SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 7
                                           CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
                                           MARCH 13, 1997

                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date:February 20, 1997

   TO:       Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

   FROM:     Director of Finance

   SUBJECT:  1997 Funding Ceiling - 'Other' Grants


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT the 1997 funding ceiling for 'Other' Grants be set as follows:
    
             Annual Recurring and Miscellaneous      $250,000
             Vancouver Art Stabilisation Program      100,000
             Barrier - to - Bridges                    15,000
   Sister City Societies                     15,000            Community
   safety Offices                 150,000
                                                     $530,000


   GENERAL MANAGER S COMMENTS

        The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval of
        the foregoing.

   COUNCIL POLICY

   Council policy on civic grants is presented in the companion report from
   the General Managers of Community Services and Corporate Services.

   PURPOSE

   The purpose of this report is to submit the 1997 funding ceiling of the
   'Other' Grants budget for Council s approval.
    
   BACKGROUND

   City Council, on June 22, 1989, approved the recommendation of the
   Director of Finance to restructure the 'Other' Grants funding into three
   separate categories : Major Facilities, Annual Recurring and
   Miscellaneous. Since 1989, four new categories have been added :
   Vancouver Art Stabilisation Program, Barrier-to-Bridges, Sister City
   Societies and Community Safety Offices.



                                     - 2 -


   DISCUSSION

   1.   Major Facilities

   The Major Facilities category provides funding to the four organisations
   which operate the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Museum Complex at Vanier
   Park. The grant to these organisations are based on specific and
   on-going arrangement as stipulated in the operating agreements with the
   City.

   The 1997 funding ceiling of $3,200,500 is based on the 1996 level of
   $3,250,500, adjusted by a reduction of $130,000 to reflect the Council
   resolution of February 20, 1997 and the addition of the $80,000 grant to
   the Science World transferred from the 'Cultural' grant category. Staff
   believe that it is more appropriate to include the Science World as part
   of the major exhibiting organisations rather than as part of the
   Cultural grant as in past years. Reports on the allocations of the
   grants will be submitted to Council at a later date.

   2.   Other Grants

   a)   Annual Recurring and Miscellaneous

   In establishing the funding ceiling for the Annual Recurring and
   Miscellaneous category, the Director of Finance has given consideration
   to the funding level provided to the various organisations in 1996, as
   well as the anticipated requests in 1997. The funding ceiling reflects a
   reduction of $200,000 for the AIDS grants, as directed by Council on
   February 4, 1997; and a reduction of $78,400, reflecting only partial
   year funding to the YWCA Housing Registry to April 30, 1997.

   It is estimated that an amount of $250,000 will be sufficient to fund
   the 1997 grant request.

   b)   Other Specific Items

   An amount of $280,000 has been included to fund four specific
   categories: Vancouver Art Stabilisation Program, Barrier - to - Bridges,
   Sister City Societies and the community policing grants, at the funding
   levels in accordance with past Council direction. Reports on the
   allocation under these four categories will be submitted to Council at a
   later date.



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