COUNCIL MEETING. Meeting Date: April 28, Suggested Revisions to the SCIP Application Form and Process

Transcription

1 COUNCIL MEETING Meeting Date: April 28, 2015 Suggested Revisions to the SCIP Application Form and Process Report Purpose To propose revisions to the Strathcona Community Investment Program (SCIP) application form, policy, including Schedule B and the evaluation matrix. Recommendation THAT Council approve proposed revisions to the Strathcona Community Investment Program (SCIP) application form and Policy GOV Council History May 20, 2014 Council approved Policy GOV : Strathcona Community Investment Program Policy, as put forward by the Governance Advisory Committee. July 15, 2014 Council approved a total allocation of $13, for the 2014 Q2 applications. October 21, 2014 Council approved a total allocation of $15, for the 2014 Q3 applications. January 20, 2015 Council approved a total allocation of $10, for the 2014 Q4 applications. February 10, 2015 Council approved a total allocation of $40, for playground funding. Strategic Plan Priority Areas Economy: A total of $100,000 in Strathcona Community Investment Program funding is budgeted in each calendar year for allocation quarterly. Governance: The Community Investment funds foster cooperative partnerships with the community. Social: We are a helping, caring and safe community. Culture: The fund supports our ability to be a vibrant, creative community. Environment: n/a Other Impacts Policy: The Strathcona Community Investment Program funds are allocated in accordance with Policy GOV Legislative/Legal: All resolutions authorizing the expenditure of Strathcona Community Investment Program funds will be provided to Financial Services by Legislative and Legal Services. Interdepartmental: Financial Services; Legislative and Legal Services. Summary As per Policy GOV , Strathcona Community Investment Program (SCIP) applications are reviewed quarterly. To date, Executive Team has represented their departments on the Review Committee and has reviewed four rounds of applications. Throughout this process, several challenges have been identified. As such, Executive Team is proposing several revisions to the application form and policy for approval. Document: Page 1 of 2

2 On March 25, 2015, a representative of the Review Committee and the recording secretary met with the Governance Advisory Committee and discussed potential revisions. The agreed-upon changes are identified in Enclosure 1 and include the Application Form, Policy GOV , Schedule B and the Evaluation Matrix. Communication Plan Media Release Other: Strathcona County Website Enclosure 1 Summary of Suggested Revisions (Document: ) Author: Karmen Webb, Office of the Chief Commissioner Chief Commissioner: Rob Coon Date: April 14, 2015 Document: Page 2 of 2

3 Summary of Suggested Revisions Enclosure 1 Application Form: 1. Add "Name of Event" and "Date of Event" to the.top of the form 2. On line 2, change "... raised to support..." to "contributing to" 3. Change lines 7-8 to read: a. Have you received funding from the County for this project/event in the past? b. Have you applied for any other funding from the County for this project/event? i. If yes, what amount? c. Does any portion of your annual operating budget come from the County? i. If yes, what percentage?

4 Strathcona Community Investment Program -Application Pa e 2 of 2 STRATHCONA COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM INFORMATION- Completed by Applicant Organization name Address Street and number Subdivision if rural City or town Province Postal code Contactperson ~ Telephone address ~ Project type D Event D Project D Expense Provide a brief summary of the request,a-de( ' ~t? e;f venf' Un e I How many individuals will participate and benefit from your event or project? CDri-h-i ~ii~ to 2. Amount of other funds raises te sw~r-thi s event or project? $ ~ Amount of volunteer hours contributed to this event or project? 4 Total amount requested from Strathcona County? $ S What is the nature of your group? D Ad-Hoc Group of Citizens D Regularly meeting group of Citizens D Registered Society D Non-Profit group or charity ~ If you are a reg istered group, how many years has your group been active? years 7 Have you received funding from the County in the past? D yes D no Se.Vend ~es' 0/0 ~ I 1'... _...J Ot"\ g If yes, what percentage of your annual operating budget is from the County? ;c ~ ~ q What is the nature of your event's access? D Anyone can attend D Members only, free to join D Members on ly, with fee to join D Closed group (no ability to join). $1,A..M ma.f'y Print name Signature Date Please remember to attach a proposed budget and request letter to this request. Collection and use of personal information Personal information is being collected under the authority of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and the Freedom of lnfonnation and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) and is managed In accordance with the provisions of FOIP. This information will be used for the purpose of assessing your eligibility for Strathcona Community Investment Program Fl.llds. It may also be used by Administration, for statistical, research.or training purposes, in order to improve the Stralhcona Community Investment Program Fund process. If you have any questions about the collection and use of your personal information, contact the Access and Privacy Advisor, Legislative and Legal Services, Strathcona County at CHCOM 002-B

5 Summary of Suggested Revisions Policy GOV : Proposed New "Guidelines": 1. Prohibit applications for playground funding. 2. Cap the total allowable request at $10, or no more than 50% of the total project/event budget, whichever is less. Existing "Guidelines": 1. In order to qualify for funding, organizations must: a. Change "... group or individuals..." to "... group of ind ividuals... " Criteria: a. No change b. No change c. No change d. Add "Percentage of Funds Matched" (it is identified on Schedule Bas a category) i. Add "Number of Volunteer Hours" as its own category (as opposed to being valued at $20/hr towards 'Percentage of Funds Matched') e. No change f. No change g. Value - this does not appear on "Schedule B" "Roles and Responsibilities": 1. No change 2. No change 3. No change 4. The Chief Commissioner is responsible to: a. Remove "Communications" from the list of County departments represented on the Review Committee 5. No change

6 GOV Strathcona County Municipal Policy Handbook Strathcona Community Investment Program Date of Approval by Council: 05/20/2014 Resolution No.: 184/2014 Lead Role: Chief Commissioner Last Review Date: May 20, 2014 Next Review Date: 05/2017 Administrative Responsibility: Chief Commissioner Policy Statement Strathcona County administration will each year have budgeted for them monies known as Strathcona Community Investment Program funds. Administration will disburse these funds in a prudent manner as justified by Council approved Criteria. Strathcona Community Investment Program funds must be used to support community initiatives or events that benefit Strathcona County and its residents. Guidelines 1. In order to qualify for funding, organizations must: a. Be a registered non-profit or a registered society or a group or individuals applying for a project or event; b. Be community based; and c. Not receive more than 75% of their annual operating funding from Strathcona County. 2. Strathcona Community Investment Program funds shall only be used for events and/or goods that will occur/be spent within Strathcona County. 3. Requests from any individual or group must be in writing on the prescribed form and must include justification for the request and include a proposed budget. 4. Applications for Strathcona.Community Investment Program funds shall be evaluated based on the following criteria: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Number of citizens benefitting; Alignment to strategic goals; Scope of impact; Add \I Dc:::.y~..J...~A ~ "f' FUl"\clf ma:a-e41 _.J II Substantiveness of group; ~ r' ' -;:J ~ "' Level of existing funding from Strathcona County; ~ Add t:.a.je.fjory.for- Accessibility; and " V o l ~ey ff-ol.lrs" Value. Do~s not-~ on ' Sc.h~IAA~l3 '. 5. No expenditure from Strathcona Community Investment Program funds can conflict with an existing Council approved policy.

7 GOV Strathcona County Municipal Policy Handbook 6. Strathcona Community Investment Program funds will not be used: a. To support an operating budget deficit; b. For events that are held outside Strathcona County; or c. To support travel expenses; d. For programs and services provided by religious or religiously-affiliated organizations (such as a parochial school) unless it is clearly demonstrated that the program is open to non-members, is not a religious program, and does not promote the religion; e. For any purpose other than a public purpose and may not support political activities or private interests. 7. Should the Strathcona Community Investment Program funds granted to an individual or group pursuant to this Policy not be used for the purpose for which they were granted or not be used at all, the funds are to be returned to Strathcona County. 8. A Report Form shall accompany approved Strathcon.a Community Investment Program funds expenditures and recipients must complete and return the Report Form immediately after the funds are expended. Future Strathcona Community Investment Program funds will not be available.to a recipient who fails to complete and submit a Report. 9. At the end of each year, all unallocated Strathcona Community Investment Program funds will roll over into the next year's funding providing the balance of the funds do not exceed 200% of the annual allocated amount in Schedule "A". 10. No funding will be granted for any application scoring less than 50% of the total available points based on the criteria as ca lculated on Schedule B: Point Chart. Roles and Responsibilities 1. Administration is responsible to post on the County website all expenditures from Strathcona Community Investment Program funds. 2. Legislative & Legal Services is responsible to provide Financial Services with all resolutions authorizing the expenditure of Strathcona Community Investment Program funds. 3. Financial Services is responsible to: a. retain a record of all commitments and issue cheques after Council resolutions are passed as well as maintain a record of the funds balance; b. on a quarterly basis, provide to Council a list of Strathcona Community Investment Program funds expended until the present date in the current calendar year and a current balance.

8 GOV Strathcona County Municipal Policy Handbook c. follow up with all groups or organizations receiving funds to ensure they have submitted the report form and unexpended funds have been returned. d. perform random audits on expenditures. 4. The Chief Commissio.ner is responsible to: a. Organize an administrative committee, the Strathcona Community Investment Program Review Committee, to review Strathcona Community Investment Program funds requests. This committee shall include a representative from: Family and Community Services Facility Services Recreation, Parks & Culture Corporate Planning and Intergovernmental Affairs Environmental & Open Space Planning o EeFAFAurnEa-ttefl--6 12emove.. Economic Development and Tourism b. Ensure the Committee meets quarterly to review funding requests. 5. The Strathcona Community Investment Program Review Committee is responsible to: a. Adjudicate requests using established matrix in "Schedule "B" b. Provide recommendations to Council for approval. ATTACHMENTS: Schedule "A" Funding Allocation Schedule "B" Point Chart

9 GOV Strathcona County Municipal Policy Haridbook SCHEDULE A Strathcona Community Investment Program Funding Allocation for 2014: Maximum amount available to allocate within first six months: $100,000 $ 50,000

10 Summary of Suggested Revisions "Schedule B": 1. Divide the 4th category, " Percentage of Funds Matched/Volunteer Hours in Kind" in to two separate categories. 2. Change the title on the 5th category to read, "Do you receive operational funding from the County already?" 3. Change the maximum value on the "Accessibility" category to 1 from 0 in order to balance the mathematics of the Evaluation Matrix.

11 SCHEDULE B Number of Citizens benefitting: Value Score Alignment to strategic goals? Value Score Very low l Low 2 Moderate 3 High 4 Very High 5 Scope of Impact: Value Scare Cul.,De-Sac I Street I Similar 1 Neighbourhood 2 Ward wards 4 4+ wards (CountY scope) 5 Percentage of funds matched I volunteer hours in kind (assume $20 per hour) - S~B~

12 Value Score 5%-10% 1 10%-20% % 3 40%-60% 4 60% + 5 Substantiveness of group? Value Score Private group of residents organized for this specific project 1 Ongoing group of private residents 2 Registered society/charity/non-profit or community league less 3 than 3 years old Registered society/charity/non-profit or community league years old Registered society/charity/non-profit or community league 5 more than 5 years old. r-4-iona.i. Do you receive funding from the County already? Value Score Less than 10% of existing funding is from County % of existing funding is from County % of existing funding is from County % of existing funding is from County -4 A ccessibility Value. ' Sc0re Anyone from the public can attend at will 1 Members only, but free fo join. -1

13 Value Score Members only _with fee to join.. -2 Closed group. (no ability to join). -4

14 Summary of Suggested Revisions Evaluation Matrix: 1. Reduce the weighting on "Percentage for Funds Matched" from 20% to 10% in order to balance the following: 2. Add a category for "Volunteer Hours" weighted at 10%

15 GOV SCHEDULE B Strathcona County Municipal Policy Handbook Points (Use criteria sheet to determine) Detail to justify points? Citizens Benef"rtting Relation to Strategic Plan Scope of Impact Percentage Substantiveness County Accessibility Total of funds of group Funding? matched 0 Criteria Weight ing Score TOTAL Score Out of % 50% % 10%.203' 10% 50% 50% 100% I Perfect Score is 100. Pass is 50. Add ca+e3ory.fov-,, Vol un1-eey J+ou,yS"" '' w-ejh+ed ~ 10 /0