This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document.
Snapshot 1e01b8b12dc9 · verified 2026-06-09 ·
original document ·
archived snapshot ·
unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.
Report COR2024-22
Page 1 of 6
Date: Wednesday, July 10, 2024
From: Samantha Buchanan, Treasurer
Subject: Updated Township Donation Policy
Report COR2024-22
This document and its attachments are public and available in an
accessible format upon request.
Recommendation
Whereas, Council passed resolution COW2022-018 on March 16, 2022, being Policy
FIN-01-2022 titled Township Donation Policy; and
Whereas, that Policy was scheduled for review in March 2024; and
Whereas, during the 2023 and 2024 donation period Council and staff have identified
the need for changes to the policy;
Now therefore, be it resolved that Council directs staff to update the Township donation
policy to include:
a) Modified eligibility criteria as detailed herein, and
b) Move the application period to end November 30th of the year proceeding fund
distribution, and
c) Establish a three (3) voting member subcommittee, consisting of one (1) member
of Council and two (2) members of the public; and
That staff be directed to present an updated Donation Policy and approving By-law for
Council's consideration at an upcoming Council meeting.
Background
At the March 9, 2022 Committee of the Whole meeting the Committee received report
FIN2022-02 titled Township Donation Policy, which included Policy FIN-01-2022. The
policy was to be implemented for the 2023 and 2024 budget cycles and be reviewed by
Council in March 2024.
Report COR2024-22
Page 2 of 6
Analysis
Following the 2023 and 2024 budget cycles staff are recommending amendments to the
current policy, as outlined below. As further described below, Council may also elect to
repeal the policy, discontinuing the Council donation process.
Applicant Eligibility
The current policy outlines three criteria, each group/organization must meet at least
one (1) of these criteria. This criterion includes:
A not-for-profit organization that meets the criteria established in Chapter 2
"Eligibility Requirements" of the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual issued by the
Province of Ontario.
Any group or organization that would increase the general public's awareness of
our community in a positive manner.
Any group or organization that provides a recreational or cultural service that the
Township currently does not provide.
Staff recommend modifying the criteria to be:
A not-for-profit organization that meets the criteria established in Chapter 2
"Eligibility Requirements" of the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual issued by the
Province of Ontario.
Any group or organization that provides a recreational or cultural service that the
Township currently does not provide.
For all groups or organizations that apply they will be required to explain how their
group or organization provides a recreational or cultural service that the Township
currently does not provide.
Application Period
With the current application period there are many instances where applicants could be
waiting several months to receive the funds that Council may award, as no funds are
paid until after the annual budget has been passed.
The current policy requires that all applications be submitted by September 30th of the
year proceeding the year of disbursement (meaning applications received in September
of 2024 are not paid until after the 2025 budget is passed, the 2024 budget was passed
in March 2024). Staff recommend pushing back the application period to have all
applications submitted by November 30th of the year proceeding the year of
Report COR2024-22
Page 3 of 6
disbursements, this would move the advertising period to begin in September opposed
to July.
Pushing back the application period will allow the sub-committee (as discussed below)
time to review the applications in January and make their recommendation to Council in
February, with funds being disbursed after the annual budget has been approved.
Also, by moving the application review period to January this allows Council the
opportunity to receive, review and potentially adjust the annual budgeted amount for
Council Grants/Donations before discussing and awarding any donations.
Application Review Subcommittee
Currently all applications are being reviewed by all of Council. Staff recommend
introducing a Donation subcommittee comprised of either:
1) Three (3) voting members of Council, or
2) Three (3) voting members, one (1) member of Council and two (2) members of
the public, or
3) Five (5) voting members, three (3) members of Council and two (2) members of
the public.
For the purposes of this report, staff recommend option 2: (3) voting members, one (1)
member of Council and two (2) members of the public, as reflected in the
recommendations contained herein.
This subcommittee would be responsible to make recommendations to Council on
which groups or organizations to award donations to, as well as, the monetary value of
funds to award. They will also be responsible for performing a biennial review of the
policy and making recommendations to Council on any policy changes going forward
which would assist in the efficiency and effectiveness of the policy.
The subcommittee would only be in place for the annual application review period of the
policy, at any time during the year groups/organizations could request for Council to
waive their donation policy to allow for consideration of donations throughout the year.
Staff encourage and recommend that all donations go through the annual application
process and that those groups/organizations who follow the policy are given priority.
To assist the subcommittee in their application review, the Treasurer, or in the absence
of the Treasurer the Director of Corporate Services/Deputy CAO, will act as a liaison
between the sub-committee and the groups/organizations and be responsible for
compiling all applications for the subcommittees review, and coordinating with the
Clerks department for any delegations of applicants.
Report COR2024-22
Page 4 of 6
Appointments to the subcommittee would be made with all Township appointments
following an election with review and potential for changes at the two (2) year mark of
each Council term. As a sub-committee of Council this group would still be subject to
following Council's procedural by-law and requirements as laid out in the Municipal Act,
2001.
Following receipt of Council's direction, staff will prepare and present a Terms of
Reference for the sub-committee, in conjunction with the amended Donations Policy.
Discontinue Policy
During staff's review of other municipality's policy, it was identified that there are many
municipalities whose policy is that they will not provide any monetary donations to
volunteer community groups and organizations on behalf of residents. These
municipalities sited the reasons being that their Council felt that due to the consistent
budget pressures put on a municipality to provide its core services and maintain its
capital infrastructure, the distribution of monetary donations was not an appropriate use
of Township financial resources.
If deemed the most appropriate option, Council may repeal policy FIN-01-2022,
Township Donation Policy, discontinuing council donations.
Financial Impact
The proposed modifications to the applicant eligibility and application period would have
no financial impact.
If approved, the introduction of either a three (3) or five (5) member subcommittee
would result in additional expenditures of approximately $500 to $750 annually,
assuming one meeting per year.
The 2024 budget included $20,000 for Council Donations, approximately $9,000 of this
is associated with a long-standing agreement for a facility rental which is outside of the
Council Donation Policy. The elimination of the Council Donation Policy would result in
the alleviation of a $11,000 budgeted expenditure which would be reallocated as an
offset to the annual tax levy.
Strategic Priorities
4. Increase Available Community, Recreational and Social Opportunities
Conclusion
Council of the Township of Georgian Bluffs is committed to working with community
organizations to provide programs, services, and events in the community by providing
Report COR2024-22
Page 5 of 6
monetary and in-kind donations. A formal application process was established in March
2022 and following the 2023 and 2024 budget cycles staff have proposed some
changes to the current policy.
Respectfully Submitted: Samantha Buchanan, Treasurer
Report COR2024-22
Page 6 of 6
Report Approval Details
Document Title:
Updated Township Donation Policy.docx
Attachments:
- FIN-01-2022 Township Donation Policy - 2024
Updated.docx
Final Approval Date:
May 27, 2024
This report and all of its attachments were approved and signed as outlined below:
No Signature found
Brittany Drury, Deputy CAO/Director of Corporate Services
Niall Lobley, Chief Administrative Officer
FIN-01-2022
Page 1 of 7
Township Donation Policy
Implemented: March 9, 2022
Revised:
June 19, 2024
Review Date: March 20242026
Policy Statement
The Township of Georgian Bluffs recognizes the valued contributions being provided
through efforts of volunteer community groups and organizations on behalf of the
residents. Municipal donation funding demonstrates Council's commitment to working
with groups and organizations which provide these beneficial programs, services and
events to the community while recognizing the financial constraints impacting the
Township's ability to provide funding to these groups and organizations. The Township
policy on municipal donations is to establish and maintain an orderly procedure for
organizations and groups making application for donation money from the Township.
Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this policy is:
To establish awareness of available funding for important community events and
services,
To establish funding criteria and application procedures for requests for financial
assistance from groups and organizations in the Township of Georgian Bluffs,
To provide Council and staff with clear direction in considering and responding to
requests for donations,
To provide an accessible, transparent, organized, and equitable process for
groups and organizations seeking donations from Council,
To establish an annual process for all donation requests,
To provide a process which allows Council to conduct a meaningful comparison of
requests for donations,
To provide a process which allows Council to maintain a more equitable distribution
of limited available resources for Council donations,
To enhance Council and the publics appreciation and understanding of community
groups operating within Georgian Bluffs.
Policy FIN-01-2022
FIN-01-2022
Page 2 of 7
All requests for donations must be made through the application process as outlined in
this policy.
Types of Donations
Monetary donations: donations of a monetary value
'In-Kind' donations: contributions of municipal property/facilities, materials, or resources
other than cash
Policy Requirements
Application
Council recognizes that many groups and organizations conduct events and provide
programs or services which benefit the community as a whole. Council will consider
requests for donations from groups or organizations that meet at least one (1) of the
following criteria:
A not-for-profit organization that meets the criteria established in Chapter 2
"Eligibility Requirements" of the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual issued by the
Province of Ontario,
Any group or organization that would increase the general public's awareness of
our community in a positive manner,
Any group or organization that provides a recreational or cultural service that the
Township currently does not provide.
Contributions will not be made for the following purposes:
Discriminatory activities or events or those that would incite hatred,
Activities that are contrary to the policies of the municipality, or
Activities which are deemed to be unlawful.
While Council will consider requests for contribution, there is no guarantee that a request
will be approved.
Announcement/Notification
During the month of July September, the Township staff will advertise in the local
newspaper(s), Township's website, social media page and electronic signs each year for
donation applications for the upcoming fiscal year. To be considered for the donation
policy all applications must be completed and submitted by the deadline, being
September November 30th of each year. Applications will be available on the Township
website with hard copies also available at the Township administration office.
Through the Corporate Service's department, all applicants will be notified regarding
Council's decision about their application in writing. All applicants' names and any
FIN-01-2022
Page 3 of 7
amounts donated shall be made available in a report to Council, and also available on the
Township website.
Through the Corporate Service's department, all applicants shall be granted the
opportunity to schedule a delegation for Council and/or the Donation Subcommittee
where they will be able to outline the event details prior to any donation funds are
awarded.
If donation funding is received for a special event, the Township asks for the successful
recipient to report back to Council, through written correspondence submitted to the Clerk,
outlining the success of the event, including information on how the funds were spent and
the number of participants who attended. This written correspondence received from the
applicant after the event will be published in a Township agenda package.
Donation Subcommittee (Subcommittee)
All donation applications received during the approved application process, as detailed
within this Policy, will be presented to a Donation Subcommittee. All efforts will be made
to have the meeting occurring in January of each year with recommendation to Council
being made in February of each year. The subcommittee will be comprised of three (3)
voting members, being one (1) member of Council and two (2) members of the public.
The subcommittee will be responsible for making a recommendation to Council on which
groups or organizations to award donations to, as well as, on the monetary value of funds
to award. The subcommittee will also be responsible for performing a biennial review of
the policy and making, any required, recommendations to Council on any policy changes.
Criteria
Preference will be given to applicants that are non-profit community groups and
organizations,
The non-profit organization or group on the application must be located in the
Township or serve Township residents, or their event or program must be hosted
in the township limits,
Applicants must demonstrate a reasonable effort to raise funds from sources other
than the Township,
Applicants must agree to acknowledge the Township's contribution in all publicity
and promotion relating to the event or activity to which the donation applies.
Application Process
The application period will open on July 1st the first Tuesday of September of each
year for donations to be provided for the subsequent year,
All requests for donations must be submitted to the Treasurer by the set deadline
of September November 30th of each year, to allow appropriate time for any
FIN-01-2022
Page 4 of 7
requested delegations and consideration by Council and/or the subcommittee
during budget deliberations,
For clarification if an application is received prior to September November 30,
2022, the donation, if approved, will be made in the 2023 fiscal year,
Late or incomplete applications for donations will not be eligible for Council and/or
the subcommittee's consideration,
All decisions of Council are final, there will be no appeals,
All requested for donations shall be made by submitting a completed "Donation
Request Application", attached as Appendix A,
The Treasurer will prepare a report to Council the subcommittee summarizing the
applications received and the subcommittee will provide a recommendation to
Council on donations to be approved. Should donation requests exceed the
amount included in the annual budget, Council the subcommittee will determine
the successful recipients based on a number of factors including, but not limited
to:
o The type of organization requesting funds (Non-profit vs for profit),
o Past donations received from the Township,
o The number of Georgian Bluffs residents who benefit from the donation
being made,
o If there are similar events offered to Georgian Bluffs residents in the area,
Only one application request per group/organization per year will be considered,
Council shall allocate an annual amount for donation purposes yearly within the
township budget. The amount of funds shall be distributed based upon the
evaluation of the requests received by the deadlines,
No donation will be granted unless specifically authorized by Council in the form
of a resolution for support or as otherwise authorized by this policy,
In making donations the Township reserves the right to impose any conditions and
restrictions that it deems fit,
All submissions reviewed by Council will be contacted, in writing, through the
Corporate Service department outlining the results of the review and will include
any other necessary information.
Funding
Within the awarded fiscal year, the successful group/organization must spend any funding
on the sole purposes for which it was awarded. The Township does not wish for their
funding to be the sole source of funding for any event, program, or service. Therefore, all
donations will have a maximum awarded value of $ 2,500.00 per application. This is to
assist Council in maintaining an equal and fair distribution of donations.
At their discretion, Council reserves the authority to:
Award partial amount of donations funds that has been requested by the applicant,
Award donations over and above the $ 2,500.00 maximum,
Award donations with certain terms and conditions, the letter of award will state, if
any, particular restrictions apply to the donation.
FIN-01-2022
Page 5 of 7
Donations made by the Township shall not be regarded as a commitment for continued
financial support in the future.
Any unused funds must be reported to the Township with an explanation as to why it went
unused. Council will determine if the unused funds must be returned to the Township. In
the event the event/program is cancelled, the Township must be notified immediately.
Council will determine if the funds must be returned to the Township.
The Township reserves the right to request any and all information that the Township
deems necessary in order to determine compliance with the requirements of this policy.
Monitoring and Review
The Corporate Services Department is responsible for the administration and
maintenance of this policy, including a detailed review every 2 years.
Appendix A - Donation Request Application
FIN-01-2022
Page 6 of 7
APPENDIX A
DONATION REQUEST APPLICATION
Group/Organization Applying: _____________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
Contact Person(s): _____________________________________________________
Position(s):____________________________________________________________
Telephone or Email: ____________________________________________________
What type of donation is being requested?
Monetary Donation
"In-Kind" Donation
Donation value being requested: __________________________________________
How Will Funds Be Used? _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Is Your Group Based in the Township of Georgian Bluffs?
Yes
No
If no, how does your group support the residents of the Township of Georgian Bluffs?
What recreational and/or cultural services does your group/organization provide that the
Township does not currently provide to residents?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Is Your Group Not-For-Profit organization?
Yes
No
How Many Years Has Your Group/Organization Been in Operation? ______________
What other sources of funding are used by your organization to provide its services?
_____________________________________________________________________
FIN-01-2022
Page 7 of 7
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
If successful, describe how the Township of Georgian Bluffs will be given recognition for
this donation: __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Any additional information which you consider necessary for Council to make an informed
decision? _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Does your group/organization wish to schedule a delegation of Council before awarding
of any donations?
Yes
No
Applicant Name (Print): _________________________________________________
Applicant Signature: ____________________________________________________
Date of Application: ____________________________________________________
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY:
Date application received by Township: _____________________________________
Does this application meet all criteria as outline in Donation Policy?
Yes
No
Has the organization been contacted to schedule a delegation (if they wish to do so)?
Yes
No
N/A
If yes, planned date of delegation: _________________________________________
If successful, has the Township received written letter after the event:
Yes
No