ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: July 7, 1998
Author/Local: Rick Gates/6036
CC File No. 2055

TO:	Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM:	Director of Community Services, Social Planning and Director of Office of Cultural Affairs
SUBJECT:	1998 Capital Grant Allocations

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council approve 7 Capital Grants, totalling $103,200, as listed in Appendix A, including conditions on the grants, where noted.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services submits the foregoing for Council's CONSIDERATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

In 1987, City Council adopted "Criteria and Guidelines for Capital Grants". Included in these was the stipulation that the City grant for a project is not to exceed one-third of the total project cost.

The 1997-1999 Capital Plan included provision for a Capital Grant program for social service and cultural projects in facilities which are not owned by the City.

Approval of grants requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report contains recommended allocations for the 1998 Capital Grants program.

BACKGROUND

For many years, the City has provided support for cultural and social service facilities through a number of mechanisms including: direct provision of facilities like Carnegie and the Vancouver Civic Theatres, capital budget allocations to organizations operating out of City-owned facilities (i.e. Mt. Pleasant Neighbourhood House, Firehall Theatre), and capital grants to organizations located in their own (or leased) premises.

Council approved an allocation of $500,000 for Capital Grants in the 1997-1999 Capital Plan. On May 28, 1998 Council approved an allocation of $200,000 in the Capital Budget for this year's Capital Grants.

DISCUSSION

Capital Grants Process:
City Council adopted criteria and guidelines for Capital Grants in 1987. These were amended in 1994 to reflect recent changes in the program (i.e. grants are only for facilities not-owned by the City; only social service and cultural facilities are eligible). Revised criteria and guidelines are attached to this report as Appendix C.

Following Council's approval of the $200,000 budget allocation in May 1998, a preliminary application form along with a copy of the criteria and guidelines, was sent to Community Service and Cultural grant applicants who own or lease spaces and who had expressed an interest in the Capital Grants program.

A total of 14 organizations returned completed preliminary applications. All of the applicants met the basic eligibility criteria for Capital Grants, so full application forms were then sent to them. A total of 9 applications, requesting a total of $168,965 were submitted. The front pages of the application forms are attached to this report as Appendix D.

Staff evaluated the applications first on basis of the basic criteria, and then in terms of the following priorities:

· Appropriateness, public benefits, effectiveness, quality and potential improvement of services;
· Financial need;
· Cost of service;
· Accessibility for the broad community; and
· Confirmed financial support from other sources.

Facilities Development staff participated in the grant review process to review the cost estimates and have recommended adjustments where appropriate.

The review process culminated in the recommended grant allocations attached as Appendix A. The rationale for each recommendation is included in this report as Appendix B.

Just over half of the grants budget is being recommended this year as that is the total amount applied for that could be supported. We had anticipated a number of applications from larger projects, but these projects are not yet developed well enough to form the basis of a completed application. Applications from these and other projects can be expected for the 1999 capital grants.

Accountability and Recognition:
As in the past, one-half of the grant will be paid at the start of the project, subject to any conditions having been met, and the applicant having received all of the necessary approvals and permits. The remaining half is paid when the work has been satisfactorily completed, as determined by the Director of Community Services, Social Planning or the Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs.

To ensure that the funds are used as proposed, all grant recipients will be required to submit a report within 60 days of completion of the project, outlining project revenues and expenditures and noting specifically how the City grant was spent.

As in the past, staff are recommending that grant recipients be required to acknowledge the City contribution in any situation where project funding is officially recognized by the organization (i.e. in annual reports, brochures, plaques, etc.).

CONCLUSION

Approval of the recommended Capital grants will help to ensure that approximately $1.7 million worth of renovations, upgrading, facility acquisition, and new construction of cultural and social service facilities will happen in 1998.

This Capital Grant program is an excellent example of one of the ways in which the City can work with non-profit organizations to maintain and improve the cultural and social service infrastructure in Vancouver.

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APPENDIX A
Page 1 of 1

	Total
Applicant	Budget	Requested	Recommended
Bard on the Beach	$ 102,000	$ 20,000	$ 20,000
Hispanic Community Centre Society	$ 18,527	$ 6,027	$ 5,500
Immigrant Services Society	$ 19,314	$ 6,438	$ 6,200
Kiwassa - Hastings Park Racetrack Daycare1	$ 320,000	$ 20,000	$ 20,000
Societe Maison de la francophonie de Vancouver2	$ 605,475	$ 25,000	$ 25,000
The Arts Club of Vancouver Theatre Society	$ 106,141	$ 35,000	$ 0
Vancouver Access Artist Run Centre3	$ 4,109	$ 1,500	$ 1,500
Variety Learning Centre4	$ 149,000	$ 25,000	$ 25,000
Waterfront Theatre Society	$ 340,000	$ 30,000	$ 0
	$ 1,664,566	$ 168,965	$ 103,200

Subject to:

1. the confirmation of the balance of the funds and financing necessary to complete the project

2. securing the necessary development approvals, and

to providing written assurance that the facility will be made available to the Vancouver non-profit arts community at the non-profit rental rates outlined in their submission.

3. securing the necessary development and building approvals

4. the confirmation of the balance of the funds and financing necessary to complete the project

APPENDIX B
Page 1 of 2

Grants Recommended:

Bard on the Beach
A grant of $20,000 is recommended for the purchase of a seating riser system to be used by both the Bard on the Beach and Children's Festivals (Canadian Institute of the Arts for Young Audiences).

Hispanic Community Centre
The recommended grant of $5500 is less than the amount requested as the original cost estimate included moving costs which are not eligible for a capital grant. This renovation will create useable office and program spaces which will enhance the group's ability to provide a range of programs to the Hispanic community.

Immigrant Services Society
Staff are recommending a grant of $6200 to upgrade the flooring in Welcome House. While replacement of flooring would not normally be considered a priority for funding; in this instance, the substantial upgrading of flooring material is required to maintain the structural integrity of the building.

Kiwassa - Hastings Park Racetrack Daycare
Staff are recommending a grant of $20,000 towards the purchase and installation of an infant/toddler childcare portable at Hastings Race Track to serve families employed in the backstretch. City funding is contingent on Kiwassa securing the balance of project funds from the Ministry of Children and Families and the Pacific Racing Association.

Societe Maison de la francophonie de Vancouver
A grant of $25,000 is recommended towards the acoustic isolation, pillar removal, theatre seating and theatre equipment budget of the proposed renovation of the Studio Theatre, subject to securing the necessary development approvals, and subject to providing written assurance that the facility will be made available to the Vancouver non-profit arts community at the non-profit rental rates outlined in their submission.

Vancouver Access Artist Run Centre
A grant of $1,500 is recommended towards the renovation of a new gallery space on Carrall Street, subject to securing the necessary development and building approvals

Variety Learning Centre
The recommended grant of $25,000 will assist in the creation of more space for this growing and very successful program. An important feature of the project is that it will make the service accessible for people in wheelchairs.

APPENDIX B
Page 2 of 2

Grants Not Recommended:

The Arts Club of Vancouver Theatre Society
Staff support the proposed renovations but recommend that the applicants first secure the necessary funding and approvals from Granville Island and the senior levels of government.

The Waterfront Theatre Society
Staff support the proposed renovations but recommend that the applicants first secure the necessary funding and approvals from Granville Island and the senior levels of government.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS DOCUMENT THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver