The city is establishing a new Delta Community Grants Funding policy.
It’s aimed at having a more formal application process and guidelines for community grant funding requests made to the city, assisting staff and council by streamlining requests and providing guidance to organizations seeking funding.
The city has been providing financial support to various organizations through fee for service agreements including: Deltassist, the Boys and Girls Club and Reach Child and Youth Development Society.
The city also grants permissive tax exemptions to support qualifying organizations by exempting land and/or improvements from municipal property taxation, as well as providing facility use at below market rent to various organizations including preschools. Other grants include community festival grants, facility rental fee waivers and other funding requests from community groups.
A staff report notes that total financial assistance in 2023 was $3.5 million, with fees for service approximately $1 million of that amount.
However, each year there are more requests for community support, but there are limits to the city’s ability to provide support in a fair and equitable manner without substantial increases in taxes.
The program will mainly focus on request for grants that do not fit under the categories of fees for service, permissive tax exemption or facility licenses/use.
“The purpose of the program is to assist non-profit organizations and community groups in Delta to undertake projects, programs and initiatives that provide benefit to Delta’s community. This policy provides a framework to ensure consistency and fairness in the assessment of funding requests, the allocation of grants to eligible applicants, and to encourage the delivery of projects and initiatives that have a positive impact in Delta while also establishing an annual expenditure for smaller community grants,” the report explains.
Organizations applying for Delta Community Grants Funding must be based in Delta and/or be proposing a community service, program, initiative or event that primarily serves Delta residents, as well as not receiving other support from the city.
Grants that are approved must not be considered as ongoing annual sources of funding, the report notes, adding alternative funding sources must be identified and pursued and any unused funds from the program must be returned. The maximum to be given to an eligible organization is $10,000.
A decision by the city manager to not approve a grant can be reconsidered by council if requested by the applicant.
The city’s 2024 Financial Plan includes up to $150,000 for the program.
Meanwhile, council recently endorsed entering into a one-year funding agreements with Deltassist for $179,000, Reach for $50,274 and the Boy’s and Girl’s Club for $113,000.
Deltassist’s request for $150,000 in additional funding was not approved and was referred for consideration for the 2025 budget, alongside further information to be brought forward by staff regarding funding models of free counselling programs offered in Metro Vancouver.
Staff will also undertake a review of the city’s funding service agreements in conjunction with the service providers “to ensure that the agreements reflect emerging community needs and have adequate and clear target outputs.”
