08 PresentationCommunity Grants Program Updates
Town Council Meeting
February 4, 2020
Move the timeline for grant application cycle to begin after approval of
the Town’s annual budget
Approve the total amount to be distributed for community grants as
part of the annual budget process
▪Grants will continue to be recommended by the ACC and CSSC,
but final approval can be administrative. Would not need to come
back to Council for approval, unless Council would prefer to have it
brought back.
▪Commissions/Staff will divide the total approved into award
amounts that will be advertised as part of the grant process, or
Council can give direction on how grants should be divided.
PROPOSED CHANGES:
Establish three types of grants to balance incentive for new initiatives along with long-term support for traditional human service programs
▪One-time grants to non-profits to promote the creation of a new project, service, event, or initiative for the benefit of the community
▪One-time small grants for community members (Innovation grants for community)
▪Sustainability grants for human services (continued operational support for programs in human services for organizations in which we have awarded grants continuously 5 or more years) two year funding commitment
Align grant categories with Council priorities
▪Where appropriate, incorporate council priorities into the scoring rubric
PROPOSED CHANGES:
Incorporate Community Vitality and Events as eligible categories for grants
Default to a single fair competitive process that we can direct public and community groups towards when funds are requested
Improve communication to the public regarding application and award process
▪Single opportunity per year to apply for funding; finite process
▪Fund full amount requested up to limit advertised
▪Ranking and recommendation based on written application
▪Standard scoring rubric
▪One application per organization per grant cycle
▪Presentation at completion of grant project
▪More active outreach and marketing of community grant opportunities
PROPOSED CHANGES:
Council budgets and approves $150,000 for grant expenditures for fiscal
year.
Staff/Commissions divide the $150,000 as:
$75,500 for human services sustainability grants
$4,500 for community innovation grants (3 grants up to $1,500 each)
$70,000 for one-time grants to non -profits (10 grants up to $7,000 each)
Application process opens in Mid -July, closes in late August. Commissions
rank one-time grants and community innovation grants on a standard
scoring rubric and recommend awards in September. Staff approves those
recommendations administratively and sends out grant awards early
October.
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE
Community Grants Program Updates
Town Council Meeting
February 4, 2020