Staff Report: Proposed Amendments to the Funding Request Policy (Grant in Aid)

Staff Report to Community Advisory Committee

DATE: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
DEPARTMENT: Administration
SUBJECT: Proposed Amendments to the Funding Request Policy (Grant in Aid)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Funding Request Policy POL-0147-FIN provides guidance to applicants, criteria to aid Council and Committee consideration, and an administrative framework for staff to distribute the annual Grant in Aid budget. This report outlines proposed amendments that have been prepared for Committee consideration and recommendation to Council.

BACKGROUND

Last amended in 2024, POL-0147-FIN provides guidelines for the distribution of the allocated Grant in Aid budget, and outlines which organizations and groups are qualified to make an application. Having had the opportunity to administer the Grant in Aid process through two cycles following the 2024 policy updates, staff recommend further amendments to improve clarity and streamline the Grant in Aid process.

COMMENTARY

Grant in Aid applications were recently reviewed and considered by the Community Advisory Committee and Council for the 2026 budget year. Following the annual process, staff conduct a review of the Grant in Aid program. This year, staff are proposing potential amendments to the policy and application form.

Proposed Policy Amendments

Section: Purpose

• The policy purpose statement is proposed to be clarified to read “The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for funding contribution consideration for events, initiatives, and programs, inclusive of in-kind contributions.”

  The proposed purpose statement clearly specifies that this policy funds events, initiatives, and programs to avoid confusion.

Section: Definitions

• The definition of “Applicant” is proposed to be clarified to ensure that applications are being submitted under an organization or entity name and not the name of an individual person, or a contact person associated with an application or organization.

  This additional clarity is in conjunction with proposed amendments which specify that payments will only be made directly to the recipient organization and not to an individual applying on their behalf.

• The definition of “In-Kind Contribution” has been expanded to align with amendments to the application form that now allow applicants to provide a value of in-kind funding requested directly on the application form.

  This proposed amendment endeavours to support applicants by providing the opportunity to request monetary funding and in-kind contribution, which can be included directly on the first page of the application form. Staff have noted difficulty providing guidance to applicants wishing to request in-kind support in addition to, or instead of, monetary funding as no proper field currently exists for this purpose.

Section: Eligibility Requirements

• Section 1 as proposed adds the following statement: “Late applications will not be considered.”

  Applications are due by December 15th annually and are accepted throughout the year. If an application is submitted after the December 15th deadline, staff advise applicants to re-submit prior to the deadline in the following year, if applicable. Strengthening the language within the policy will provide clarity to applicants when preparing their funding request applications and assist staff when denying a late application.

• Added a new Section 6 that reads “Funds awarded from this program must be payable to the Applicant.”

  Staff have noted the need for clearer language describing who a grant may be made payable to.

• Added a new Section 8 that reads “Additional documentation and appendices to an application will not be accepted. Applicants must utilize the form provided by the City.”

  To streamline the process and reduce time spent by the Committee and Council reviewing additional materials, the policy language has been strengthened.

• Added a new Section 9 that reads “Amendments to an Applicant’s submission may not be accepted following the submission deadline.”

  The process to prepare applications for review by Committee takes time, and amendments to applications can cause additional delays, as such staff recommend clearly stating this in the policy.

• Added a new Section 10 that reads “While no formal opportunity to present application materials will be provided at the meeting where Funding Request Applications are considered, applicants are encouraged to be in attendance to answer questions in relation to the application.”

  As resolved by Council at the March 17, 2025, meeting, there is no formal opportunity for applicants to present their Grant in Aid application. The addition of this clause will assist staff when communicating with applicants and provide clarity directly within the policy for applicants.

• Deletion of the line “Please note that all items above are required for an application to be considered.”

  This language has been moved to the application form rather than within the policy document. In addition to the recommended policy amendments, staff are reviewing the Grant in Aid Application Form and Grant Summary Spreadsheet to ensure consistency, remove duplication, and provide a streamlined application and evaluation process.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no known financial implications associated with this report.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no known legal implications associated with this report.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT

• 5 – Good Governance
• 6d – Support the Efforts of Community Organizations to Expand Services to Youth, Seniors, and Other Underrepresented and Marginalized Groups

OPTIONS

Option 1

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council approve POL-0147-FIN Amendment No. 2 as presented.

OR Option 2

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council approve POL-0147-FIN Amendment No. 2 with the following amendments:
a) _____________;
b) _____________;
c) __________.

OR Option 3

THAT Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council take no action with respect to POL-0147-FIN Amendment No. 2 at this time.

SUBMITTED BY

Curtis Staniforth, Manager of Budgets and Revenue

Concurrence:

Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance
Melisa Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development
Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
Leah Stohmann, RPP, MCIP, Director of Community Planning and Development
Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
Marie Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
Braden Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachments:
Attachment 1: Redline Copy of POL-0147-FIN Amendment #2