COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS. September 26, 2011 F FACILITY RENTAL FEES - REALLOCATION

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1 POLICY TITLE: POLICY #: EFFECTIVE DATE: COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS C September 26, 2011 ADOPTED BY COUNCIL ON: September 26, 2011 RESOLUTION #: SUPERCEDES: R ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT FUND; C FCSS FUNDING POLICY F FACILITY RENTAL FEES - REALLOCATION POLICY STATEMENT: The Municipality of Sylvan Lake acknowledges the efforts of our local volunteer community and believes that many services, events or projects are best provided through the volunteer efforts of local community organizations. Community Service Grant funding demonstrates Council's commitment to working with community organizations without eroding their strength and independence and encourages organizations to work toward financial self sufficiency. PURPOSE: This policy enables Council to direct and restrict funding and financial assistance requests to the Community Service Grant Programs and establishes eligibility, requirements and application process to ensure municipal funding is directed to programs and activities within the municipal scope ofresponsibility. Community Service Grant funding will be allocated from the Recreation, Arts & Culture and Family and Community Support Services Community Grant Programs budgets and are subject to availability of funds provided in the annual Town of Sylvan Lake budget process; Community Services Committee and the Family and Community Support Services Board will approve grant requests provided that provisions of the Municipal Government Act and applicable Family and Community Support Services Act & Regulations have been met. COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS CATERGORIES AND DEFINITIONS: 1) Recreation/Leisure is defined as those organizations offering athletic or leisure opportunities not offered by the Municipality.

2 2) Arts & Culture Is defined as those organizations offering the local community opportunities that enhance and benefit the artistic expression and cultural traditions of their lives. 3) Preventative Social Support Programs and Services Is defined as those organizations offering a preventative social service (other than recreational/leisure) to residents of the Municipality, which is not considered to be the responsibility of another level of government. 4) Civic Is defined as those organizations providing events or service promoting the Municipality of Sylvan Lake which could be expected to bring economic and/or public relations benefit to the Municipality. 1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: 1.1 Community Service Grants may be provided to non-profit organizations or those groups with the characteristics of a non-profit group To promote and deliver projects, services and events within municipal boundaries; To projects, services and events that address a community need, contribute to the positive image of the municipality and/or enhance the quality of life for its residents; To projects, services and events that have a community wide base and/or opportunity; and are held within the Town of Sylvan Lake boundaries. 1.2 Community Service Grants are not intended to provide funding: To organizations with a religious or political mandate, or for events that promote self interest, i.e.: membership drives, political events, rallies in support of a cause, religious events, trade unions, professional organizations or fraternities; To organizations that provide services or programs that are the responsibility of another level of government; including Health, Education and Social Services; To organizations that duplicate services; To organizations for debt repayment or to subsidize donations to a third party; To organizations requesting relief from normal municipal fees for facilities, equipment, personnel, etc... However, this policy is not intended to prevent community based groups from applying for a community services grant for the

3 purpose of offsetting normal fees charged for facilities, equipment, personnel, etc; To organizations seeking relief from property taxation that does not qualify pursuant to the Municipal Government Act; To organizations seeking relief from water, sewer, garbage or other municipal service fees; 1. 3 Requests for Municipal support outside of the Community Service Grants Policy will only be accepted for consideration by resolution of Council. 2. PROCEDURE: All requests for financial assistance shall be directed in the first instance to the following Community Service Grant Programs: RECREATION, ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT (TWICE PER YEAR FALL AND SPRING) FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES COMMUNITY GRANT (SEPTEMBER - FOR UPCOMING YEAR) Community Service Grant Programs will be advertised in Town of Sylvan Lake Community publications, brochures and on the website Grant applications are available at the Town of Sylvan Lake Administration Office, Recreation Parks & Culture, and Family and Community Support Services offices. 2.1 APPLICATION PROCESS Applications must be submitted prior to the function/activity taking place; Applicants must provide a budget showing how the funds from the grant will be expended; Applicants must submit copies of the organization's most current financial statement; Applicants registered as Societies must be in good standing with the Registrar of Societies;

4 All applications will be reviewed by Administration for completeness and appropriate Community Service Committee or FCSS Board for recommendation and final approval; Applicants may be required to make a personal appearance before the Family and Community Support Services Board or Community Service Committee; Successful applicants are required to enter into a letter of agreement for the approved use of the grant funds and proof of liability insurance indemnifying the Town of Sylvan Lake is provided. 2.2 Further Information and Assistance: Grants and funding opportunities may be available from other funding organizations. The Town of Sylvan Lake Community Services staff can assist individuals and community groups to identify funding sources that may meet their needs and provide advice in completing grant application forms. 3. SPECIAL EVENTS - TOWN OF SYLVAN LAKE may assist volunteer/non-profit organizations in the promotion of special events, tournaments and workshops that provide economic, cultural and social benefit to the community. Special Event Applications are received year round provided the application is received at least 30 days prior to one-time events and in September of each year for recurring annual events. Applications to assist in recreation or sport events will be reviewed on an individual basis with preference given to Western Canada, National and International sanctioned level competition

5 Community Service Grant Requests Evaluation and Criteria Priority Areas Weight Assigned Project/Program Evaluation Scale of 1-5 Notes/Comments 1. Degree of Direct Impact on Target 15 population 2. Degree of the organizations mandate 15 focus is Preventative Social Services, Recreation, Arts and Culture 3. Overall Public Good - Impact on 15 community 4. Efficiency of use of funds requested Applicant's ability to deliver the 10 service 6. Overall use of volunteers Number of people impacted by 7.5 services 8. Demonstrated pursuit of partnerships Demonstrated progress toward 5 independence from Community Service grant programs Rating totals 100 Section 2: Definitions: 1) Degree of Direct Impact on Target Population refers to the projects ability to significantly make an impact on (or help) the recipients in the target market. If the degree of difference made is minimal, the score will be low. If it is extensive, the score will be high. 2) Organizations focus on Recreation/Leisure, Arts & Culture or Preventative Social

6 Services refers to the degree to which the projects, services are within the organizations and municipal mandate. 3) Overall Amount of Public Good refers to the magnitude of the spin- off or indirect benefits to the total community. Does the service make Sylvan Lake a better place to live for us all? 4) Efficiency of Use of Requested Funds deals with the financial responsibility shown by the proponent and the degree to which the money will have a high "payback" in terms of direct services provision. A request for money to be spent on unnecessary overheard items will be scored lower than one where money translates directly and efficiently into service. 5) Applicants Ability to Deliver the Service can be demonstrated through the quality of their application or through credibility built up through their track record. Either way, an applicant that demonstrates clearly that they can and will deliver the project effectively will score higher than one, which doesn't. 6) Overall Use of Volunteers refers to the degree to which the applicant has explored the potential use of volunteers in this project. Projects will score higher if there is lots of volunteer involvement or evidence that was sought and that there are legitimate reasons why it is not possible. 7) Number of People Impacted by Service is a simple quantification of the people directly served by the project. Because it is relative, the board is better able to score this measure than an individual applicant because it doesn't know how many people other applicant's serve. 8) Demonstrated Pursuit of Partnerships refers to the attempts made to pursue liaisons and working relationships between agencies in an attempt to build more efficient and effective models for service provision. An applicant which can demonstrate this will score higher here than one which cannot. 9) Demonstrated Progress toward independence from Community Service Grants is the extent to which the applicant is moving the project away from any reliance on a long term need for a constant level of Community Service grant funding. Applicants that can demonstrate this will score higher than the ones that cannot.