|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
July 05, 2004 | |
Author: |
Coralys Cuthbert | |
Phone No.: |
871-6044 | |
RTS No.: |
4244 | |
CC File No.: |
2401 | |
Meeting Date: |
July 20, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director of Social Planning |
SUBJECT: |
2004 Partners in Organizational Development Grant Allocation |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve one Partners in Organizational Development grant of $10,000 to the Centre for Sustainability for subsequent distribution to five community services organizations in the amounts listed in Appendix A of this report; source of funds to be the 2004 Community Services grants budget.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek approval of a grant to the Centre for Sustainability for subsequent distribution to five community service organizations.
BACKGROUND
On March 9, 2004, Council approved an allocation from the Community Services Grants of $20,000 for the Partners in Organizational Development (POD). Partners in Organizational Development is a grant program initiated in 1989 as a partnership of the Vancouver Foundation, United Way of the Lower Mainland, the Department of the Secretary of State and the City of Vancouver. The aim of this grant program is to help non-profit groups deal with common organizational problems and thus to enable them to function more effectively. Other partners in past years have included Health Canada and the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services.
The 2004 POD program funding partners are: United Way of the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Foundation, and the City of Vancouver. This year, the administration of this grants program was transferred from United Way of the Lower Mainland to the Centre for Sustainability.
The Centre for Sustainability has developed over the past two years to provide the province's not-for-profit sector with an access and referral point for technical assistance resources. Its mandate is to increase the capacity and effectiveness of people and organizations engaged in the non-profit sector in British Columbia. The City of Vancouver's Social Planning Department and Office of Cultural Affairs, United Way of the Lower Mainland, the Vancouver Foundation, Canadian Heritage, the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, Human Resources Development Canada, the Vancouver Arts Stabilization Team, the Capital Regional District, British Columbia Arts Council, and BC Technology - Social Ventures Partners, all participated in discussions to create the Centre for Sustainability. To learn more about its mission and objectives see the web site http://www.centreforsustainability.ca/.
The Centre for Sustainability will now handle the administration of the Community Services POD program, which involves marketing the grant program, co-ordinating POD funder meetings, compiling mailing lists, distributing applications, mailing out cheques, providing letters to unsuccessful applicants, and securing project evaluation reports due at the end of each year from grant recipients. They will receive a 6% administration fee from the partners as reimbursement for these services.
DISCUSSION
Partners in Organizational Development grants are exclusively for hiring a consultant to assist non-profit community services agencies with organizational development activities, including Board development, diversity and access planning, and development of plans such as strategic, fundraising, financial, communications, and marketing plans. A copy of the 2004 POD brochure describing the program, eligibility and evaluation criteria is attached as Appendix C. Proposals are assessed on the basis of completeness of the application, eligible activities and costs, documented need, a clear activity plan and the long-term benefit to the organization as a whole. The POD grants are reviewed by a committee of staff representing each funder.
This year, the POD grants are being offered in two cycles - Spring and Fall 2004. Previously, these grants could only be accessed once a year. The change came about in recognition that groups needed more timely access to funds to support organizational capacity building and one Fall grant cycle was not meeting their needs. The 2004 budget for the Spring grant cycle is $72,600. The grant program continues to be oversubscribed with requests that exceed the available budget. A total of 70 applications were received with requests amounting to $317,617. The Centre for Sustainability is in the process of marketing POD to other potential funders to attract additional funding.
Partners in Organizational Development Funder Contributions |
Total |
City of Vancouver |
$10,000 |
Vancouver Foundation |
$30,000 |
United Way of the Lower Mainland |
$30,000 |
Sub-total: |
$70,000 |
less 6% administration fee for the Centre for Sustainability |
$4,200 |
Sub-total: |
$65,800 |
Cary-over from 2003 POD & returned grants |
$6,800 |
TOTAL |
$72,600 |
Of the 70 Community Services POD applications received this Spring, 16 were from Vancouver groups. The majority of the applications were for support to develop strategic plans or fundraising plans. Although the program is province-wide, City funds are only allocated to Vancouver-based organizations that provide services to Vancouver residents. The other funders contribute both to Vancouver groups and non-Vancouver groups. City funding for POD will be used to support the following five Vancouver community services groups: 411 Seniors Society, the Multicultural Helping House Society, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre and the West End Senior's Network Society. United Way of the Lower Mainland and the Vancouver Foundation will also be contributing $10,600 to assist these groups and an additional $11,000 to fund Farm Folk/City Folk Society, Little Mountain Residential Care and Housing Society and the 3 H Craftworks Society. Vancouver groups that will be funded in the Spring POD grant cycle are listed in Appendix A. Vancouver based groups not recommended for funding are noted in Appendix B. These groups were unsuccessful for the following reasons: incomplete applications, ineligible activities or insufficient funds available in the POD budget.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no additional financial implications to the 2004 City Operating budget as a result of approving a $10,000 Partners in Organizational Development grant to the Centre for Sustainability. The funds were approved for POD as a component of the 2004 Community Services Grants budget on March 9, 2004. Council's approval to disburse $10,000 from the Community Services Grants budget will leave a reserve of $10,000 to be used for the Fall POD grant cycle.
CONCLUSION
The Director of Social Planning recommends allocation of a $10,000 POD grant to the Centre for Sustainability to be subsequently distributed to five Community Services groups as noted in Appendix A.
- - - - -
APPENDIX A
VANCOUVER ORGANIZATIONS TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE 2004 PARTNERS IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
The following five Vancouver-based community services organizations will receive support from the City's contribution to the Partners in Organizational Development Program:
|
Organizations to Receive City Funding |
POD Project |
Request |
Allocation |
Other Funders' Share |
City Share |
411 Seniors Centre Society |
- for developing a strategic plan |
$5,000 |
$4,000 |
$2,120 |
$1,880 |
Multicultural Helping House Society |
- for diversity/access planning |
$5,000 |
$4,000 |
$2,120 |
$1,880 |
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. |
- for developing a strategic plan |
$5,000 |
$4,000 |
$2,120 |
$1,880 |
Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre |
- for developing a financial sustainability plan |
$5,000 |
$4,000 |
$2,120 |
$1,880 |
West End Senior's Network Society |
- for developing a strategic plan |
$5,000 |
$4,000 |
$2,120 |
$1,880 |
Sub-Total |
$25,000 |
$20,000 |
$10,600 |
$9,400 | |
Plus 6% of City's share ($10,000) for administration fee to The Centre for Sustainability. |
$600 | ||||
TOTAL |
$10,000 | ||||
The following two Vancouver-based groups will be funded by other POD partners:
Organization |
POD Project |
Request |
Allocation |
Farm Folk/City Folk Society |
- for developing a strategic plan |
$5,000 |
$4,000 |
Little Mountain Residential Housing & Care Society |
- for developing a strategic plan |
$4,800 |
$4,000 |
3 H Craftworks Society |
- for Board development |
$4,000 |
$3,000 |
TOTAL: |
$13,800 |
$11,000 |
APPENDIX B
VANCOUVER ORGANIZATIONS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR 2003 POD FUNDING
The following eight Vancouver community service organizations are not recommended for POD grants from the City of Vancouver allocation.
Organization |
POD Project |
Request |
|
Aboriginal Mother's Centre Society |
Development of a fundraising plan |
$5,000.00 |
Ineligible - incomplete application missing a signature and included ineligible activities such as developing a brochure, research, seeking charitable funding status |
Battered Women's Support Services (BWSS) |
Development of a strategic plan |
$5,000.00 |
Ineligible - incomplete application missing Board and staff signatures |
Jewish Family Service Agency |
Development of a financial plan |
$5,000.00 |
Insufficient funds in POD budget to support this project |
Kalayaan Resource and Training Centre |
Organizational change planning |
$5,000.00 |
Ineligible - activity was to conduct training workshops for volunteers to develop their skills to deliver community services; volunteer training is an ineligible POD activity |
Kiwassa Neighbourhood Services Association |
Board development |
$4,585.80 |
Ineligible - development of a Director's handbook is not an activity that can be funded by POD |
Learning Disabilities Association of BC - Vancouver Chapter |
Development of a strategic plan |
$4,800.00 |
Insufficient funds in POD budget to support this project |
Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society |
Organizational change planning |
$5,000.00 |
Ineligible - incomplete, missing a project summary and included ineligible activities such as developing and implementing training and mentoring plan for staff |
Quest Outreach Society |
Development of a strategic plan and fundraising plan |
$5,000.00 |
Insufficient funds in POD budget to support this project |
TOTAL: |
$39,385.80 |
APPENDIX C
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