Grants Contingency Fund
The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee recommends the adoption of the recommendation in the
following transmittal letter (June 11, 1998) from the Municipal Grants Review Committee:
Recommendation:
The Municipal Grants Review Committee on June 11, 1998, recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities
Committee, and Council, the adoption of the attached report (June 8, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community
and Neighbourhood Services respecting the Grants Contingency Fund.
The Municipal Grants Review Committee reports, for the information of the Strategic Policies and Priorities
Committee, having further:
(i)directed that the Commissioner of Emergency and Protective Services, following consultation with the
Etobicoke Federation of Ratepayers' & Residents' Associations, be requested to report to the Municipal Grants
Review Committee for its meeting on July 27, 1998, on the most appropriate way to monitor and address the noise
problems in Etobicoke resulting from Lester B. Pearson International Airport, rather than providing a grant to
EFRRA for noise monitoring equipment; and
(ii)deferred consideration of the request for $10,000.00 for the "Queering the Nation Conference" pending receipt
of a further report from staff.
Ms. Sylvia Giovanella and Mr. Anthony Cole, Etobicoke Federation of Ratepayers' & Residents Associations,
appeared before the Committee and answered questions in connection with their grant request.
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(Report dated June 8, 1998, addressed to theMunicipal Grants Review Committee from theCommissioner of
Community and Neighbourhood Services) Purpose:
A proposed set of criteria to be used in the consideration of grant allocations requests from the grants contingency
are outlined in this report.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
A grant contingency amount of $200,000.00 has been included in the 1998 Corporate Grants Budget.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)the allocation criteria, as defined in this report, be applied to all ad hoc requests for grants; and
(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Council Reference/Background/History:
During the final deliberations on the 1998 Operating Budget, Council approved an addition of $200,000.00 to the
combined grants budget to respond to one time, ad hoc grant requests. This grants contingency provides the
Municipal Grants Review Committee with a source of funding should it choose to recommend allocations for
purposes outside of the established grants programs.
The Municipal Grants Review Committee (M.G.R.C.) approved a report, titled "Ad Hoc Requests for City Grants"
at its meeting on May 4, 1998, which recommended that all ad hoc requests be referred to staff for review and
comment before being considered by the Committee.
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
Criteria for the use of the Grants Contingency Funds:
It is recommended that the M.G.R.C. adopt the following criteria to assist staff and Committee members in
determining the most appropriate and effective uses of the grants contingency:
(1)One Time Requests:
Only those requests which are for one time activities or programs should be considered. An ongoing activity or
program may be considered for funding where there is a clear indication that another source of support will be
available for the initiative in 1999. Any funding provided from the grants contingency must be clearly identified as
one time and recipient organizations appropriately informed.
(2)City Mandate:
The first consideration of all requests for support is to determine whether or not the activity or program for which
the funding is requested fall within the mandate and priorities as set out by City Council. If the proposed activity
does not fall within the mandate of the City, the activity should not be considered for support.
(3)Outside the Mandate of Existing Grants Programs:
Funding requests for purposes that clearly fall within the mandate of an existing City funding program should not
be considered for funding from contingency. If activities eligible for funding under the established grants programs
were to be eligible, it may result in the grants contingency becoming a "back door" entry into existing grants
programs, making it difficult to ensure that all applicants are treated in a fair and consistent manner.
Since it is anticipated that additional requests from the grants contingency will be made throughout the year, the
M.G.R.C. may wish to reserve a portion of the contingency in order to respond to later ad hoc requests.
(4)Needs Arising from Transition:
Although every effort has been made to ensure a smooth transition with respect to City grant programs, there may
be grants needs that arise as a result of the amalgamation and reorganization of the programs. Consideration may be
given to previously funded organizations which, through no action of their own, have been inadvertently impacted
as a result of transition.
(5)Submission of Financial Information:
Each potential recipient of funding from the grants contingency will be required to submit financial information and
meet any conditions attached to specific funding recommendations before funds are released. Many requests for
City support are received in letter form with little or no information. An example of a generic application form is
attached to this report. The review and monitoring of all allocations funded from the Grants Contingency will be
undertaken by the Grants Managers Workgroup.
Appendix A provides a list of the allocations from the Contingency to date and the proposed and outstanding
requests.
Conclusions:
The above criteria are intended to assist Committee members and staff in making the best use of the limited funding
available in the grants continency. The criteria build on the approach adopted by the Committee in the report, titled
"Ad Hoc Requests for City Grants". The Municipal Grants Policy will need to address the issue of ad hoc or one
time grants and propose an appropriate process to respond to such requests. In the interim, it is recommended that
these requests be forwarded to the Secretary of the Municipal Grants Review Committee, who will refer the
requests to the most appropriate City Department. Where the request does not clearly fall within an existing
program area, it will be forwarded to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services.
Contact Name:
Chris Brillinger, Tel: 392-8608.
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Appendix A
Approved by Council:
First Nations Festival $ 2,000.00
Canada's Walk of Fame25,000.00
Portuguese Day Festival13,023.00
40,023.00
Outstanding Ad Hoc Requests:
EFRRA15,000.00
Queering the Nation10,000.00
Gay Games Bid Not Recommended
25,000.00
Requests arising from the Appeal Reports:
Recreation 3,500.00
Community Services10,000.00
13,500.00
761 Community Development Corp.22,500.00
Total:$101,023.00
