THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF PEEL

GRANTS AD HOC COMMITTEE

MINUTES GRC-2007-1


The Grants Ad Hoc Committee (GRC) met on March 1, 2007, at 8:40 a.m. in the 5th Floor Boardroom, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Dr., Brampton.

Members: E. Kolb, K. Mahoney, E. Moore
 
Members Absent:

R. Paterak, due to other municipal business

 
Also Present:

D. Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer; J. Menard, Acting Commissioner of Social Services; D. Labrecque, Treasurer and Commissioner of Finance; S. Solonik, Acting Manager, Community Services and Special Projects; J. Payne, Acting Manager, Legislative Services; M. Gardiner, Legislative Co-ordinator

___________________________________

* See text for arrivals
¨See text for departures

 


M. Gardiner, Legislative Co-ordinator presided.


1. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

RECOMMENDATION GRC-1-2007:

That Councillor Moore be appointed as Chair of the Grants Ad Hoc Committee for a term ending November 30, 2010;

And further, that Councillor Mahoney be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Grants Ad Hoc Committee for a term ending November 30, 2010.


Councillor Moore assumed the Chair.


2. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST


3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION GRC-2-2007:

That the agenda for the March 1, 2007, Grants Ad Hoc Committee meeting be approved.


4. DELEGATIONS/PRESENTATIONS


5. REPORTS


6. COMMUNICATIONS

a) Janet Menard, Acting Commissioner of Social Services, Memo dated February 20, 2007, Providing an Overview of the 2007 One-Year Program Funding and 2007-2009 Multi-Year Operating Funding Recommendations

Sandra Solonik, Acting Manager, Community Services and Special Projects presented a brief overview of the 2007 community program funding recommendations. She noted that the Community Programs Grant budget, in the amount of $1,655,211 was approved in principle as part of the draft Social Services budget at the January 25, 2007 Regional Council Budget meeting. Based on the Community Programs Grant budget, staff recommended that higher priority be provided to multi-year operating funding applications to support core operating costs for organizations that are generally not supported through other funding sources.

Councillor Mahoney inquired if there is an opportunity for community agencies to apply from one-year program funding to multi-year funding.

Sandra Solonik responded that the Community Program Funding Guidelines state that in order to be eligible to apply for multi-year operating funding, an agency must receive two consecutive years of one year program funding. She explained that the increase in funding requests for 2007-2009 multi-year operating funding will limit the amount of money available for one-year funding each year, therefore decreasing the number of agencies eligible for operating funding. She suggested that staff will need to review the current eligibility criteria and guidelines and make recommendations on how the Community Program Funding program should proceed in future funding years to ensure Region of Peel is supporting the community in the best way possible.

David Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer noted that one-year program funding was originally set as short-term funding. He noted that one-year program applicants get their funding from agencies, however, lack core funding. He added that it is timely to revisit and review the guidelines.

Councillor Moore suggested that monitoring the quality of funded programs for both one-year and multi-year funding and should be reviewed and included in the community programs funding eligibility criteria review.

Regional Chair Kolb requested that Grants Ad hoc members meet to review the community programs funding eligibility criteria and revisit the community programs funding guidelines.

Following discussion regarding feedback on funding decisions, the Grants Ad hoc Committee members expressed their support for the 2007 one year program funding and 2007-2009 multi-year operating funding recommendations.

RECOMMENDATION GRC-3-2007:

That the 2007 Community Programs Funding Grants, multi-year and one-year funding, financed from Community Programs Funding Grant Account CF0012 56743 be allocated as follows:

2007-2009 Multi-Year Operating Funding:

Totalling $1,457,560

2007 One Year Program Funding:

Totalling $148,000

And further, that the Community Programs Funding Grants, in the amount of $1,655,211, be approved as part of the 2007 Budget process.


7. NEXT MEETING

RECOMMENDATION GRC-4-2007:

That the next meeting of the Grants Ad hoc Committee be scheduled for Thursday, April 5, 2007 at 9:30 a.m., Regional Administrative Headquarters, Council Chamber, 5th floor, 10 Peel Centre Dr., Brampton, Ontario.


8. OTHER BUSINESS


9. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 9:12 a.m.