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Municipality of Grand Lake (MOGL)
Donation and Swag Policy
Policy No. MOGL - 09
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide clear, transparent, and consistent guidance to
Council, staff, community organizations, and residents regarding requests for donations,
grants, SWAG (promotional items), and in-kind support from the Municipality of Grand
Lake (MOGL). This policy ensures accountability, fairness, alignment with municipal
priorities, and compliance with budgetary and legislative requirements.
2. Scope
Council recognizes the valuable role that community organizations, volunteers, and
charitable initiatives play in enhancing quality of life within the Municipality of Grand Lake.
While MOGL endeavours to support community initiatives wherever feasible, all requests
are subject to available funding, established procedures and Council approval.
3. Definitions
For the purposes of this policy:
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Community Organization: A recognized non-profit, not-for-profit organization, or
registered charity that serves residents of the Municipality of Grand Lake.
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Community Group: A non-profit group of individuals with a specific mandate
focused on community, recreation, culture, or education.
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Discretionary Fund: A portion of the annual municipal budget allocated to
individual Councillors to support eligible community organizations or initiatives
through either a monetary donation or the provision of SWAG, in accordance with
the Municipality of Grand Lake's Donation and SWAG Policy.
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Donation: A voluntary, non-reciprocal contribution of municipal funds, SWAG, or
in-kind support provided by the Municipality of Grand Lake to an eligible non-profit,
not-for-profit organization, registered charity, or community group for a defined
community benefit, where no goods, services, advertising, or other consideration
are received by the Municipality in return.
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Management: A member of municipal staff with administrative authority,
including the Clerk, Treasurer, Superintendent, or Recreation Manager.
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Municipal Infrastructure: Any municipal-owned facility, building, park, or
equipment.
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Staff: Staff refers to administrative staff employed by the Municipality of Grand
Lake who have responsibilities for policy administration, financial processing,
program support, or operational oversight.
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SWAG: Promotional or goodwill items (e.g., branded merchandise or small-value
support) provided by the Municipality.
Note: Words written in the singular include the plural and vice versa.
4. General Principles
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MOGL will normally provide financial or in-kind support only to non-profit, not-for-
profit organizations, and registered charities.
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All organizations requesting funding or support must provide proof of their
organizational status prior to the request being considered.
-
For-profit businesses will not normally receive monetary donations; however,
exceptions may be made at the discretion of Council.
-
All requests must align with MOGL's ethics, values, and strategic priorities and
approved budget.
5. Budget Allocation
- Donations, grants, and SWAG funding shall be assessed annually through the
municipal budget process.
- Beginning with the 2026 budget year, Council has established a guideline of $1,000
per Councillor as the total donation allocation for the Municipality of Grand Lake.
- All funding decisions remain subject to Council approval and overall fiscal
capacity.
6. Donation and Grant Application Process
6.1
Public Access & Submission Requirements
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MOGL shall maintain a "Donations" page on its website outlining eligibility,
requirements, timelines, and procedures.
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Requests for monetary donations or grants must be submitted using the approved
application form, which may be provided online to streamline intake.
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All applications must clearly indicate:
➢ Amount requested
➢ Purpose of the request
➢ Intended payment date (if approved)
6.2
Submission Deadline
- All requests must be received by October 15 for consideration in the following
calendar year (beginning January 1).
7. Intake, Review, & Approval Process
To ensure clarity and accountability, the following process applies:
Step 1 - Intake (Clerk)
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All requests are submitted to the Clerk's Office.
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The Clerk will:
➢ Confirm completeness of the application
➢ Log requests into a donation tracking register (date received, applicant,
amount requested, category, recommended payment date)
➢ Save all documentation to SharePoint
➢ Liase with applicable management personnel regarding applications
pertaining to their area of expertise
Note: A recommendation will only be recorded in the tracking register, subject to budget
approval.
Step 2 - Financial Review and Prioritization (Finance)
-
On or around October 15, Finance will review all recommended requests
collectively to:
➢ Confirm affordability within the proposed budget
➢ Prepare a prioritized summary for Council's budget deliberations
Step 3 - Budget Approval (Council)
-
At the first regular Council meeting in November, Council will:
➢ Approve the total donation envelope
➢ Approve, amend, or deny recommended requests
Note: Where funding overlaps with recreation or programming, approved funds will flow
through the Recreation Manager's budget and authority.
8. Funding Thresholds & Documentation
-
Requests of $1500 or less:
➢ Application required
-
Requests of $1,500 or more must also include:
➢ Most recent financial statements
➢ Detailed explanation of the request
➢ Description of how funds will be used
Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.
9. Eligibility Criteria
Requests will be evaluated based on:
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Service to residents of the Municipality of Grand Lake
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Demonstrated community benefit
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Alignment with municipal priorities
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Avoidance of duplication with existing municipal programs
10. Councillor Discretionary Budgets
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Councillors may provide funding or SWAG through their discretionary budgets,
provided requests align with this policy.
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Councillors must confirm budget availability with the Treasurer prior to committing
funds.
11. Swag Policy
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Council shall annually approve a SWAG budget.
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Staff, with approval from the Clerk, may authorize SWAG donations up to a value of
$75 per request. Once the cumulative value of staff-approved SWAG donations
reaches $1,500 within the approved budget year, any further SWAG donations must
be submitted to Council for approval.
-
Any SWAG requests exceeding $75 requires Council approval.
12. Use of Municipal Infrastructure (Donated or No Cost)
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Donation or no-cost use of municipal infrastructure will be approved only for:
➢ Non-profit, not-for-profit organizations, registered charities, or individuals;
➢ Initiatives that provide free programs or services to residents of Grand Lake.
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All other users shall be charged the prevailing rental rate and required security
deposit.
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Staff must ensure:
➢ Organizational status is verified;
➢ Applicable fees and deposits are collected prior to authorizing facility use
13. Fundraising and Special Circumstances
MOGL recognizes that various groups and individuals may fundraise in support of
municipal initiatives or residents in need. Where clarification is required regarding
eligibility or appropriateness, Council shall make the final determination.
14. Administration and Authority
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This policy shall be administered by the Clerk's Office.
-
Council retains final authority over all donations, grants, SWAG allocations, and
exceptions under this policy.
NOTE: This is a CONTROLLED document. Any reference should ALWAYS be compared/checked against the electronic version on the website.
Policy Number:
MOGL-09
Draft Date:
Owner:
Andrea Mazerolle, Clerk
Editor/Reviewer:
Holly Vienneau, HRO
Approved by:
Council
Date of Approval:
Revised by:
Date Revised/Approved by Council