used to fund school extracurricular or school related extracurricular events; Policy Title: Community Grant Page 3 of 5 Policy Number: FIN 040 (viii) the grant must not be used for the direct or indirect operation of a daycare or nursery school; and, (ix) the grant must not be used to fund an organization’s or event’s activities with high liability such as fireworks, dunk tanks, and pyrotechnics. (x) the grant must not be used to fund any activities or expenses that is for the direct or indirect support of or opposition to, any pollical party or candidate for public office. 02.07 That the Chief Administrative Officer and Director, Finance & Treasurer be authorized to award up to $250 in minor community grants under the following rules: (i) that the organization has to complete the City’s application form and their application has to meet the City’s criteria; (ii) that these organizations be permitted to receive only one $250 grant per term of Council and the funding for these grants be limited to the grant contingency allocation as provided in the grants budget; and, (iii) that staff report on an annual basis to Council with the list of successful $250 grant applicants as part of the budget process. 03 Procedures 03.01 Organizations wishing to request a grant must complete a Community Grant Application form in full with required attachments and must submit same to the Director, Finance & Treasurer by October 27, 2023 for funding in the following year. Late submissions will not be considered. 03.02 Handwritten applications are acceptable. However, if the handwriting is not legible, organizations will be required to submit a “typed” application. 03.03 Organizations that previously received grants may be issued grants up to $1,000, to accommodate grant requests that occur prior to Council budget approval. 03.04 The Director, Finance & Treasurer will review the Community Grant Application to ensure that it meets the Eligibility Criteria. Organizations that are not in good standing with the City of Pickering and/or have overdue amounts owing to the City of Pickering will not be considered. 03.05 Once the Director, Finance & Treasurer has determined that a Community Grant Application is eligible for funding under this Policy, the Community Grant Application will be included in a report to Council to be received for information prior to budget deliberations. Policy Title: Community Grant Page 4 of 5 Policy Number: FIN 040 03.06 City Council will consider all grant applications and approve or deny such requests during the annual City budget approval process. The City’s Director, Finance & Treasurer will recommend to Council the total grant funding allocation for each calendar year. 03.07 The Director, Finance & Treasurer is authorized, on a random basis, to conduct post-grant reviews of grant expenditures. If any organization refuses to participate in the review, they will automatically be disqualified from future grant funding requests until they provide the required information. 03.08 The Director, Finance & Treasurer will confirm in writing the status of each community grant application with the respective applicant within 14 days of the approval of the City budget by council resolution. 03.09 At the discretion of the Director, Finance & Treasurer, cheques for the approved grant amounts will be issued to organizations within 30 days of the approval of the City budget by council resolution. Where appropriate, cheques will be issued to organizations based on verifiable completion of their grant milestones. 03.10 Organizations must notify the City in advance of any festival or celebration events that are sponsored either partially or fully by the City before the grant payment is released. 03.11 The Director, Finance & Treasurer is authorized to recover any grant funds where either the event was cancelled or the original grant purpose is no longer valid. 03.12 Grant recipients will be required to acknowledge the support of the City in all advertising, publicity, programs and signage for which the funds were granted. The recipient may not represent the City as partner or hold the City responsible for any obligations related to the grant. 03.13 A grant in any year is not to be considered as commitment by the City to continue with such assistance in future years. 03.14 The Director, Finance & Treasurer will refuse all grant requests that require funding within the same calendar year in which the request is made, unless the grant is for a function being conducted by an organization to aid City residents who are stricken by personal tragedy or disaster and are in need of financial assistance. In such cases, the Community Grant Application shall be completed in full and will be subject to Council approval in the same year the application is made. 03.15 The Director, Finance & Treasurer will refuse all requests to waive rental fees for City facilities and park/equipment fees for City parks unless the fees apply Policy Title: Community Grant Page 5 of 5 Policy Number: FIN 040 to a function conducted solely to aid City residents who are stricken by personal tragedy or disaster and are in need of financial assistance. In such cases, the Community Grant Application shall be completed in full and will be subject to Council approval in the same year the application is made. Please refer to all associated Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures, if applicable, for detailed processes regarding this Policy.