Community Services Grants Program -

1999 Allocations

The Community Services Committee recommends:

(i)the adoption of the report dated June 3, 1999, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services;

(ii)that the $45,000.00 appeal amount be augmented with any underexpenditures from the Community Services Grants envelope; and

(iii)that, in future years, a sub-committee of the Community Services Committee be established to hear the appeals on the Community Services and Breaking the Cycle of Violence Grants Programs, and to review the process.

The Community Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:

(1)referred the appeals from the following organizations to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for a report thereon to the next meeting of the Community Services Committee to be held on July 14, 1999:

-Assaulted Women's Helpline (Item No. 22);

-Baluchi Canadian Association (Item No. 28);

-Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care (Item No. 32);

-Canadians for Children at Health Risk (Item No. 61);

-Centre for Spanish - Speaking Peoples (Item No. 74);

-Chinese Professional Women of Canada (Item No. 81);

-Community Bicycle Network (Item No. 90);

-Community Information Centre for the City of York (Item No. 93);

-ComServ Family Support Inc. (Item No. 99);

-Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services (Item No. 121);

-Dovercourt Boys' and Girls' Club (Item No. 123);

-East Scarborough Boys & Girls Club (Item No. 128);

-Finnish Social Counselling Services of Toronto Inc. (Item No. 152);

-For Youth Project (Item No. 158);

-Gerrard Resource Centre (Item No. 166);

-Le Groupe Jeunesse Francophone De Toronto (Item No. 169);

-Heritage Skills Development Centre (Item No. 174);

-Learning Disabilities Association of North York (Item No. 210);

-Next Door Family Resources (Item No. 252);

-Ogaden Somali Community Association of Ontario (Item No. 265);

-Parkdale Focus Community Project (Item No. 282);

-Pat Arato Aphasia Centre (Item No. 286);

-Ralph Thornton Centre (Item No. 297);

-Reena (Item No. 298), with a request that the policy pertaining to head office locations be reviewed;

-Le Regroupement des Jeunes Filles Francophones (Item No. 300);

-Serve Canada (Item No. 319);

-Somali Canadian Women's Association (Item No. 333);

-Somali Family and Child Skills Development Services (Item No. 334);

-Somali Immigrant Women Association (Item No. 336);

-St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club (Item No. 344);

-St. Bernadette's Family Resource Centre (Item No. 345);

-St. Clair O'Connor Community Inc. (Item No. 347);

-St. Mark's Seniors Club (Item No. 350);

-St. Matthew's Bracondale House (Item 351);

-Stop 103 Inc. (Item 355);

-Sunshine Centre for Seniors (Item No. 361);

-Tamil Eelam Society of Canada (Item No. 363);

-Toronto Mainland Chinese Community Centre (Item No. 386);

-Tropicana Community Services Organization (Item No. 393);

-Volunteers Etobicoke (Item No. 411), with a request that consideration be given to providing one-time only funding for restructuring, and phased in over two years;

-Willowtree Tenants' Organization (Item No. 423);

-York Community Services (Item No. 436); and

-Yorktown Child and Family Centre (Item No. 442); and

(2)requested that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to:

(i)review the need and demand to level up the funding available for all grants that report through the Community Services Committee; and

(ii)consider ways in which the total envelope for these grants can be increased;

and report thereon to the Community Services Committee no later than its October 7, 1999, meeting.

The Community Services Committee submits the following report (June3,1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:

Purpose:

This report presents the recommended allocations for 375 agencies which have applied for municipal support under the Community Services Grants Program (C.S.G.P.). Of the 375 agencies that applied for grants, 307 have been recommended for funding.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Sufficient funds for the 1999 C.S.G.P. allocations exist within the approved 1999 Consolidated Grants appropriation. The total funds available for the 1999 C.S.G.P. are $10,516,323.00, of which $45,000.00 has been reserved for appeals.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the attached 1999 Community Services Grants Program (C.S.G.P.) allocations totalling $10,471,323.00 for 307 agencies, as described in Appendices "A" and "D", be approved; and

(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect hereto.

Council Reference/Background/History:

Under the general authority for making municipal grants provided in Section 113(1) of the Municipal Act, all of the former municipalities provided support to the not-for-profit sector through community service grants.

In September 1998, the Municipal Grants Review Committee received a report titled "Community Service Grants Program (C.S.G.P.) Review" which outlined the general directions for an amalgamated community services/general grants program. The 1999 Community Services Grants Program represents a consolidation of nine grants programs provided by the seven former municipalities.

The eligibility criteria for the 1999 grants cycle were revised and clarified, consistent with the directions articulated in the program review. In addition, Council approved the "City of Toronto Grants Policy" in December 1999 which provides overall policy direction for all of the City's grants programs.

This report provides the recommended agency allocations for approval under the new C.S.G.P. The attached appendices provide information on specific agency recommendations: Appendix A - grant requests and recommendations by agency; Appendix B - recommendations to Aboriginal and ethno-specific and multi-ethnic agencies; Appendix C - biennual assessment recommendations by agency; and Appendix D - detailed summary of each applicant.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The 1999 Community Services Grants Program:

The primary goal of the 1999 Community Services Grants Program is to support and sustain the social well-being of Toronto's communities by building community capacity, supporting vulnerable communities, and addressing community service needs. The renewed C.S.G.P. is guided by five core values as defined in the "City of Toronto Grants Policy": accessibility, fairness and equity, openness and transparency, accountability, and responsiveness.

The C.S.G.P. supports critical community social services through ongoing program funding. Community social services facilitate access to, and provide the means by which, individuals or families can achieve an improved quality of life through the enhancement of their social and economic well-being. The C.S.G.P. funds services which address emergency/crisis, individual and community interventions and are within the Community and Neighbourhood Services departmental mandate.

The C.S.G.P. offers two types of ongoing program funding: Type 1 for requests over $10,000.00 and Type 2 for requests of $10,000.00 or less. Funding of over $10,000.00 is only available to incorporated organizations with an established track record in the area of program delivery, operations, governance, financial accountability, and access and equity. Funding of under $10,000.00 is available to small, less developed organizations.

Biannual Assessment:

A new feature of the C.S.G.P. being introduced this year is biennual assessment process. The objectives of this approach are to reduce the administrative burden on funded agencies and encourage longer term planning. To be considered for biennual assessment agencies must have been assessed as having sound financial planning and management practices, demonstrate the ability to undertake long-range planning, and provide reasonable assurances that the programs funded will be maintained over the two-year period.

Although agencies on biennual assessment will not be interviewed in 2000, they will be required to submit an interim report on C.S.G.P. funded programs, updated agency and program budgets, a copy of their most recent audited financial statement, a current board of directors list, and a copy of the auditor's management letter if issued.

Eighty-seven agencies are recommended for biennual assessment at this time ( Appendix "C"). The year-two allocation recommendations for agencies on biennual assessment will be developed and recommended in the year 2000 allocations report. Although the approach will be to flatline the year two allocation, actual year two recommendations will be dependent on the Year 2000 City budget, grants program priorities, and agency performance. Finalized Year 2000 funding recommendations will be included in the Year 2000 C.S.G.P. allocations report for Council consideration and approval.

Under the biennual assessment process, the critical difference between the year one and year two review is that the year one, or full review, is designed to assess new or enhanced requests for funding, while the year two review is designed to assess stable programs requiring a static level of support. Agencies requesting additional support for new or enhanced programs will be required to complete the year one, or full review, application form and assessment process.

1999 Budget:

The total amount approved in the 1999 Community Services Grants Program (C.S.G.P.) budget is $10,516,323.00. An amount of $45,000.00 has been set aside for appeals.

On March 2, 3 and 4, 1999, City Council approved a report titled "Delegation of Grants Administration Authority" which established the authority to provide advance payments to agencies on the condition that specific criteria were met by the agencies. To date, 18 agencies have received advance payments totalling $614,066.60.

Application and Assessment Process:

Overall, 375 agencies requested $17,282,832.00 under the 1999 Community Services Grants Program. This includes 316 previously funded agencies and 59 new applicants. Twenty-eight agencies funded in 1998 did not reapply for funding in 1999.

The assessment/review process was streamlined this year to allow staff to complete the review process in a timely manner. Grants staff assessed applications against the new C.S.G.P. criteria, principally using information provided in the application forms. The program criteria address agency mandate and location, structure and governance, financial management and accountability, operations and staffing, program efficiency, and the agency's relationship with its community.

As part of the 1999 grants cycle, new applicants were initially assessed using their application forms to determine their eligibility under the C.S.G.P. New applicants deemed eligible through this first stage were interviewed in the full assessment/review process. New applicants assessed as ineligible from their written submission were informed of the determination, the reasons for it and told that they would not proceed to the next stage of the process. On May 10, 1999, the Municipal Grants Review Committee approved the report titled "Community Services Grants Program - Eligibility Assessment of New Applicants" with amendments, which summarized the results of the first stage of eligibility determination for new applicants under the 1999 C.S.G.P.

Interviews were conducted with the following applicants: organizations with previously identified funding conditions; organizations with identified performance issues; and new applicants initially assessed as eligible. Agency interviews allowed grants staff to more fully determine eligibility, assess the capacity to deliver the proposed programs/services, clarify issues and discuss expectations regarding governance, financial management, community linkages, program development and delivery.

New Applicants:

A total of 59 agencies which did not receive funding in 1998 applied for support in 1999.

Of these, nine are recommended for allocations in 1999. A further 43 applicants have not been recommended because they have been determined to be ineligible under the C.S.G.P. criteria, or because they were determined to be a lower priority based on the equity framework, specifically community equity (i.e., both geographic communities and communities of common bond). The remaining seven new applicants were transferred to other, more appropriate City grant programs. Of the new applicants recommended, six are ethno-specific organizations providing services that are unavailable or not accessible from existing service providers.

Allocation Recommendations:

Two of the 375 initial applicants merged their requests with other applicants during the review process, in effect reducing the total number of applicants to 373. Of the 373 applicants, 307 agencies have been recommended for a total of $10,471,323.00. Of the remaining 66 agencies, 22 were transferred to other grant programs, and 44 are not recommended for funding.

Given the limited dollars available, the general approach to recommendations in 1999 was to flatline previously funded organizations. Any available additional dollars were allocated using the equity framework, specifically community equity (i.e., both geographic communities and communities of common bond). Nine new and 21 returning organizations are recommended for the additional monies using the equity framework. The principles of equitable access to grants, agency effectiveness and efficiency, community needs and available resources were considered in the review of new applicants and in the conditions and/or comments applied to some previously funded applicants.

1999 Allocation SummaryNumber of Agencies

Recommended flat-line266

Recommended reduction 1

Requested reduction 10

Recommended new applicants 9

Recommended increases 21

Total307

Of the 307 recommended agencies, three Aboriginal and 97 ethno-specific/multi-ethnic agencies will receive $2,119,169.00, or 20.3 percent of the total 1999 C.S.G.P. recommended allocations as noted in Appendix "B". These figures do not include ethno-specific programs and services provided by non-ethno-specific agencies.

Emergency Support Fund:

The Emergency Support Fund (E.S.F.) was established by Metropolitan Council in 1996 to address the most pressing needs of the homeless and socially isolated population. In 1999, the funding for these services will be consolidated under a separate E.S.F. grants program. An E.S.F. allocations report will be submitted to the Community Services Committee in September 1999.

Issues Identified During the 1998 Allocations Process:

The administration of the renewed Community Services Grants program in 1999 has highlighted a number of grants related issues. These issues include: a review of funding policies with respect to service areas impacted by Provincial long term care reform, an assessment of the impact of the revised C.S.G.P. criteria, and the ongoing rationalization of City funding programs (specifically with respect to recreation related community service activities). A review of these issues, with recommended changes for the year 2000 grants cycle, will be submitted to the Community Services Committee in the fall of 1999.

Funding for Prevention of Violence Services and Supports:

Currently, one year project funding for prevention of violence initiatives is provided through the Breaking the Cycle of Violence grants program. The C.S.G.P. provides ongoing program funding for anti-violence initiatives and support for victims of violence. In 1999, some C.S.G.P. funded agencies with violence prevention services which are time-limited and preventive in nature have been referred to the Breaking the Cycle of Violence program for consideration. Prior to the year 2000 grants cycle, staff will review options for additional co-ordination and rationalization of funding for these initiatives within the Department's grants portfolio.

Conclusions:

The City of Toronto takes the view that a strong community-based sector includes a strong voluntary sector that provides meaningful opportunities for residents to participate in governance and civic life. Community Services Grants help communities build their own capacity by drawing upon their own talents/creativity, responsiveness and resources to identify needs and develop solutions. Grants are considered a key tool in advancing the City's vision and strategic goals of strengthening communities and improving the social prospects of its residents.

The renewed C.S.G.P. is based on the principles of equitable access to grants and a consistent approach to the funding of community services. This report recommends that a total of $10,471,323.00 be granted to 307 agencies under the 1999 C.S.G.P.

Contact Name:

Chris Brillinger

Tel: 392-8608/Fax: 392-8492

e-mail address: chris_brillinger@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca

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Appendix A

1999 Community Services Grants Program

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Appendix B

Aboriginal and Ethno-Specific/Multi-Ethnic Recommended Agencies

Aboriginal Agencies:

	Agency Name	1998 Approved Allocation	1999 Amount Requested	1999 Amount Recommended
1	Native Canadian Centre of Toronto	$59,857.00	$72,356.00	$67,968.00
2	Native Child and Family Services of Toronto	$36,000.00	$32,000.00	$24,000.00	T
3	Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto	$21,000.00	$36,000.00	$21,000.00
	Total Aboriginal Agencies:	$116,857.00	$140,356.00	$112,968.00
	Ethno-Specific/Multi-Ethnic Agencies:
	Agency Name	1998 Approved Allocation	1999 Amount Requested	1999 Amount Recommended
1	Abrigo Centre for Victims of Family Violence	$22,500.00	$28,500.00	$28,500.00	MA
2	Accessible Community Counselling and Employment Service	$9,700.00	$9,700.00	$9,700.00
3	Afghan Association of Ontario	$2,000.00	$10,000.00	$2,000.00
4	Afghan Women's Counselling and Integration and Community Support Organization	$16,000.00	$40,000.00	$16,000.00
5	African Training & Employment Centre (ATEC)	$19,000.00	$39,500.00	$19,000.00
6	The Arab Community Centre of Toronto	$17,303.00	$21,630.00	$17,303.00
7	Armenian Relief Society, Inc,- The "Roubina" Chapter	$19,000.00	$30,000.00	$19,000.00
8	Association of Pensioners and Injured Workers of Ontario (APIO)	$22,290.00	$29,000.00	$22,290.00
9	Association of Women of India in Canada (AWIC)	$9,000.00	$35,000.00	$9,000.00
10	Aware-Pilipino Family Services	$3,000.00	$10,000.00	$3,000.00
11	Bathurst Jewish Centre	$14,400.00	$30,000.00	$14,400.00
12	Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care	$255,474.00	$255,474.00	$218,269.00
13	Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living	$104,544.00	$104,544.00	$104,544.00
14	Bikur Cholim: Jewish Volunteer Services of Toronto	$14,000.00	$25,000.00	$14,000.00
15	Broad African Resource Centre	$6,000.00	$10,000.00	$6,000.00
16	Canadian Cambodian Association of Ontario	$27,000.00	$50,000.00	$27,000.00
17	Canadian Italian Family Assistance Association	$9,400.00	$9,400.00	$9,400.00
18	La Casa Dona Juana	$12,000.00	$9,500.00	$9,500.00
19	Centre for Information and Community Services of Ontario	$54,502.00	$61,500.00	$54,502.00
20	Centre For Spanish-Speaking Peoples	$31,552.00	$43,500.00	$31,552.00
21	Centre francophone du Toronto metropolitain /COFTM	$28,778.00	$28,778.00	$28,778.00
22	Les Centres d'Accueil Heritage, Centres Des Pionniers	$52,568.00	$52,000.00	$52,000.00
23	Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter	$2,500.00	$62,500.00	$30,000.00
24	Chinese Seniors Health and Recreation Association of Ontario	$15,000.00	$18,000.00	$15,000.00
25	Chinese Seniors Support Services Association	$29,495.00	$69,495.00	$29,495.00
26	Circle of Care	$84,218.00	$84,218.00	$84,218.00
27	Coalition of Visible Minority Women (Ontario) Inc.	$3,150.00	$20,000.00	$3,150.00
28	COSTI-IIAS Immigrant Services	$90,995.00	$100,000.00	$90,995.00
29	Council of Agencies Serving South Asians	-	$62,500.00	$30,000.00	N
30	Dejinta Beesha	$30,000.00	$30,000.00	$30,000.00
31	Elderly Vietnamese Association	$14,378.00	$14,378.00	$14,378.00
32	Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women	$7,000.00	$53,382.00	$10,000.00
33	Eritrean Canadian Community Centre of Metropolitan Toronto	$2,000.00	$25,000.00	$10,000.00
34	Ethiopian Association in Toronto	$20,886.00	$29,500.00	$26,886.00
35	Evergreen Senior Citizens' Association of Toronto	$2,625.00	$5,000.00	$2,625.00
36	Finnish Social Counselling Service of Toronto Inc.	$2,200.00	$10,000.00	$2,200.00
37	Greek Community of Metropolitan Toronto Inc.	$48,739.00	$48,739.00	$48,739.00
38	Le Groupe Jeunesse Francophone De Toronto	$1,100.00	$10,000.00	$1,100.00
39	Harriet Tubman Community Organization	$17,500.00	$25,000.00	$17,500.00
40	Hellenic Home for the Aged Inc.	$8,000.00	$25,000.00	$8,000.00
41	Heritage Skills Development Centre	$6,000.00	$60,000.00	$6,000.00
42	Hispanic Community Centre for the City of York	$25,000.00	$30,000.00	$25,000.00
43	Hispanic Development Council	-	$62,000.00	$30,000.00	N
44	Hong Fook Mental Health Association	$1,000.00	$50,000.00	$1,000.00
45	Hungarian-Canadian Community Services	$5,000.00	$8,000.00	$5,000.00
46	INTERCEDE for the Rights of Domestic Workers, Caregivers and Newcomers	$22,400.00	$26,000.00	$22,400.00
47	Iranian Women's Organization of Ontario	-	$10,000.00	$8,000.00	N
48	Jamaican Canadian Association	$25,500.00	$30,000.00	$25,500.00
49	Japanese Family Services of Toronto	$17,000.00	$25,000.00	$25,000.00
50	Jewish Information Service	$10,100.00	$10,000.00	$10,000.00
51	Kababayan Community Services Centre Inc.	$24,400.00	$25,000.00	$24,400.00
52	Korean Canadian Women's Association	$20,000.00	$20,000.00	$20,000.00
53	Korean Senior Citizens' Society of Toronto	$14,735.00	$15,000.00	$14,735.00
54	Lao Association of Ontario	$13,293.00	$26,586.00	$13,293.00
55	Latvian Senior Citizens' Association in Metro Toronto	$4,000.00	$5,000.00	$4,000.00
56	Midaynta (Association of Somali Service Agencies)	$15,000.00	$52,000.00	$15,000.00
57	Momiji Health Care Society	$12,800.00	$12,800.00	$12,800.00
58	National Congress of Italian Canadians	$4,100.00	$9,500.00	$4,100.00
59	National Council of Jewish Women of Canada	$23,000.00	$27,100.00	$23,000.00
60	Native African Inmates and Families Association	$1,500.00	$6,000.00	$5,000.00
61	New Experiences for Latin American Refugee Women	$23,000.00	$23,000.00	$23,000.00
62	Ogaden Somali Community Association of Ontario	$2,000.00	$50,000.00	$2,000.00
63	Oromo Canadian Community Association of Ontario	$26,000.00	$50,000.00	$26,000.00
64	Parkdale Intercultural Association	$1,200.00	$10,000.00	$5,000.00
65	Polish Immigrant and Community Services	$24,886.00	$25,000.00	$24,886.00
66	Portuguese Interagency Network	$9,000.00	$10,000.00	$9,000.00
67	Portuguese Social Service Centre of Toronto	$23,799.00	$30,000.00	$23,799.00
68	Portuguese Women 55+	$4,400.00	$4,500.00	$4,400.00
69	Le Regroupement des Jeunes Filles Francophones	$1,100.00	$15,000.00	$1,100.00
70	Riverdale Immigrant Women's Centre	$34,313.00	$50,000.00	$34,313.00
71	Senior Tamils Centre	$10,000.00	$18,000.00	$10,000.00
72	Silayan Filipino Community Centre	-	$20,340.00	$15,000.00	N
73	Slovenian Linden Foundation (Dom Lipa)	$7,000.00	$7,000.00	$7,000.00
74	Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke	$17,886.00	$29,466.00	$17,886.00
75	Somali Immigrant Aid Organization	$16,600.00	$30,000.00	$20,600.00
76	Somali Immigrant Women Association	$6,000.00	$10,000.00	$6,000.00
77	Somali Women and Children's Support Network	$4,000.00	$10,000.00	$4,000.00
78	Somali Youth Association of Toronto (SOYAT)	-	$10,000.00	$7,000.00	N
79	South Asian Family Support Services	$23,500.00	$40,000.00	$23,500.00
80	South Asian Women's Centre	$22,800.00	$50,000.00	$27,800.00
81	South East Asian Services Centre	$16,999.00	$22,821.00	$16,999.00
82	Tamil Eelam Society of Canada	$21,000.00	$35,000.00	$21,000.00
83	Tel-Aide, Jewish Distress Line	$1,000.00	$5,000.00	$1,000.00
84	Toronto Chinese Community Services Association	$22,660.00	$22,660.00	$22,660.00
85	Toronto Community Training & Social Services (Mothers Against Poverty)	$3,000.00	$10,000.00	$3,000.00
86	Toronto Finnish-Canadian Seniors' Centre Inc.	$14,791.00	$14,791.00	$14,791.00
87	Toronto Kurdish Community & Information Centre	$2,000.00	$10,000.00	$2,000.00
88	Toronto Mainland Chinese Community Centre	$3,000.00	$52,000.00	$3,000.00
89	Tropicana Community Services Organization	$25,400.00	$92,650.00	$25,400.00
90	Ukrainian Canadian Social Services (Toronto) Inc.	$33,021.00	$40,000.00	$33,021.00
91	Vietnamese Association of Toronto	$4,000.00	$7,500.00	$4,000.00
92	Vietnamese Greater Toronto Interlink Services	$2,400.00	$4,500.00	$2,400.00
93	Vietnamese Women's Association of Toronto	$3,000.00	$9,750.00	$8,000.00
94	Vietnamese Youth Centre of Toronto	-	$31,000.00	$8,000.00	N
95	Villa Colombo Homes for the Aged	$34,122.00	$185,000.00	$37,122.00	MA
96	West Indian Volunteer Community Support Services	$19,210.00	$50,000.00	$19,210.00
97	Working Women Community Centre	$29,800.00	$48,000.00	$29,800.00
	Total, Ethno-Specific and Multi-Ethnic Agencies:	$1,867,512.00	$3,268,702.00	$2,007,939.00
	Grand Total:	$1,984,369.00	$3,409,058.00	$2,120,907.00
	Directory:
	N=New ApplicantT=Transfer
	DNR=Did Not ReapplyMA=Merged Agency/Merged Application