1999 Funding Ceiling - Civic Grants

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: February 15, 1999
Author/Local: J. Beresford / 7789
RTS No.00553

CC File No. 2001

TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM: Director of Finance, Director of Community Services -
Social Planning, and Director of Office of Cultural Affairs

SUBJECT: 1999 Funding Ceiling - Civic Grants

INFORMATION

The General Managers of Corporate and Community Services submit this report for Council's INFORMATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

City Council, on March 7, 1978 adopted a policy whereby the annual Civic Grant program is divided into three categories of `Community Services', `Cultural', and `Other'; with a funding ceiling for each category. The Funding ceiling is established annually by Council based upon the recommendation of the Director of Finance and the Director of Social Planning.

City Council, on October 23, 1990, approved the Civic Child Care Strategy Report from the Director of Social Planning and established the Child Care Grant as a fourth category.

City Council, on August 15, 1991, approved the discontinuation of the Strategic Cities Program and established the Sister City Society Grants to be administrated by the Director of Finance under the `Other' Grant category.

City Council, on December 14, 1995, approved the Barriers - to - Bridges Neighbourhood Development Grant Program to be administered by the Manager of Community Services -Social Planning.

City Council on February 20, 1997, approved a reduction of $180,000 in the Civic Grant Program for the support of large cultural organizations and major exhibiting organizations.

City Council on July 7, 1998, approved an increase of $26,575 in the Civic Grant Program to offset the effects of rental rate increases.

City Council on October 22, 1998, approved a reduction of $100,000 in the Civic Grant Program to be allocated proportionately across the major grant categories.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to summarize the 1999 funding ceilings for each of the Civic Grant categories as recommended by the Director of Finance, the Manager of Community Services - Social Planning and the Director of Cultural Affairs. This report does not deal with grants to individual organizations.

BACKGROUND

Each year, the Director of Community Services - Social Planning and the Director of Cultural Affairs submit reports to Council dealing with funding ceilings of the Community Services, Child Care and Cultural grant categories. A separate report from the Director of Finance deals with the funding ceiling of the Other Grants.

DISCUSSION

Consistent with the Council policy regarding the development of Civic Grant Ceilings, staff recommended an increase of 1% above the 1998 funding levels. This increase applied to the total funding available in the Community Service, Cultural Childcare and `Other' categories rather than to individual grants. Funding in the Major Facilities category is based on agreements in place with the organizations involved, although these generally reflect a 1% increase for 1999. This increase is generally consistent with both local levels of inflation and the inflation provided in the 1999 Operating Budget. However as part of the Budget Management plan approved by Council on October 22, 1998 to balance the 1999 budget, a reduction of $100,000 or 1% was proportionately applied across the major grant categories rather than targeting individual programs. The reduction has essentially eliminated the inflationary increase of 1%.

The following table presents a summary of the 1999 funding ceilings of the Civic Grants Programs as recommended by the Director of Finance, the Director of Community Services -Social Planning and the Director of Cultural Affairs.

1998 Ceilings 1999 Recommended

Community Services $ 2,882,500 $ 2,882,500
Cultural - Note 1. $ 2,988,600 $ 3,015,175
Child Care $ 672,600 $ 672,600
Major Facilities $ 3,450,900 $ 3,250,000
Other $ 550,000 $ 450,000
Total $10,544,600 $10,270,275

Note 1: On July 7, 1998, Council approved an additional $26,575 to offset rental rate increases at the Orpheum, Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Vancouver Playhouse.

The funding ceiling for the Cultural category includes $100,000 to provide continued support to the Vancouver Symphony Society's rental of office space in the Orpheus Theatre, which was approved as part of the "rescue" package in 1988. The Major Facilities category excludes funding for the Vancouver Arts Stabilization Fund ($100,000) and funding for the Vancouver Museum Commission ($200,000) both of which expired in 1998.

Details of the proposed funding ceilings are included in the companion reports.

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TO:	Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM:	Director of Finance, Director of Community Services - Social Planning, and Director of Office of Cultural Affairs
SUBJECT:	1999 Funding Ceiling - Civic Grants