Administration of Municipal Grants Programs.
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of the report dated January 2, 1998, from the Acting Executive Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services.
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:
(i) requested the Acting Executive Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to:
(1) provide Members of Council with:
(a) a breakdown by Ward of the funding requests under General Grants and Recreation Grants; and
(b) a copy of each of the grant application forms;
(2) note Councillor Irene Jones= interest in serving on the Committee that reviews Community Services grants; and
(ii) received the communication dated January 9, 1998, from the Acting Secretary, Interim Board of Health, in that the Board reports directly to Council.
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee submits the following report (January 2, 1998) from the Acting Executive Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:
Purpose:
This report recommends guidelines for the administration of municipal grants programs under the jurisdiction of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, including a policy for advances to organizations, and provides direction for the design of municipal grants programs for 1999.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
This report deals with the following grants programs incorporated in the 1998 estimate requests of the relevant departments: Access and Equity Grants, AIDS Prevention Program, Community Resources Fund, Drug Prevention Program, Emergency Support Fund, General Grants, Arts and Culture Grants, Breaking the Cycle of Violence, Homeless Initiatives Fund, and Recreation Grants.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) for the 1998 transitional year, agencies in receipt of sustaining municipal grants funding from the former municipalities be reviewed in an expeditious manner, as described in the appendices, in order to provide continuity to agencies and to allow Council and staff adequate time to design and implement equitable and consistent City-wide grants programs for 1999;
(2) the review of 1998 grant applications use the existing 1997 eligibility requirements for grants, except for Arts and Culture Grants which will use a common set of eligibility criteria inclusive of all the former municipalities criteria;
(3) except in the instance of grants administered under the Board of Health and the Toronto Arts Council, all grants programs will submit allocations reports directly to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for recommendation to City Council;
(4) all agencies applying for funding under municipal grants programs will have an opportunity to appeal staff or review panel recommendations;
(5) except in the instance of grants administered under the Board of Health and the Toronto Arts Council, appeals will be heard at the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee;
(6) application forms sent out by the former municipalities, as detailed in the appendices, will be deemed to be applications for funding from the new City of Toronto;
(7) authority to provide advances to agencies which received sustaining funding from the former municipalities be given and administered under the conditions described in the appendices;
(8) advances not be made to agencies which received one-time only support in 1997;
(9) the Acting Executive Commissioner be directed to undertake the required administrative changes to implement the Transitional Grants Policy;
(10) the Acting Executive Commissioner be directed to undertake the research and consultation necessary to develop an integrated Municipal Grants Policy, including revised grants policies for each Service Area, for consideration by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee at its meeting in September 1998; and
(11) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Council Reference/Background/History:
Under the general authority for making grants provided in Section 113 (1) of the Municipal Act, all of the former municipalities provided support to the not-for-profit sector through community service, cultural, and a range of miscellaneous line-item grants. A number of municipalities also provided program specific grants, usually in the form of project grants such as the AIDS Prevention Program.
The Toronto Transition Team=s final report noted the value and importance of the former municipalities= partnerships with community-based service providers and included a number of recommendations, Nos. 103, 114, 122, regarding municipal grants programs. The Transition Team also identified that the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee should be responsible for services that provide key supports to family and neighbourhood life, including community grants.
This report provides guidelines for the administration of municipal grants programs under the jurisdiction of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee. Purchase-of-service agreements which are cost-shared with the Province are not considered grants and are therefore not addressed here. The Service Areas which administer community grants programs include arts and culture, parks and recreation, housing, public health, and community services. Each Service Area is described in greater detail in the appendices.
Several grants programs which are either staffed or budgeted outside the proposed Community and Neighbourhood Services cluster are also included in this report. They face essentially the same issues through the transition year, and the Transitional Grants Policy guidelines, described below, can be effectively applied to them. Appendices for the two programs, which are the Breaking the Cycle of Violence Grants and the Access and Equity Grants, have been included.
Throughout this report a distinction is made between sustaining grants such as community service grants and project funding, usually in a specific program area such as the AIDS Prevention Grants.
Staff responsible for the administration of municipal grants programs have been meeting over the past six months in the various Service Review Teams (and the Municipal Grants Workgroup for community service grants) to identify and plan for grants issues related to municipal amalgamation. Representatives of the Service Review Teams met with the member of the Interim Management Team responsible for Community and Neighbourhood Services to identify the immediate issues to be placed before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee.
Transitional Grants Policy:
The Transition Team recommended that Aduring the year (1998), Council should review all the grants eligibility criteria of the former municipalities and establish a grants policy for the new City, to take effect in 1999.@ This recommendation is addressed below in the section titled AMunicipal Grants Policy for 1999.@
For grants administration in 1998, the Team recommended the development of Aa transitional grants policy to apply to all municipal grants given by Metro and the six Area Municipalities.@ The key elements of the Transitional Grants Policy are: eligibility criteria, new applicants, review processes, approval and appeal processes, funding mechanisms, and advances. Each of these elements is described briefly here and in more detail in each Service Area Appendix.
Assuming a static budget, the general approach to allocations in 1998 will be to flatline allocations at 1997 levels to agencies that received sustaining support. With respect to project grants, existing programs= priorities will be used to guide allocations processes.
Eligibility Criteria:
The Transition Team recommended that ACouncil=s review of 1998 grant applications should use the same eligibility requirements for grants as in 1997.@ This recommendation applies equally to programs that provide sustaining funding and project grants. All Service Areas have developed transition year administration plans that are consistent with this recommendation.
In making this recommendation, the Transition Team has suggested that the existing geographic criteria will also continue to be applied in 1998. This will mean, for example, that Homeless Initiatives grants made by the former City of Toronto will continue to be available only to agencies in the Toronto Community Council District.
The Arts, Culture and Heritage Service Review Team is recommending that a common set of criteria, inclusive of all existing criteria, be applied to all organizational applicants in 1998 under a unified grants program (see Appendix A for the detailed arts and culture grants eligibility criteria).
New Applicants:
All applicants are considered new applicants under project funding programs such as the Drug Abuse Prevention Program. There is a challenge in responding to new applicants applying under grants programs which provide sustaining funding such as community services grants. Given the status quo approach to allocations suggested by the Transition Team, little funding will be made available for redistribution to new applicants. At the same time, it is critical that open access to community grants support be maintained. In 1998, applications will be accepted from agencies not funded in 1997; however, new applicants will be informed of the constraints on the City=s ability to provide sustaining support in 1998. This does not apply to project funding programs as all applicants are considered Anew@ each year.
Review Processes:
There are a number of challenges in considering how to approach the 1998 grants review process. Staff time must be freed up from the review process to carry out a comprehensive review of the existing programs resulting in consistent, equitable and effective City-wide programs aligned with City priorities in 1999. In the case of grants programs offered by more than one of the former municipalities, there are a range of administrative challenges to providing a combined program.
The recommended approach to the 1998 review is to modify existing review processes in favour of processes that meet accountability requirements for grants administration but that may not result in the previous depth of review offered by some programs. Grants programs that provide sustaining funding will not require applicants to attend an agency interview in 1998, provided they received funding in 1997 and staff have not identified performance concerns. Allocations staff maintain regular contact with the funded sectors, providing them an overview of how most agencies are performing on an ongoing basis.
In the case of arts and culture grants, the Transition Team has recommended a review process that assigns roles to the Toronto Arts Council, Etobicoke Municipal Arts Commission and the staff of the proposed Culture Office.
All agencies or groups requesting funding will be required to submit application forms containing, at a minimum, current financial information and program updates (agencies receiving support through line-item grants may not be required to submit an application). Each Service Area has developed a single application form for applicants which were previously funded by more than one former municipality. A number of former municipalities distributed existing application forms for the 1998 grants review process in 1997. Where this has occurred the existing applications will be accepted under the transition year grants programs, although agencies may be required to submit supplementary information in addition to the original application.
Where agencies dealt with municipal staff from more than one former municipality for similar funding purposes within a given Service Area, they will have a single funding liaison under the 1998 process.
Approval and Appeal Processes:
There is significant variation in both the approval and appeal processes for municipal grants programs. The Transition Team has identified that the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee should be responsible for services that provide key supports to family and neighbourhood life, including community grants. It is recommended that grants allocations should be forwarded to Council after consideration at the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee. There are two exceptions to this approach. First, public health grants would also be reviewed by the Board of Health and forwarded to the Committee. Second, grants administered by the Toronto Arts Council, under the terms of its 1994 grant agreement, are not required to be submitted to Committee or Council for approval, although the Toronto Arts Council is required to file quarterly reports on decisions taken.
The Transition Team has recommended Community Councils provide input on needs identification regarding community grants programs. This input may form a component of the annual Areport cards@ on how well community needs are being met in each Community Council District. The role of Community Councils in the provision of municipal grants should receive particular attention in the development of a new Municipal Grants Policy for implementation in 1999.
There is significant variation in appeal mechanisms under the various existing grants programs. A one step appeal process is recommended with the appeals to be heard at the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee. It is anticipated that the majority of appeals will be made by agencies not recommended for sustaining funding as a result of poor performance or new applicants not recommended due to insufficient availability of funds. Appeals by agencies not recommended for project funding will be as in past years.
Again, there are two exceptions: public health grants appeals would be heard by the review panels and appeals of Toronto Arts Council decisions are administered by the Toronto Arts Council itself under the terms of its grant agreement.
Funding Mechanisms:
Grants dollars are flowed to recipient agencies using a number of funding mechanisms. In most cases, once an allocations report with agency specific recommendations is approved by Council, staff request and forward grants payments. In a number of grants programs, a formal grant agreement is required in addition to Council approval before funds can be disbursed. Some service areas also use purchase-of-service agreements as the funding mechanism. For 1998, the existing funding mechanisms should be maintained.
Advances:
The Transition Team report included a number of specific recommendations with regard to the provision of advances to agencies funded in 1997. While there is general agreement with this recommendation, a policy resulting in automatic advances of 50 percent to all previously funded agencies is not recommended. It is recommended that advances be made available through grants programs which provide sustaining funding, if the agency has demonstrated the ability to provide services to the community on a consistent basis. Agencies will not be permitted to use advances on 1998 funding to cover existing deficits. Agencies will be eligible for an advance of up to 50 percent of the previous year=s allocation, or 100 percent of the previous year=s allocation where the allocation was $2,000.00 or less. In order to maintain a clear audit trail, agencies will be required to complete a simple request form before an advance is made.
Line-Item Grants:
Each of the former municipalities made grants recorded as line-items in corporate or departmental accounts (e.g., Scarborough Arts Council, AIDS Committee of Toronto, Federation of Metro Tenants). In many cases, funds are forwarded to recipients once the budget is approved without a formal staff review. In other cases the appropriate departments triggered payment of these grants. In yet others, these funds are used in the purchase of service from community organizations. The review reporting and assessment processes vary widely and would benefit from a further study to ensure order and consistency. In 1998, the Executive Commissioner, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, should identify those grants that fall within the mandate of an existing grants program to consolidate the administration of the funds in 1998. Those line-item grants which do not clearly fall within a grants program will continue to be administered through the budget process as line-item grants in 1998.
Municipal Grants Policy for 1999:
The Toronto Transition Team Report identified the need for the City of Toronto to Areview the existing criteria for grants and establish its own grants policy for the new City to take effect in 1999". The 1998 Transitional Grants Policy has been designed to free up limited staff time to support the development of a new Municipal Grants Policy. The Municipal Grants Policy should provide broad statements regarding policies and principles which apply to all municipal grant programs, as well as a set of revised grants policies and administrative practices specific to each Service Area.
The proposed ASocial Charter@ and ACultural Policy@ [Transition Team Recommendations Nos. 47 and 48] may provide some direction for the development of the Municipal Grants Policy. The Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Management Team will review the draft policy to ensure that there is a consistent approach to municipal grants at a corporate level.
Under the direction of the Executive Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, each service area will undertake a broad-based review of existing grants programs, including: criteria, funding mechanisms, funding purposes, review and approval processes, the relationship to other municipal grants or purchase-of-service programs, and the relationship between the wide range of in-kind and financial supports provided by the City. A number of Service Areas will also need to address the issue of service levels where only one or two of the former local municipalities offered a particular grants program. The review will include consultation with all stakeholders, including: staff and board members of funded agencies, unsuccessful applicant agencies, Councillors, service users, citizens, other funders, and municipal staff. Consultations with common stakeholders will be co-ordinated to minimize the number of consultations required.
In the past, citizens have been involved in the review/approval process of some project grants. The role of citizens, representatives of target populations, and Community Councils in municipal grants programs will receive particular attention during the development of the Municipal Grants Policy.
The focus of the Transitional Grants Policy for 1998 has been to address the immediate questions of consistency and co-ordination of grants programs within each Service Area. The Municipal Grants Policy will address the broader questions of consistency and co-ordination of grants programs between Service Areas. The design process will also provide baseline information through the identification of best practices for grants program delivery. This baseline information will facilitate the development of appropriate benchmarking for municipal grants programs.
In order to ensure that there is overall consistency in the reviews, each Service Area will be asked to provide the Executive Commissioner with a service review plan early in 1998. Once approved by the Executive Commissioner, each Service Area will carry out the review between March and August 1998. A complete report with the results of the reviews and a draft Municipal Grants Policy will be submitted to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for its September 1998 meeting.
Conclusion:
The not-for-profit sector fulfils a critical role in the City=s social and cultural infrastructure. Funded organizations contribute positively to the quality of life in their communities in a cost-effective and responsive way. Agencies understand that resources from all funding sources will continue to be constrained and have responded by making more extensive use of volunteers and increasing self-generated revenues.
Two recent reports underline the important role of municipal funding programs. The report AProfile of a Changing World@, produced by the Social Planning Council of Metropolitan Toronto, the former City of Toronto and the former Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, provides a current picture of a community-based service system in turmoil. The report states that: AThe 1996 survey results paint a compelling portrait of a world that is changing. In this changing world, the importance of a strong social infrastructure is critical to maintaining a healthy, competitive, livable region. It is crucial that governments at all levels commit to restoring and preserving the stability of the full range of services provided by this sector. This requires, above all, adequate and stable funding levels so that all residents can find the necessary supports in the community to live full and active lives.@
These sentiments are echoed in the results of the A1996 Survey of the Cultural Sector@ published by Metropolitan Toronto in 1997. The survey results show that even though cultural organizations are developing new strategies to increase earned revenue in the face of funding reductions from senior levels of government, there is still an important, stabilizing role for local government in maintaining the cultural infrastructure of the City.
Municipal grants programs play a critical role in ensuring the continued existence of a strong and responsive community and cultural infrastructure.
The Transitional Grants Policy has been designed to minimize any potential impacts of municipal amalgamation on not-for-profit organizations in 1998. The Municipal Grants Policy will provide the foundation for consistent, equitable and effective City-wide programs aligned with City priorities in 1999.
Contact Name:
Chris Brillinger: Tel: 392-8608/Fax: 392-8492
John Elvidge: Tel: 392-9046/Fax: 392-3355
CCCC
Appendix A
Arts and Culture Grants
Purpose:
To support organizations and individuals in the creation and presentation of arts and cultural activity on both a recreational and professional basis.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) Grants to Organizations:
(a) Number of applications: 715.
(b) Number of organizations: 419.
(c) Number of grants awarded: 645.
(d) Number of organizations funded by two or more former municipalities: 198.
(e) Total amount awarded: $10,502,672.00.
(2) Grants to Individuals:
(a) Number of applications: 675.
(b) Number of awards: 155.
(c) Total amount awarded: $641,602.00.
Background:
Prior to amalgamation, each of the former municipalities made grants for arts and cultural activities. All except one provided grants through categories especially earmarked for arts and culture. Two of the municipalitiesCYork and TorontoCprovided grants to individual artists.
In all but the former City of Toronto, cultural grant allocations were approved by Councils on the recommendations of a standing committee. At Metro allocations were recommended by staff based on the comments of peer advisory panels in each of the disciplines. Arts commissions or committees comprising Councillors and citizens formulated recommendations in Etobicoke and York. Panels comprising citizens, councillors and staff were used in North York. An interdepartmental staff committee made recommendations in Scarborough.
The former City of Toronto delegated its grant-making authority to the Toronto Arts Council (TAC), a privately incorporated not-for-profit organization, under a five-year grant agreement dated April 11, 1994. The agreement, which expires March 31, 1999, provides, inter alia, for:
(1) the TAC to receive, assess, and approve grants to organizations and individuals without requiring Council approval of individual allocation decisions;
(2) the TAC to submit an annual budget submission in support of a grant from the City to the TAC to cover its administrative costs (1997: $557,254.00);
(3) City Council to appoint five members (two of whom must be Members of Council) to the 26-member TAC Board of Directors; and
(4) the TAC to provide quarterly and annual reports to Council on its activities and finances.
In most respects the eligibility criteria governing the former arts and culture grant programs were similar, with some differences in the areas of organizational status and activity considered. Because of the similarity, a set of integrated criteria has been recommended for the transition year. These interim criteria will not restrict access to applicants who might have enjoyed access to the grants programs prior to 1998 and will provide the benefits of eliminating duplication, reducing confusion for the applicant, and starting the process of integration in the transition year.
The principal area of differenceCand hence the most important service level issue in arts and culture grantsCis the eligibility of individual artists. The Arts, Culture and Heritage Service Review Team has recommended that, in the transition year, applications from individual artists be limited to those residing in the former cities of York and Toronto under the prevailing criteria unless additional funds can be made available to enlarge the program for city-wide delivery.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
In addition to Recommendation No. 114 regarding a transitional grants policy, the Transition Team made the following specific recommendations (Recommendation No. 103) concerning arts and culture grants:
(1) ACouncil should establish a new citywide Toronto Arts Council as an arm's-length funding peer review body to administer grants to arts and cultural organizations, according to policy guidelines established by Council.@
(2) "The Arts Council should be based on the existing Toronto Arts Council, and it should report to Council through the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee."
(3) "Until new arrangements are in place, the current City of Toronto Arts Council should continue to allocate grants within its existing area of jurisdiction under the terms of its current legal agreement; and the Etobicoke Municipal Arts Commission should make recommendations to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee on the allocation of grants within its existing area of jurisdiction, working with the City's Culture Office. The City's Culture Office should recommend the allocation of grants in all other parts of the new City and to those organizations currently funded by Metropolitan Toronto rather than the current City of Toronto."
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
(a) A common application form will be provided to applicants in 1998.
(b) Applications already issued for 1998 by the former municipalities will be deemed to be 1998 applications to the City of Toronto.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
The recommendations of the Transition Team call for the maintenance of the same criteria as in 1997. The following transitional, common eligibility criteria will be used:
(a) Applications will be considered in two categories:
(i) Ongoing - including those known by the former municipalities as operating grants, unrestricted grants, core-funding grants, program grants, and annual project grants; and
(ii) Project - including first-time applicants, one-off projects, travel grants, development grants, equipment grants, and applicants that request funding annually for different projects.
(b) All organizations receiving arts and culture grants from one or more of the seven former municipalities shall be eligible to apply in 1998.
(c) All other organizations must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to apply for arts and culture grants in 1998:
(i) the applicant must be a not-for-profit organization or collective;
(ii) the applicant must be organizing arts and cultural activities based in the new City of Toronto;
(iii) the applicants must demonstrate support from other sources than public funds;
(iv) the applicant may apply for only one grant in the transition year; and
(v) audited financial statements will not be required for grants less than $15,000.00 unless requested.
(d) Unless additional resources are provided, the grants-to-individuals programs administered by the Toronto Arts Council shall be limited to individuals living in the former City of Toronto. If additional resources are provided through the 1998 Operating Budget, the grants-to-individual programs administered by the Toronto Arts Council shall be opened up to all residents of the new City and, notwithstanding the terms of Clause No. (3) below, shall be administered by the Toronto Arts Council.
(3) Assessment Process:
(a) The Toronto Arts Council (TAC) shall receive and review applications originating in the former City of Toronto under the terms of its grant agreement with the City of Toronto.
(b) Staff shall receive and review all other applications, including applications from organizations previously funded by Metro and not the TAC, including the major regional cultural institutions.
(c) The Etobicoke Municipal Arts Commission (EMAC), with the assistance of staff, shall review all applications originating in the former City of Etobicoke.
(d) All applications will be reviewed in an expeditious manner to allow Council, staff and the appropriate agencies the time to redesign the grants process for 1999.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Under the terms of its 1994 grants agreement with the former City of Toronto, approval of allocations and the review of appeals has been delegated to the Toronto Arts Council.
(b) For grants reviewed by staff and the Etobicoke Municipal Arts Commission, the following will apply:
(i) recommendations developed by staff teams will be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for approval by June 1998;
(ii) applicants will be notified of their recommended grant in advance, and can appeal this recommendation to the Committee; and
(iii) recommendations and appeals approved by the Committee will be forwarded to Council for final approval.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
(a) Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Executive Commissioner shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the cultural offices of the former municipalities to administer those grants not being reviewed by the TAC. Upon the adoption of a departmental structure, responsibility shall be assumed by the department or office responsible for culture.
(b) The TAC shall provide its own staffing for the administration of grants under its jurisdiction, under the terms of the grant agreement.
(6) Interim Advances:
(a) In keeping with past practice, the large grants received by the major four cultural organizationsCArt Gallery of Ontario, Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet of Canada and Toronto Symphony OrchestraCwill be paid in 12 monthly instalments. Until Council adopts the 1998 allocations, these organizations will be paid monthly an amount equal to one-twelfth of their 1997 grants under the authority provided in the interim estimates. If required, the monthly payment will be adjusted thereafter.
(b) In addition to the major regional organizations, the Executive Commissioner shall be authorized to make advance payments of up to 50 percent of 1997 levels (or up to 100 percent in the case of grants of $2,000.00 or less) to ongoing or core-funded organizations where:
(i) the organization would normally have received funds from one of the former municipalities earlier in the year than when Council is scheduled to approve the 1998 grant allocations; or
(ii) the organization merits the assistance of the municipality in addressing cash-flow requirements; or
(iii) the Executive Commissioner, in his or her discretion, believes supporting a request for an advance upholds the spirit of the transitional grants policy.
(c) All qualified organizations requesting an advance payment shall complete a request form supplied for that purpose.
(7) New Applicants:
New applications will be accepted with the caution that funds may be limited.
Contact Name:
Kathleen Sharpe: Tel: 392-5225/Fax: 392-3355
m._kathleen_sharpe@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca
Appendix B
Community Service Grants
Purpose:
To support the development and maintenance of a community-based social infrastructure which increases the ability of communities to identify and respond to community needs.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) Number of applications: 709.
(2) Number of awards: 599.
(3) Number of organizations funded: 407.
(4) Number of organizations funded by two or more former municipalities: 166.
(5) Total amount awarded: $11,805,710.00.
Background:
Prior to amalgamation, each of the former municipalities made Community Service grants. While there is some variation in the priorities, most community service grants programs have emphasized the following: disadvantaged and/or under-served communities; proposals to fill gaps in service; small and medium sized organizations; and requests consistent with the municipality's own mission and goals. In addition, some of the former municipalities favoured innovative and/or preventative approaches.
In all cases, Council approved the final allocations on the recommendations of one or more standing committees. In three cases, the assessment process leading up to the recommended allocations was undertaken by staff alone. In two cases, staff led the process with the involvement of one or more members of the community. Two programs involved Members of Council. All but two of the former municipalities allowed applicants to appeal funding recommendations by appearing before the standing committee.
Each program has similar criteria addressing financial accountability, accountability to the community, and service efficiency and effectiveness. There are some variations in criteria with respect to incorporation status and financial reporting.
Some former municipalities made additional funds available to organizations in need of urgent assistance as a result of unforeseeable circumstances. These emergency funds were provided using either unallocated community service grants funds or contingency funds. Such emergency funding will not be available as a part of the interim 1998 community service grants program; however, this support will be considered as part of the 1999 grants design process.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
In addition to this general recommendation, the Transition Team recommended (Recommendation No. 122) the consolidation and harmonization of community service grants into one single system for 1999, and the maintenance of the total amount of funding for community grants at no less than 1997 levels.
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
(a) A common application form will be provided to applicants in 1998.
(b) Applications already issued for 1998 by the former municipalities will be deemed to be 1998 applications to the City of Toronto.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
(a) The existing eligibility criteria of the former municipalities will be used to assess applications.
(b) All applicants that were eligible for funding in 1997 will continue to be eligible in 1998.
(3) Assessment Process:
(a) All applications will be reviewed in an expeditious manner to allow Council and staff the time to redesign the grants process for 1999.
(b) A team of grants staff will assess applications against existing criteria, principally using information provided in the application form.
(c) Each applicant will be assigned only one staff liaison, even if they previously received funding from a number of different community service grant programs.
(d) Interviews will be conducted only with the following applicants: organizations with previously identified funding conditions; organizations with identified performance issues; and new applicants.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Recommendations developed by staff teams will be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for approval by June 1998.
(b) Applicants will be notified of their recommended grant in advance, and can appeal this recommendation to the Committee.
(c) Recommendations and appeals approved by the Committee will be forwarded to Council for final approval.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Executive Commissioner shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the former municipalities to administer the grants program. Upon the adoption of a departmental structure, responsibility shall be assumed by the department or office responsible for social development.
(6) Interim Advances:
(a) Until the 1998 appropriations are approved by Council, the Executive Commissioner shall be authorized to make advance payments of up to 50 percent of 1997 levels (or up to 100 percent in the case of grants of $2,000.00 or less) to ongoing or core-funded organizations where:
(i) the organization would normally have received funds from one of the former municipalities earlier in the year than when Council is scheduled to approve the 1998 grant allocations; or
(ii) the organization merits the assistance of the municipality in addressing cash-flow requirements; or
(iii) the Executive Commissioner, in his or her discretion, believes supporting a request for an advance upholds the spirit of the transitional grants policy.
(b) All qualified organizations requesting an advance payment shall complete a request form supplied for that purpose.
(7) New Applicants:
Requests for support from new applicants will be accepted. Funds for new applicants will be provided from performance-related grant reductions and attrition (some previously funded applicants fail to reapply). As a result, funding available for new applicants will be limited.
Contact Name and Telephone Numbers:
Eric Gam: Tel: 392-8238/Fax: 392-8492
eric_gam@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca
Appendix C
Recreation and Sports Grants
Purpose:
To support organizations that provide recreation and/or sports activities on both recreational and elite levels that enhance or dovetail with those services provided by the Parks and Recreation Department.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) Number of applications: 110.
(2) Number of awards: 100.
(3) Total amount awarded: $1,004,212.00.
Background:
Prior to amalgamation, each of the former municipalities except Metro provided grants for recreation and sports activities. Eligibility criteria vary among the programs. Some programs support travel costs and equipment purchases while others do not. Some support programs similar to those offered by the Parks and Recreation Departments. Both recreation and elite programs are supported to allow participants to reach their own levels of achievement, but are not supported consistently across the new City. Priorities also vary, but community development is the cornerstone of these grant programs.
Staffing, assessment and approval processes also vary widely. Staff responsible for the administration of recreation and sports grants programs included those in Clerk's, Finance, and Parks and Recreation Departments. Some staff were designated to the grants program only, while others were seconded to review grants on a part-time basis. Applications were reviewed using various methods that may or may not have included interviews. These interviews were conducted by staff only, staff and community representatives, or staff, political and community representatives. The number of steps in the approval process ranged from one to three. However, Council had the ultimate approval in all of the former municipalities. Four of the six programs have an appeal process. Approval dates ranged from February to July.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
(a) A common application will be provided to applicants in 1998.
(b) Applications already issued for 1998 by the former municipalities will be deemed to be 1998 applications to the City of Toronto.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
(a) The existing eligibility criteria of the former municipalities will be used to assess applications.
(b) All applicants that were eligible for funding in 1997 will continue to be eligible in 1998.
(3) Assessment Process:
(a) All applications will be reviewed in an expeditious manner to allow Council and staff the time to redesign the grants process for 1999.
(b) A team of grants staff will assess applications against existing criteria, principally using information provided in the application form.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Recommended allocations will be submitted to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for recommendation to Council.
(b) Appeals will be considered at the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
(a) Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Executive Commissioner shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the former municipalities to administer the assessment process. Upon the adoption of a departmental structure, responsibility shall be assumed by the department or office responsible for parks and recreation.
(6) Interim Advances:
(a) Until the 1998 appropriations are approved by Council, the Executive Commissioner will be authorized to make advance payments of up to 50 percent of 1997 levels (or up to 100 percent in the case of grants of $2,000.00 or less) to ongoing or core-funded organizations where:
(i) the organization would normally have received funds from one of the former municipalities earlier in the year than when Council is scheduled to approve the 1998 grant allocations; or
(ii) the organization merits the assistance of the municipality in addressing cash-flow requirements; or
(iii) the Executive Commissioner, in his or her discretion, believes supporting a request for an advance upholds the spirit of the transitional grants policy.
(b) All qualified organizations requesting an advance payment will complete a request form supplied for that purpose.
(7) New Applicants:
New applications will be accepted with the caution that funds may be limited.
Contact Name:
Joe Halstead: Tel: 395-6188/Fax: 395-0105
jhalstead@city.north-york.on.ca
Appendix D
Public Health Grants
Purpose:
To strengthen community capacity and ensure delivery of varied, target-specific and community-sensitive programming. As such, grants are an integral component of a program plan and budget; they extend and complement work carried out by City staff.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) AIDS Prevention Grants:
(a) Number of applications: 57.
(b) Number of awards: 39.
(c) Total amount awarded: $1,052,808.00.
(2) Drug Abuse Prevention Grants:
(a) Number of applications: 73.
(b) Number of awards: 58.
(c) Total amount awarded: $500,000.00.
Background:
Prior to amalgamation, only Toronto had on-going public health grants programs: these were for AIDS prevention and drug abuse prevention. In addition, Toronto provided an annual line-item grant to the Toronto Board of Education for school food programs.
AIDS prevention grants support innovative, targeted education programs to influence behaviours and situations that put people at risk of acquiring HIV. Drug abuse prevention grants support projects designed to prevent and reduce inappropriate drug use. In all cases, grants are awarded on a program-specific basis; no operating grants are provided through these programs.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
Applicants will be provided with an application form based on the form used in 1997 by the former City of Toronto.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
The existing criteria for public health grants shall be continued in the transition year. These grants will be limited to organizations from the former City of Toronto in the transition year.
(3) Assessment Process:
(a) All applications will be reviewed in an expeditious manner to allow Council and staff the time to redesign the grants process for 1999.
(b) The Interim Medical Officer of Health shall convene review panels for each of the grants programs under the authority being concurrently sought in a separate report to be considered by the Board of Health in January 1998. The panels will comprise a balance of citizen members with appropriate expertise representing various sectors in a manner consistent with previous years.
(c) Staff will assess all applications and prepare reports for the review panels.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Recommendations developed by the review panels will be forwarded to the Board of Health for recommendation to Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and Council.
(b) The appropriate review panels, in keeping with past practice, will consider appeals.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
(a) Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Acting Medical Officer of Health shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the former municipalities to administer the grants. Upon the adoption of a departmental structure, responsibility shall be assumed by the department or office responsible for public health
(6) Interim Advances:
(a) At its meeting of June 23 and 24, 1997, the former City of Toronto Council approved 1997/1998 AIDS prevention grants which require a second and final payment to be made out of the 1998 budget on January 15, 1998. These instalments will be paid under the authority provided in the interim estimates.
(b) In addition to the payments described in Clause No. 6(a), until the 1998 appropriations are approved by Council, the Acting Medical Officer of Health shall be authorized to make advance payments of up to 50 percent of 1997 levels (or up to 100 percent in the case of grants of $2,000.00 or less) to ongoing or core-funded organizations where:
(i) the organization would normally have received funds from one of the former municipalities earlier in the year than when Council is scheduled to approve the 1998 grant allocations; or
(ii) the organization merits the assistance of the municipality in addressing cash-flow requirements; or
(iii) the Acting Medical Officer of Health, in his or her discretion, believes supporting a request for an advance upholds the spirit of the transitional grants policy.
(c) All qualified organizations requesting an advance payment shall complete a request form supplied for that purpose.
(7) New Applicants:
As these programs are project-specific, requests for support from new applicants will be accepted.
Contact Name:
Dr. Sheela V. Basrur: Tel: 469-8540/Fax: 461-8564
Appendix E
Housing Grants
Purpose:
To assist community based non-profit agencies to respond to long term and emergency issues related to homelessness in the former City of Toronto.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) Number of grants awarded: 37.
(2) Total amount awarded: $1,038,500.00.
Background:
The Homeless Initiatives Fund, created in 1992 by the City of Toronto Council, has grown out of a strong foundation of community partnerships and acknowledgment of the importance of a continuum of services for a wide variety of people who are homeless or are in danger of being homeless.
The Homeless Initiatives Fund is based on the former City of Toronto=s AOff The Streets@ policy which recognizes that homelessness is a multifaceted problem that requires different problem solving approaches depending on individual circumstances. Program priorities are established annually after consultation with the City=s Alternative Housing Sub-Committee. The Fund has the following components:
(1) Emergency Street Projects:
(a) Street Outreach;
(b) Shelter Alternatives; and
(c) Information and Communications.
(2) Off the Streets:
(a) Survival Fund Initiatives; and
(b) Innovations and Longer-Term Initiatives.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
Applicants will be provided with an application form based on the Homeless Initiative Fund form used in 1997 by the former City of Toronto.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
(a) The existing criteria for the Homeless Initiatives Fund shall be continued in the transition year pending review of the program.
(b) In the transition year, grants will be limited to applicants from the former City of Toronto.
(c) Program priorities for 1998 may be revised by the Alternative Housing Sub-Committee.
(3) Assessment Process:
All applications will be reviewed by staff in an expeditious manner to allow Council and staff the time to redesign the grants process for 1999.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Recommendations developed by staff teams will be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for approval by June 1998.
(b) Applicants will be notified of their recommended grant in advance, and can appeal this recommendation to the Committee.
(c) Recommendations and appeals approved by the Committee will be forwarded to Council for final approval.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Executive Commissioner shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the former municipalities to administer the grants.
(6) Interim Advances:
(a) Until the 1998 appropriations are approved by Council, the Executive Commissioner shall be authorized to make advance payments of up to 50 percent of 1997 levels (or up to 100 percent in the case of grants of $2,000.00 or less) to ongoing or core-funded organizations where:
(i) the organization would normally have received funds from one of the former municipalities earlier in the year than when Council is scheduled to approve the 1998 grant allocations; or
(ii) the organization merits the assistance of the municipality in addressing cash-flow requirements; or
(iii) the Executive Commissioner, in his or her discretion, believes supporting a request for an advance upholds the spirit of the transitional grants policy.
(b) All qualified organizations requesting an advance payment shall complete a request form supplied for that purpose.
(7) New Applicants:
Requests for support from new applicants will be accepted.
Contact Name:
Joanne Campbell: Tel: 392-6135/Fax: 392-3974
Appendix F
Access and Equity Grants
Purpose:
To support voluntary, non-profit organizations to undertake activities designed to eliminate racial discrimination, improve ethno-racial and Aboriginal access to public sector services, and combat hate activity.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) Number of applications: 48.
(2) Number of awards: 36.
(3) Total amount awarded: $307,000.00.
Background:
Prior to amalgamation, Metropolitan Toronto was the only municipality with an Access and Equity grants program with the above-stated purpose.
Council approved the allocations on the recommendation of a standing committee. The assessment process leading up to recommended allocations was undertaken by staff.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
Applicants will be provided with an application form based on the form used by Metro in 1997.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
The existing eligibility and funding criteria for the Access and Equity Grants Program will be continued in the transition year pending review of the program.
(3) Assessment Process:
(a) Staff shall receive and review all applications against existing criteria.
(b) All applicants will be reviewed in an expeditious manner to allow Council and staff the time to redesign the grants process for 1999.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Recommendations developed by a staff team will be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for approval by June 1998.
(b) Applicants will be notified of their recommended grant in advance, and can appeal this recommendation to the Committee.
(c) Recommendations and appeals approved by the Committee will be forwarded to Council for final approval.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Commissioner of Human Resources shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the former municipalities to administer the grants program. Upon the adoption of a departmental structure, responsibility shall be assumed by the department or office responsible for access, equity and race relations programs.
(6) Interim Advances:
(a) Until the 1998 appropriations are approved by Council, the Executive Commissioner shall be authorized to make advance payments of up to 50 percent of 1997 levels (or up to 100 percent in the case of grants of $2,000.00 or less) to ongoing or core-funded organizations where:
(i) the organization would normally have received funds from one of the former municipalities earlier in the year than when Council is scheduled to approve the 1998 grant allocations; or
(ii) the organization merits the assistance of the municipality in addressing cash-flow requirements; or
(iii) the Executive Commissioner, in his or her discretion, believes supporting a request for an advance upholds the spirit of the transitional grants policy,
(b) All qualified organizations requesting an advance payment shall complete a request form supplied for that purpose.
(7) New Applicants:
Requests for support from new applicants will be accepted. Funds for new applicants will be provided from performance-related grant reductions and attrition (some previously funded applicants fail to reapply). As a result, funding available for new applicants will be limited.
Contact Name:
Brenda Glover: Tel: 397-9802
Appendix G
Prevention of Violence Grants
Purpose:
To increase community safety through the participation of local organizations in safety initiatives and education for prevention of violence, with an emphasis on the safety concerns of women and other vulnerable groups.
1997 Service Level Indicators:
(1) Number of applications: 86.
(2) Number of awards: 56.
(3) Total amount awarded: $485,000.00.
Background:
The Breaking the Cycle of Violence grants program of the former City of Toronto is the only grants program specific to violence prevention among the seven former municipalities.
This grants program was initiated in 1993 as a result of community consultations and the recommendations of the Safe City Committee. In 1995, Toronto City Council declared community safety to be a corporate priority, and the grants program continues to provide a key resource for meeting municipal objectives for increased community safety. Project grants are provided in several categories to strengthen local groups' capacity to engage in targeted programs which support a continuum of services for communities and neighbourhoods.
Community organizations must meet criteria for management and program delivery capacities which are similar to those of the community service grants programs. Groups must be incorporated in order to receive demonstration grants (over $10,000.00). Unincorporated groups are eligible for prevention grants for education and local community development activities (under $10,000.00).
Grants are intended to assist community groups to: increase the accessibility of services to First Nations, immigrant, disabled, visible minority women and women with special needs, through frontline, ethno-specific and multicultural services; undertake innovative educational and community development programs directed at prevention of violence; and provide education and training in intervention and prevention strategies for staff and volunteers. The Safe City Committee provides direction each year on outreach priorities to identify communities in need of support for community safety initiatives. 1998 outreach priorities are: organizations serving disabled women; youth; and low income women and children.
Staffing was provided by the Healthy City Office (grants review) and Finance Department (secretariat). The review process included application forms and, in some cases, meetings with applicants. Recommendations were made by a grant review board and a Councillor representative from the Safe City Committee. This group also heard the appeals. Grant recommendations have gone to Council for approval through the former Neighbourhoods Committee.
The final report of the Transition Team addresses these grants under Recommendation No. 114. It recommends that the review of 1998 grant applications should use the same criteria as in 1997, that Community Councils be asked for input on needs identification, that allowances be made for advance payments, and that new policies be developed for 1999.
Transition Year Administration:
(1) Application Forms:
Applicants will be provided with an application form based on the form used in 1997 by the former City of Toronto.
(2) Eligibility Criteria:
(a) The existing criteria for the Breaking the Cycle of Violence grants program shall be continued in the transition year.
(b) In the transition year, grants will be limited to the applicants from the former City of Toronto.
(3) Assessment Process:
Staff will assess applications against existing criteria, seeking input from the Task Force on Community Safety.
(4) Approval and Appeal Process:
(a) Recommendations developed by staff will be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for approval.
(b) Applicants will be notified of their recommended grant in advance, and can appeal this recommendation to the Committee.
(c) Recommendations and appeals approved by the Committee will be forwarded to Council for final approval.
(5) Staffing and Administration:
Until a departmental structure is adopted, the Executive Commissioner shall recruit and assign the necessary staff of the former municipalities to administer the grants program. Upon the adoption of a departmental structure, responsibility shall be assumed by the department or office responsible for the programs of the former Healthy City Office.
(6) New Applicants:
Requests for support from new applicants will be accepted.
Contact Name:
Fran Perkins: Tel: 392-0099/Fax: 392-0089
fperkins@city.toronto.on.ca
CCCC
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, also having had before it during consideration of the foregoing matter a communication (January 9, 1998) from the Acting Secretary, Interim Board of Health, advising that the Board on January 7, 1998, approved a report dated January 6, 1998, from the Acting Medical Officer of Health, wherein she recommended that:
(1) the Board of Health authorize the Acting Medical Officer of Health to finalize schedules, undertake promotion and revise the 1997 application package as needed to implement the AIDS and Drug Abuse Prevention funding programs in keeping with grants-related decisions made by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and City Council; and
(2) the Board of Health authorize the Acting Medical Officer of Health to recruit members to review panels for the AIDS and Drug Abuse Prevention funding programs that reflect representation according to the membership guidelines in place in 1997. Such review panels will make funding recommendations to the Board of Health in May/June 1998.
Councillor Pam McConnell, Don River, appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.
