London Community Grants Program · Today’s Agenda •Welcome and Overview •Overview of the...

London Community Grants Program

Community Meeting

January 25, 2016

Today’s Agenda

• Welcome and Overview

• Overview of the London Community Grants Program Process

• Next Steps and Timeline

• Questions

Purpose

As part of the 2015 budget process and the 2015-2019 Strategic Plan, Council requested that Civic Administration review the current process, policy and funding source.

Based on City Council’s recommendation, City staff:

1. Reviewed and proposed a modernized 4 year granting model (currently the Strategic Funding Framework) for all new and ongoing funding requests to be implemented as part of the 2016 - 2019 City of London budget process,

2. Worked with key community stakeholders to develop the proposed modernized granting model including discussing possible sources of funding.

Process to Modernize the Current Model

• Confirmed scope of review

• Reviewed what other cities and granting programs are doing

• Held 2 Community Conversations with stakeholders to gather input and then feedback on the proposed model

• Based on this, we developed a modernized municipal granting model and process

• Presented proposed model and process to City Council; endorsed by Council on October 27, 2015

Council Resolution – October 27, 2015

That, on the recommendation of the Managing Director of Neighbourhood, Children and Fire Services, the following actions be taken with respect to the municipal granting process for non-profit organizations:

a) the proposed City of London Community Grants Program model and process for modernizing the municipal granting process BE ENDORSED;

b) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to implement the revised model and process for municipal granting for 2017 onwards;

c) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to re-allocate funding to support the modernized City of London Community Grants Program from the base budget of the current municipal granting program within Neighbourhood, Children & Fire Services; and,

Council Resolution – October 27, 2015 cont’d

d) funding for the Community Grants Program continue to BE ALLOCATED from the tax levy.

it being noted that: • any increases to Community Grants between 2016 and 2019 will be consistent

with the administrative targets established for the development of the 2016-19 multiyear budget;

• Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) revenues may be allocated towards a portion of these incremental increases to the Innovation and Capital Community Grants Program funding stream from 2017 through 2019;

• 2016 is a transition year where organizations currently receiving core funding in 2015, will receive the same amount of funding in 2016. There will be no process for new or increased funding requests as part of the 2016 budget process. All new or increased requests will be referred to the 2017- 2019 City of London Community Grants program; and,

• the amount of funding allocated to the modernized City of London Community Grants Program will be confirmed each year as part of the annual budget update process

Working Assumptions

1. Build upon and modernize the current process – Strategic Funding Framework

2. Align with the City’s multiyear budget process: full application process every “4” years

3. Alignment with the Strategic Plan for the City of London as this plan sets Council’s direction for the next 4 years

4. Review Council’s role, Civic Administration’s role, and the community’s role in decision making

5. Explore alternative funding sources (currently tax base)

Guiding Principles

1. Alignment with Strategic Plan - Outcome based granting

2. Commitment to multiyear funding

3. Increased accountability and commitment

4. Simple, Clear, Fair and Transparent processes

5. Support innovation and collaboration

6. Strong/responsible financial management and stewardship

Modernized Municipal Granting Model:City of London Community Grants Program

1. Granting Streams

2. Process

• Application

• Decision making

• Appeal

• Allocation

• Reporting and accountability

Four Municipal Granting Streams

Strengthening Our Community

Building a Sustainable City

Growing our Economy

Innovation and Capital

Total Municipal Grant Allocation

(NCFS)$2.4 million

multi-year

Annual

Total Amount of Municipal Funding Available: $2.4 M (NCFS base budget)

Multi-Year Granting Streams

Strengthening our Community


Growing our Economy

Municipal Funding Available: 2017 $2.3M2018 $2.3M2019 $2.3M

Annual Granting Stream Innovation and Capital

Municipal Funding Available: 2017 $100,0002018 $150,000*2019 $200,000*

*annual increases are based on a modest annual increase of approximately 1.5% consistent with the administrative targets established for the development of the 2016-2019 multiyear budget

Source of Funding

Tax base:

• multi-year granting streams (3)

• Base funding for Innovation and Capital stream ($100,00)

• Any increases between 2016 and 2019 consistent with the administrative targets established for the development of the 2016-19 multiyear budget

OLG:

• OLG revenues may be allocated towards a portion of the incremental increases to the Innovation and Capital stream

Modernized Municipal Granting Model

STEP ONE: Application Process for all organizations regardless if currently funded or not

STEP TWO: Decision Making: Community Review Panel reviews, evaluates and makes decisions regarding the allocation of municipal grants

STEP THREE: Allocation of Grants: Allocation of municipal grants to continue to follow the calendar year

STEP FOUR: Reporting and Accountability: Civic Administration will report annually to City Council highlighting municipal granting outcomes, community impact, and alignment to the City of London Strategic Plan


STEP ONE: Application Process (3 - 4 months – January to April)

All organizations (regardless if currently funded or not) go through the standard application process:

• Community Information Session (January 25, 2016)

• Formal application process (form to complete – tentative date for online application to be open is February 15)

• Optional “application review” meeting with city staff prior to deadline date (email [email protected])

mailto:[email protected]


STEP TWO: Decision Making (3 - 4 months – April to July)

Council approves the amount of funding to be allocated for municipal grants through the multi-year budget process.

• Internal documentation review by city staff

• Community Review Panel reviews, evaluates and makes decisions regarding the allocation of municipal grants (see evaluation criteria)

• Decisions made and applicants informed

• Appeals process to address organizations who are not satisfied with the decision made by the community review panel


Community Review Panel

• Comprised of 7 to 9 community members and city staff community member (2 -3)

expert in subject matter specific to each stream (2 – 3)

funder (1)

expert in outcomes measurement (1)

financial expert (1)

city staff

• Openings for review panel will be available to all residents in London who are not directly or indirectly connected to organizations seeking funding

Evaluation Criteria

• The Community Review Panel will be the decision making body for the allocation of grants

• The Review Panel will use the Council endorsed evaluation criteria in order to make decisions about the allocation of grant funding

• The evaluation criteria is on the City website (www.london.ca/communitygrants) and a copy has been provided to you today

http://www.london.ca/communitygrants


Appeals Process

• Addresses organizations who are not satisfied with the decision made by the community review panel

• Applicants may only appeal a funding decision based on a procedural error or can provide new information that, for good reason, could not be submitted at the time of the application

• The appeal will be reviewed by a member of the Senior Management Team from the City of London


STEP THREE: Allocation of Grants (1 – 2 months – Nov to Dec)

• Revised grant agreement approved by Council to reflect multi-year funding

• Allocation of municipal grants to continue to follow the calendar year (funds allocated in December/January)

• An approved annual final report will trigger the allocation of the following year’s funding (details in the grant agreement)

• Organizations will apply every four years (first cycle only is 3 years: 2017 – 2019)


STEP FOUR: Reporting and Accountability (ongoing)

• Financial and outcomes reporting expectations clearly outlined in the revised grant agreement

• City staff will report annually to City Council highlighting:

municipal granting outcomes

community impact

alignment to the City of London Strategic Plan

Roles and Responsibilities City Council

• Council sets the municipal granting streams (align with Strategic Plan)

• Council approves the amount of funding to be allocated for municipal grants through the multi-year budget process

Civic Administration (City staff)

• Oversee and manage the model and process

• Participate on the Community Review Panel

• Review appeals (member of the Senior Management Team)

Community

• Local residents will be part of the Community Review Panel and review, evaluate, and makes decisions regarding the allocation of municipal grants in all 4 granting streams

Online Application

• The City is working with smartsimple to build an online grants management program for the London Community Grants Program

• The online application for funding from 2017-2019 (2017 annual granting stream) is targeted to go live in February (tentative date: Feb. 15)

• City staff will run a training session for the new online application for anyone who is interested (training date will posted on www.london.ca/communitygrants)


Online Application

• The new online application tool will allow you to fill out your application and submit all information online

• Automated email reminders to help organizations stay on track of upcoming deadlines

• When application is successfully completed, a PDF version of your application is emailed back to you for confirmation

• Community Review Panel process will be administered through the online portal

Four Municipal Granting Streams

Strengthening Our Community


Growing our Economy

Innovation and Capital

Total Municipal Grant Allocation

(NCFS)$2.4 million

multi-year

Annual



Strengthening our Community


Growing our Economy

Municipal Funding Available: 2017 $2.3M2018 $2.3M2019 $2.3M

Organizations may receive funding if they can demonstrate:

• Ability to achieve outcomes that will support the Strategic Plan through one of the three areas of focus

• Credibility of org’s to provide London residents with services, activities, and opportunities at the neighbourhood/city-wide level

• Capacity of the organization requesting funds

• Ability to leverage additional investment

Annual Granting Stream




Innovation

• Must achieve outcomes that will support the Strategic Plan through one of the strategic areas of focus

• One-time funding

• May be operational or capital

• New idea

• Collaboration across sectors

• Opportunity for a sector to do things differently

Innovation Grants: what are we looking for…

• New, emerging organizations/initiatives/collaborations that engage in dynamic community partnerships and innovative improvements to service delivery and system collaboration

• Proven or promising early stage innovations that need additional support to create the capacity and conditions to be effectively sustained

• Creative new approaches to social innovation that engage multiple stakeholders in creative collaboration to improve system delivery and/or coordination

Annual Granting Stream




Capital

• Direct relationship to the City’s Strategic plan - strategic areas of focus

• Project must conform to all relevant legal standards, requirements, and must be accessible to all

• Project must be tendered or open to competitive bidding by 2 or more parties

• Rehab and replacement of existing facilities preferred over new construction

• Organization must exhaust all other available sources of funding

The City of London’s Community Grants Program

moves to multiyear funding for non-profit organizations

aligns funding with the Strategic Plan for the City of London: grants based on an organization's ability to demonstrate outcomes directly linked to the Plan

increases accountability and commitment

is simple, clear, fair, and transparent

supports innovation and collaboration

strong/responsible financial management and stewardship of City funds

2016 Next Steps and Timeline

• London Community Grants Program application target date to open is February 15 (tentative) – up-to-date information will be posted on www.london.ca/communitygrants

• Application process to be open for 7 to 8 weeks

• Decisions to be made by June/July and organizations informed

• Grant agreements to be completed and signed off by October

• 2017–2019 multi-year grants to be allocated in December

• 2017 annual grants to be allocated in December


Thank you!

• For more information on the London Community Grants Program go to www.london.ca/communitygrants

• Any additional questions, please email Cheryl Smith at [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

Questions?

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