|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
October 5, 2004 | |
Author: |
Diane Elliott | |
Phone No.: |
604.871.6519 | |
RTS No.: |
4513 | |
CC File No.: |
2051 | |
Meeting Date: |
November 4, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets |
FROM: |
General Manager of Corporate Services / Director of Finance |
SUBJECT: |
2004 "Other" Grant Request - Wildlife Rescue Association |
CONSIDERATION
That Council approve a grant of $5,000 to the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC; the source of the funds for this request would be Other Grants - Miscellaneous Grants.
COUNCIL POLICY
Applications for grants under the "Other" Grants category are to be submitted to the City. Approval of grants requires eight affirmative votes of Council.
PURPOSE
This report presents a request for funding under the "Other" Grant category - Miscellaneous Grant.
BACKGROUND
Council established the "Other" Grants budget to provide funding for grant requests that did not meet the criteria for Community Services, Cultural, Childcare or Environmental grants. On June 22, 1989, Council approved the restructuring of the "Other" Grant funding into three separate categories: Major Facilities, Annual Recurring and Miscellaneous. Funding is also provided for specific programs and one-time grants requests that come before Council throughout the year.
In October 2002, Council approved a permanent reallocation of $48,000 from the miscellaneous category to support the creation of a "Celebration" grants category for community-based festivals and celebrations to be implemented in 2003.
The unallocated balance of the miscellaneous category of the "Other" grants budget is $5,000. If Council chooses to approve this grant request of $5,000 the source of the funding would be Other Grants - Miscellaneous Grants.
DISCUSSION
Requested $5,000 - 2003 funding $4,500.
The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. (WRA) is a charitable society located in Burnaby. Its mandate is to rehabilitate and release back to the wild injured, orphaned or pollution damaged wildlife. WRA is the largest and oldest urban rehabilitator of wildlife in the province. It raises the public's awareness of wildlife issues with programs designed to educate about wildlife and their habitats and to encourage respect and protection for wildlife. As human-wildlife conflicts in urban areas increases, provincial ministries continue to downsize. As a result, WRA is fielding an increasing number of public inquiries about wildlife problems.
WRA's rehabilitation centre admitted 3,095 animals in 2003, 1,023 (31%) of which were from Vancouver. During the year the WRA conducted 126 education sessions and developed a new television program called Wildlife Weekly which is aired on Shaw TV. The WRA has seven full and part-time employees who are assisted by over 115 volunteers. Despite a significant reduction in operating costs, WRA forecasts a deficit for 2004 as donations decrease amidst an increasingly competitive funding environment. The grant request of $5,000 (Appendix A) is to help offset decreasing donations and to assist the organization respond to local wildlife and community needs.
The Association received grants from the City of Vancouver in the amount of $2,500 in 1992; $2,575 in 1993; $3,000 in 1994 and $5,000 in 2002.
The WRA experienced a year-end deficit of $131,446 in 2003 after achieving a surplus in 2002 of $114,518. The 2004 Budget projects a year-end deficit of $40,920 on a total budget of $360,070.
At the end of 2003, the WRA had an Endowment Fund of $102,747 for ongoing support and for new and innovative programs. At the end of 2003 the WRA's Operating Fund had a balance of $18,726 and their Capital Fund had a balance of $4,097. In addition, WRA had a six-month Emergency Fund with a balance of $194,795. The total balance of all funds at the end of 2003 was $320,365.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
As the budget for "Other" Grants has been reallocated, the source of the funds for the grant request under consideration would be Other Grants - Miscellaneous Grants.
CONCLUSION
The Director of Finance submits the Wildlife Rescue Association's grant request for Council's Consideration.
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