SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
   CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
   MAY 8, 1997


                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                           Date:April 21, 1997
                                           C.C. File No. 2052-2


   To:       Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

   FROM:     Director, Office of Cultural Affairs

   SUBJECT:  Reconsideration of 1997 Cultural Grant Recommendations


   RECOMMENDATIONS
                      
   A.   THAT  Council  not approve  Project  Grants  to the  following  two
        organizations that have requested reconsideration:

        MTW Musical Theatreworks of Canada (#72)   
        Word on the Street (#134)

   B.   THAT Council approve a $1,500 Project Grant to the     Association
        of Neighbourhood Houses for the Intertribal Pow Wow (#54).

        The source of funds for this grant would be the $1,500 remaining in
        the Project Grants category of the Cultural Grants budget.

   C.   THAT  Council approve  a  $2,500  Project  Grant  to  the  Japanese
        Canadian  Studies Society  (#55),  SUBJECT TO  confirmation of  the
        participation   of   experienced   professional   musical   theatre
        consultants, as well as sufficient financial resources to undertake
        full  production  workshops  of  the  musical  theatre  version  of
        "Rosie's  Cafe", to  the satisfaction  of the  Director,  Office of
        Cultural Affairs.

        The source of funds for this grant would be $2,500 transferred from
        the Operating to the Project Grants category of the Cultural Grants
        budget,  leaving an  unallocated  balance of  $34,960 in  Operating
        Grants. 


   GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

   The  General  Manager  of Community  Services  submits A,  B  and  C for
   Council's CONSIDERATION.


   COUNCIL POLICY

   On November 22  1994 City Council established that  grant recommendation
   will be reconsidered only  if the reconsideration requests are  based on
   one or both of the following premises:


        1. that eligibility criteria have not been properly applied;       
                                      or 

        2. that the financial situation of the applicant has not          
   been properly assessed or understood.

   Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.


   PURPOSE

   This  report contains the results  of the staff  reconsideration of four
   Cultural  grant requests, as initiated by  grant applicants. It proposes
   changes to two original staff recommendations.


   BACKGROUND

   In November 1994, Council  approved a new grant reconsideration  process
   for Community Services and Cultural grants, with the following features:

       specified  grounds  for  reconsideration  (referred  to in  Council
        Policy, above) must be provided;

       staff's  reasons for  initial recommendations,  applicants' reasons
        for seeking reconsideration,  and staff's responses,  are presented
        in writing (see Appendix B); 

       grants that are not in dispute can be considered by Council earlier
        than those being reconsidered; and 

       some portion of the grants budget is set aside to allow for funding
        of  new  or  increased  grants  arising  form  the  reconsideration
        process.

   In a  letter dated  14 March  1997, all  Cultural Operating and  Project
   grant  applicants were  advised, in  writing, of  staff recommendations,
   along  with  reasons for  recommended  reductions,  or no  grants.  Four
   organizations requested reconsideration, as listed in Appendix A. 

   On  8  April  1997,  Council  approved  staff  recommendations  for  all
   Operating  and Project  grant applications  not being  reconsidered. The
   approval left a  balance of $37,460  in the  Operating Grant budget  and
   $1,500 in the Project grants budget, for a total of $38,960.


   DISCUSSION

   After  applicants for  reconsideration provided  written  information to
   support their requests, Cultural affairs staff conducted a second review
   of each  request. The  original applications, supporting  materials, and
   the  information  submitted  with  the  reconsideration  requests   were
   reviewed by a staff committee. Clarification was sought from applicants,
   as required. 

   Appendix  A  lists  the  applicant's grant  request  and  current  staff
   recommendations, including any conditions.   Appendix B contains written
   submissions  from applicants  requesting reconsideration,  together with
   staff responses. 


   CONCLUSION

   Staff did not originally recommend grants  to any of the four applicants
   requesting reconsideration this year. The process of reconsideration has
   resulted in changes to two of the initial grant recommendations:

        Intertribal Pow-Pow                     $1,500
        Japanese Canadian Studies Society       $2,500 
        Total                                   $4,000


   The source  of funds  for these  grants is the  $1,500 remaining  in the
   Project  Grants  category  and  $2,500 transferred  from  the  Operating
   category, leaving an unallocated balance of $34,960 in Operating Grants.

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