If you’re a non-profit in Collingwood, get ready to line up because the town is considering a new, formalized policy to hand out community grants each year.
During council’s committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 21, councillors got a first look at the new policy, whereby all non-profit requests for funding from the municipality must go through a specific process.
Under the new policy, all non-profits must apply between Dec. 1 and Feb. 9 each year, and each request will be graded on a points-based system out of a possible 30 points on factors such as merit, applicant profile and financial planning. Councillors will be scoring the applications, and will make final decisions on which non-profits get funding, and how much.
In 2024, councillors have set aside $114,000 in the budget for community grants. If the new process is approved by council, for this year only, the intake would run from March 1 to April 15.
During discussion, some councillors questioned the idea of one intake annually, suggesting perhaps there should be a second intake.
“We wanted to limit it to one intake period so council has the ability to weigh all the different requests at the same time,” explained the town's treasurer, Monica Quinlan.
Coun. Deb Doherty agreed.
“I’m not trying to be trite, but if an organization can’t get their act together when they know they have something coming up, then shame on them,” said Doherty.
Quinlan clarified that councillors would be given a 30- to 45-day timeline to make their decisions on the applications.
Currently, as part of the annual budget process, council designates funds to assist non-profit organizations, and deals with such requests on a case-by-case basis through public requests and deputations made at any point throughout the year.
Under the new policy, non-profits must be in existence for at least a year before applying, and applications must come with the past year’s financial statements and governing documents for the organization applying.
Double dipping will not be permitted through the policy, as organizations that receive funding through the town’s community recreation and culture grant program will not be eligible to apply.
“The policy allows council to consider requests together within a framework and to award grants and in-kind support in a fair and transparent manner,” noted Quinlan in her report to councillors.
Coun. Rob Ring asked if there should be a ceiling on grant requests. Quinlan said staff weren’t recommending a ceiling to give council flexibility.
“You will get a varying amount of requests. We decided not to go with a maximum because we thought we’d ride this out for the first year and see how the policy works,” she said.
“I think this system should be a very fair way of allocating,” said Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer.
While the original recommendation from staff was to have the intake be from Feb. 1 to March 31 annually, Coun. Christopher Baines moved a motion to have the intake for subsequent years be from Dec. 1 to Feb. 9 annually, which was passed unanimously by councillors.
“I think it focuses all the community groups that would be applying to understand they are applying for the next fiscal year,” he said.
As part of a separate discussion on Feb. 21 concerning the annual Mayor’s Golf Challenge, a new process was outlined for that event whereby all proceeds from the tournament would now be added to the community grants pot to also be distributed through the new grants process.
Previously, the sitting mayor would decide which local causes would get the proceeds from the tournament annually. The tournament hasn’t run for the past four years due to COVID-19, however for many years previous to that, the funds have gone to Special Olympics.
The new process for the tournament proceeds didn’t sit well with some councillors.
“This is a demographic we do not look after anywhere else. The legacy they have left in our community in Special Olympics and para-sport is something we need to protect,” said Coun. Kathy Jeffery. “I think a lot of people who support the tournament really support the Special Olympics organization.”
Jeffery put forward an amendment to split the tournament proceeds with 70 per cent going to Special Olympics and 30 per cent going toward the community grants fund.
Mayor Yvonne Hamlin disagreed, noting the Special Olympics could apply for funding through the grants policy the same way every other non-profit organization would.
“I think it behooves us to put everyone on an even playing field,” said Hamlin. “I don’t know why, if we’re setting up a fair and transparent approach, that we wouldn’t include them in that.”
“There are lots of charities in town that people support that are worthwhile. I would like to see everything dealt with at one time,” she added.
Councillors approved the new 70/30 split for tournament proceeds by a 7-2 vote, with Hamlin and Baines opposed. The new process for the tournament proceeds would be in effect for this year, and would be reviewed annually.
At the end of discussion, councillors voted unanimously in favour of the new grants policy. All decisions made during committee of the whole must be ratified at the next regular meeting of council before going into effect.
To read the newly proposed policy, click here.
