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wnship of Norwich Crest
THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF NORWICH
DEPARTMENT: Treasury Department POLICY NO: TR 2010-02
SUBJECT: Community Grants Program Policy
APPROVED BY COUNCIL: RES NO. DATE:
PURPOSE: Volunteer organizations provide many services to the residents and taxpayers of the
Township of Norwich. This policy is to establish criteria to allow the municipality to financially assist
those volunteer groups that provide programs, services and events for the betterment of the community
that would otherwise not be provided.
POLICY: This policy provides the guidelines for local organizations regarding grants for community
related activities in the Township of Norwich.
DEFINITIONS:
Community Group - More than 70 % of the membership of the organization are residents of the
Township of Norwich.
Regional Group: Those groups, which provide services on a regional basis, which would otherwise not
be provided in the Township of Norwich and are located within the County of Oxford.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the community grants program policy is to provide community groups
with financial support to provide services to the community that would otherwise not be provided.
Qualifying groups include those that:
1) Promote the Township of Norwich
2) Establish and develop programs for recreation and leisure activities.
3) Enhance and develop the arts and cultural aspects of the Township of Norwich.
4) Provide education, training and knowledge in recreation, arts, heritage and cultural fields to community
volunteers.
FUNDING CATEGORIES AND FORMULAS
Project or Special Events Funding
Grants will provide assistance in operating funds for special events. This category provides assistance for
short term undertakings where a grant is required for a special community project with an identified start-
up and completion dates. The project must be held in the year the grant is awarded. Project or Special
Event Funding would allow community groups to be eligible for up to a maximum of 50% of the total
operating costs for the special event or project.
Policy No. TR-2010-02
Page 2 of 3
Operating Funding
Grants will assist established Township of Norwich volunteer organization(s) whose primary activities
meet the criteria of the Community Grant Program. The operating funding assists with basic
administrative costs such as rent, office supplies, and program-related expenditures.
Development Funding
Grants will address the needs of new services, programs, or organizations. The Township of Norwich
recognizes that it is difficult for a new group to qualify for funding under the grant criteria, if they are not
yet fully developed. Development grants will support a program or service provided by a new group at a
much earlier stage. The group must demonstrate financial viability. Development funding would allow
groups to be eligible for up to a maximum of 50% of the total operating costs for a one-year period only.
Regional Organizations Funding
Grants may provide some assistance in the operating funds for volunteer regional organizations. The
groups' request for funding must clearly outline an identified need and benefit of the organization to the
residents of the Township of Norwich.
GENERAL RATIONALE: Groups applying for funding must meet the following qualifications.
Qualifications for Funding
1) Any organizations requesting funding must be non-profit.
2) The organization must be comprised of an independent volunteer board of directors and must meet
regularly and maintain appropriate minutes and records of proceedings.
3) Organizations must be based within the Township of Norwich.
4) Membership to such volunteer organizations must not be restricted by race, national or ethnic origin,
citizenship, religion, age, sex or sexual orientation, marital or family status, handicap, disability, or
language.
Ineligible for Funding or Subsidy
1) Organizations, which are profit-oriented.
2) Individuals.
3) Donations (including waiving of fees and charges) to groups fundraising for and on behalf of charitable
causes (i.e. a local organization requesting a Township grant for an organization such as the Canadian
Cancer Society or the Ontario Diabetic Association)
4) Providing travel, accommodation, uniforms, personal equipment, banquets, trophies or entertainment.
5) To groups funded by Regional, Provincial or Federal departments or agencies, subject to review by
Council.
6) For conferences, workshops or seminars.
7) For political or religious action groups.
8) Any organization whose gross revenues from all sources of which greater than 5% is used in the direct
remuneration of employees or servants for administration or any part thereof.
8) Any organization that utilizes a large portion of the funding requested to provide employment for an
individual or group of individuals to administer the funds.
9) Request for contributions to deficits, which are incurred by the organization without the prior
knowledge and concurrence of the Township.
10) Organizations who have failed to provide satisfactory reports, including financial statements, as to the
success of the previous year and specifically with respect to the allocation of grant funds.
11) Organizations that can provide an adequate level of service without public funding.
12) Requests for grants to an individual, or to an individual group that is controlled by a parent
organization, (in this case the parent organization should apply for the grant - example an association as
opposed to a team).
Policy No. TR-2010-02
Page 3 of 3
13) A similar application, which has been submitted to the County of Oxford.
14) Grants that replace subsidies, which are, or may become, available under statutory provisions.
Processing of Grant Applications
Advertisement(s) will be placed in local publications, as necessary, in the Fall of each year advising all
community groups that the Township of Norwich is now accepting applications for financial assistance
for the following calendar year to support local non-profit organizations in providing programs, services
and events to local residents. A notice and the application will also be posted on the Township website.
The notice will set an appropriate deadline for the submission of applications to ensure that all requests
are received on a timely basis within the municipal budget process.
Each application will be reviewed for eligibility according to the criteria set out in this policy. A report
outlining each application and its eligibility will be completed by staff and presented to Council as part of
the annual budget process. Each community group will also be required to make a presentation in support
of their application at a public meeting of Council. The Council of the Township of Norwich will make
final determination of all groups and amounts to be granted for the budget year.
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