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CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
Administrative Policy # 2020-03
Community Grants Policy
Enabling Legislation:
Under the authority of the Municipal Government Act;
Authorized municipal expenditures
65A (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), the municipality may only spend money for
municipal purposes if
(a) the expenditure is included in the municipality's operating budget or capital
budget or is otherwise authorized by the municipality;
(b) the expenditure is in respect of an emergency under the Emergency
Management Act; or
(c) the expenditure is legally required to be paid.
(2) The municipality may expend money provided for in an operating budget or capital
budget for a purpose other than that set out in the operating budget or capital budget for
that fiscal year if the expenditure does not affect the total of the amounts estimated for
the operating budget and the capital budget.
(3) The municipality may authorize expenditures from its operating budget or transfer
money from the operating budget to its capital budget if the total amount of such
expenditures and transfers for the fiscal year does not exceed the total amount of
estimated revenue from all sources in excess of the amount estimated for those sources
in the operating budget for that fiscal year.
(4) The municipality may authorize capital expenditures that are not provided for in its
capital budget if the total of such expenditures does not exceed the greater of
(a) the amount authorized to be transferred from the operating budget to the
capital budget under subsection (3);
(b) the borrowing limits established for the municipality under Section 86; or
(c) the amount withdrawn from a capital reserve fund under subsection 99(4).
CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
(5) In the event of ambiguity in whether or not the municipality has the authority under
this or any other Act to spend money or to take any other action, the ambiguity may be
resolved so as to include, rather than exclude, powers the municipality had on the day
before this Section came into force. 2019, c. 19, s. 5.
Grant disclosure policies
65C (1) The council shall adopt a policy that requires the municipality to disclose to the
public a list of recipients of grants made by the municipality and the amounts of those
grants.
(2) A policy adopted under subsection (1) must include the
(a) frequency and timing of disclosure;
(b) content to be included in a disclosure; and
(c) form in which the disclosure must be made.
(3) A policy adopted under subsection (1) may include any other matter that the council
considers necessary or advisable to carry out effectively the intent and purpose of the
policy. 2019, c. 19, s. 5.
Policy Statement:
1.
Subject to Council approval the Town of Digby allocates 1% of total revenue to
Community Grants in its annual operating budget.
2.
The Community Grants Policy guides the allocation of financial and in-kind contributions
to non-profit or charitable organizations that are based in the [Municipality] and are
considered by Council to enhance the lives of residents. The purpose of this policy is to
establish equitable guidelines for the distribution of limited amounts of funds to non-
profit and charitable organizations in the community in a manner approved by Council.
3.
This policy does not govern the following, which are separately administered:
a. Tax Exemption for Non-Profit Organizations (full and partial tax exemption by-
laws); and
b. Residential Property Tax Rebates (low-income homeowners).
Policy Objectives:
4.
The objectives of this policy are:
a. To outline the requirements to apply and be considered for a Community Grant from
the Town of Digby
CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
b. To ensure that groups applying for Community Grants are evaluated on a consistent,
equitable basis, utilizing the same evaluation criteria; and
c. To provide for public disclosure of a list of grant recipients and the amounts of those
grants.
Allocation of Funds:
5. Council is not obligated to:
a. Provide funding in the form of Community Grants;
b. Spend all the funds allocated for grants in any given year;
c. Award the full amount requested in an application; or
d. Renew any grant.
Funding Eligibility:
6. The following organizations are eligible to apply for a grant:
a. An agency within the meaning of the Children and Family Services Act;
b. A mental health clinic in receipt of financial assistance from the Province;
c. An exhibition held by an educational institution in the Town of Digby;
d. A club, association or exhibition within the meaning of the Agriculture and Marketing
Act;
e. Any charitable, nursing, medical, athletic, educational, environmental, cultural,
community, fraternal, recreational, religious, sporting or social organization within
the Province;
f. A day care licensed under the Day Care Act;
g. A registered Canadian charitable organization;
CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
Application Process:
7. An applicant must submit the following information as application for grant funds:
a. A complete Community Grant Application in the form prescribed by the Town of Digby
and including a proposed budget for the project or event; and
b. A copy of the applicant's most recent financial statements.
8. The Town of Digby may request additional information.
9. The deadline for applications for grants for a fiscal year is January 31st of the preceding
fiscal year.
10. An applicant may be required to make a presentation to Council regarding its application to
assist Council with its review.
Approval Process:
11. The follow outlines the approval process for all grant applications:
a. Staff will review the applications to ensure the proper information has been provided.
Applicants who have not provided proper information will be identified in the
information provided for the Committee of the Whole meeting;
b. Applications are reviewed by the Committee of the Whole for eligibility, evaluation
and recommendation to Council.
12. Council will decide on the recipients, amounts and any conditions of grants during its annual
budget deliberations.
13. Following annual Council budget deliberations, successful applicants will be notified in writing
of their grant amount and any additional conditions that must be met by the applicant
in
order to receive the full amount of funding offered.
Conditions:
14. Grant recipients shall:
a. Make no misrepresentation on their application;
CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
b. Use the grant as described in the application;
c. Use the funds in the year granted unless otherwise approved by the Town of Digby;
and
d. Be in good standing with the Town of Digby (i.e., not owe taxes, rates or other fees).
e. Grant recipients shall keep proper books of accounts and all receipts and expenditures
related to the project and will make them available for inspection by the Town of
Digby upon request.
15. Grant recipients shall submit a final report prior to March 31st of the year following the year
of receipt of the grant. The report shall include:
a. A copy of receipts for funding used;
b. An outline of the impact of the grant upon the organization and community; and
c. The proposed project budget submitted with the original application with updates for
actual revenue and expenditures.
17. Grant recipients are required to acknowledge the financial support of the Town of Digby in
all advertising, publicity, programs and signage for which funds are granted.
18. Grant recipients who fail to comply with the requirements of this policy may be required to
return some or all of the grant funds to the Town of Digby and may be deemed ineligible for
Community Grant funding in future years.
Reporting:
19. The Town of Digby will provide financial information with respect to the budgeted amounts
disbursed and actual amounts disbursed on an annual basis in conjunction with the annual
budget and the preparation of financial statements.
20. By no later than July 31st of each year, the Town of Digby will post a summary of grant awards
on the Town of Digby's website in accordance with s. 65C(1) of the Municipal Government
Act. The summary will include the name of each grant recipient, the amount of the grant,
and a brief description of the project or event for which the grant was provided.
Repeal:
21. This policy replaces and repeals Grants and Contributions to Organizations Program Policy #
2013-02
CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
Clerk's Annotation for Official Policy Book
Date of Notice:
December 21, 2020
Date of adoption:
January 4, 2021
Policy effective date: January 4, 2021
I certify that this Community Grants Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above.
January 5, 2021
Clerk
Date
CLASSIFICATION: Legislative - Council
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Administrative Policy # 2020-03 Community Grants Policy
Schedule "A"
REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT Date: ________________________
1.
ORGANIZATION INFORMATION:
Name of Organization:
______________________________________________
Full Mailing Address:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Contact Person:
______________________________________________
Email Address:
______________________________________________
Telephone:
______________________________________________
2.
AMOUNT OF FUNDING ASSISTANCE BEING REQUESTED $ ____________________
3.
What is the purpose for the funding requested? (Sport and Physical Activity, Festivals
and events, Organizational Equipment, Community Well-Being etc.)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4.
Please attach a budget for the tournament, event or activity; include sources of
revenue and ALL costs. Please attach all documents that support the funding request.
5.
What are the expected benefits to the community? (event participation numbers;
local, regional, provincial or national attraction; time span; community assets being used;
support from business community)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6.
Please list all funding sources and/or other community partners for this event:
NAME
FUNDING IF ANY
7.
How many volunteers contribute to this event or festival: _____________________
Town of Digby PO Box 579 Digby NS B0V 1A0. Phone: 902-245-4769 Fax: 902-245-2121 Email:
[email protected]