Community Enhancement Grant distribution plan to be outlined at Council tonight

Tonight's the night that Prince Rupert's Community Groups and Organizations may learn of the success of their applications for funding from the City of Prince Rupert, or hear of the amount that will be allocated to their annual programs, as Council reviews a report from the City's Chief Financial Officer.

As CFO Corinne Bomben notes, the Community Enhancement Grant funding for this year was considered with COVID-19 in mind and how each applicant's programs may be impacted by the coronavirus.

Also weighing on the CFO's mind is upcoming Operations needs and how those expectations have resulted in no change to the level of funding  for 2022.

Given COVID-19 has impacted many of the applicants’ certainty of proceeding, in-kind grants to organizations who have received them before and are open to the public have been positively recommended by Finance. 

Should their program not proceed because of restrictions (as was the case in 2020 and 2021 for many), then no grant will be used. 

Cash requests from organizations have been evaluated from the perspective of likelihood of fulfillment as it is known right now with the outlook that if not all is granted at this point, the remainder of a grant request can be considered during the budget process in early 2022. 

In keeping with the City’s need to maintain operations and still support the CEG, staff has recommended funding grants and operating agreements for a total of approximately $1,363,000. 

This is a 0% increase above the prior year recommendation and accommodates the funding agreements in place as well as the increase requested by the Library.

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City Council members will have opportunity to review the list of successful grant applicants this evening and offer comment as to the distribution of the grant funds and on the process for the year ahead.

The recommended level of funding for this years applicants is outlined below

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More notes on tonight's Council session can be explored from our archive page here.

Further items of note from past Council sessions can be explored here.