Staff Report to Community Advisory Committee — 2024 Funding Requests

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Annually, the City provides an opportunity for organizations to apply to the City for funding. The Community Advisory Committee reviews applications, deliberates and provides recommendations to Council working within the allotted budget.

BACKGROUND

In February 2015, City of Langford Council adopted a Funding Request Policy. This policy (attached) outlines the criteria for consideration and specifies that requests be forwarded to the Administration and Finance Committee for recommendation to Council. Given that the Administration and Finance Committee has been replaced by the Community Advisory Committee, the funding requests are coming forward to the Community Advisory Committee for consideration.

The Committee last reviewed Grant in Aid applications in July of 2023. The consideration of these requests was delayed due to the municipal election. Typically, these requests are reviewed prior to approval of the financial plan each year to allow for any adjustments to the budget should the committee recommend an amount other than the amount included in the proposed financial plan.

COMMENTARY

A summary of the 2024 requests is attached, followed by copies of the funding request letters. The summary categorizes the requests according to whether they have received funding in the past or are new requests. All organizations that received funding last year were contacted this year as a reminder of the deadline and that they need to apply each year. Not all organizations that received funding in 2023 have applied for 2024.

In 2023, the City issued $70,000 through the Grant in Aid program.

The total value of the funding requests for 2024 is $115,350. Given that the budget allocated in the proposed 2024-2028 Financial Plan for this program is $80,000, the Committee will need to work within that budget or recommend that Council increase the 2024 budget prior to budget approval (or fund additional requests from Council Contingency). It is also important to note, at the Committee’s discretion, the Committee can recommend Council give a full, partial, or denial of any funding request.

As per the policy, preference will be provided to applications from organizations based in Langford or those that provide a service to Langford residents. Additionally, funding can not be used by the receiving organization to issue grants to another entity/individual.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The allocated budget in the proposed 2024-2028 Financial Plan for this program for 2024 is $80,000.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no legal implications associated with this report.

OPTIONS

Option 1

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend to Council that:

The following funding applications be approved or denied due to budgetary constraints, for the 2024 year:

a. (Organization title): $_____
b. (Organization title): $_____
c. (Organization title): $_____
d. Etc.

Option 2

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council not approve the 2024 Funding Requests.

SUBMITTED BY

Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance

Concurrence:

• Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development
• Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
• Matthew Baldwin, MCIP, RPP, Director of Planning and Subdivision
• Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
• Marie Watmough, Deputy Director of Corporate Services
• Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services
• Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

ATTACHMENTS

• 2024 Grant Requests Listing
• 2024 Grant Requests
• POL-0147-FIN – Funding Request Policy 20150216
• GIA Package