Members of the public service committee discuss a new program developed by city staff that would formalize and streamline capital funding requests from non-profits and other city organizations.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Council will look at implementing a new program that will formalize and streamline how the city accepts and approves grants from nonprofit organizations and other social service groups seeking capital funding.
Throughout the year, city council will typically receive numerous requests for funding from several local non-profit organizations that could have budgetary implications.
On Monday public service committee members received a presentation from city staff who have developed a new ‘Non-Profit Capital Grant’ program that looks to streamline these funding requests into a formal application process to help facilitate and make sure valid requests are being presented in front of council.
Jaret Dicky, manager of municipal business support, presented committee members a recommended flow chart of steps the city can adopt to process applications.
First, a non-profit organization will fill out an intake application that will allow city staff to review the eligibility of criteria in that application. If the application is eligible, the next step involves the non-profit submitting a business case to the city to review. This could include providing historical financial and business statements.
“So a combination of eligibility criteria,” says Dicky. “Detailed application form, historic financial statements as a business, as well as a business case, could be applied for these programs.”
City staff would use a ranking system or ‘scoring matrix’ to evaluate how the applications align with council values and how effective they would be within the community. If the business case is approved by staff, the final step would be to submit the funding request in front of council for final approval.
To formulate the best strategy for the needs of local non-profits in Medicine Hat, city staff compared grant funding models from other mid-sized municipalities including Lethbridge, Red Deer and Grand Prairie.
Of the nine municipalities staff researched, four have established a formal grant process similar to the proposed ‘Non-Profit Capital Grant’ program.
“We tried to make a made-in-Medicine Hat solution having seen the types of requests that have been coming in, in the past.” said Dicky.
Coun. Robert Dumanowski says it’s important to have a formal process fair to all applicants seeking city funding.
“I think obviously establishing criteria is critical, and what does that process look like? In the form of predictability, obviously bigger items would have to be part of a budget process.” said Dumanowski.
“The fact that it’s predictable, everybody knows what the criteria is, everybody has an opportunity to apply in their own way and make sure all the pieces are in place before council considers it,” said Coun. Ramona Robins. “That gives me a lot of comfort knowing that it’s been vetted in a business plan.”
Members of the committee voted to adopt the project so it can be discussed in front of council.
If adopted, city staff hope to implement the funding application process by the second quarter of 2025.
