Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Director of Community Services, Social Planning

SUBJECT:

Reconsideration of Community Services Grants Applications

 

RECOMMENDATION

COMMENTS

POLICY

Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report contains the results of the reconsideration process which was initiated by two Community Services Grants applicants, and makes recommendations based on the outcome of this process.

BACKGROUND

In November 1994, City Council approved a grants "reconsideration" process for those grant applicants who disagreed with the Social Planning Department's recommendation with regards to their applications. A key feature of the process is that there are only two grounds for requesting reconsideration (referred to in Council Policy, above). This has all but eliminated requests based solely on the fact that the group does good work (most do), or that there is considerable community support for it, or any of a number of other reasons.

All applicants for 1999 Community Service Grants were advised in late February of Social Planning's recommendations, along with our rationale for recommendations for reduced or no grants. They were also told of the reconsideration process which could be used if they disagreed with the recommendations. Two applicants, out of 97, requested reconsideration.

Requests for reconsideration were submitted by the following organizations:

Organization

Original Recommendation

9-5 Working Society - Grandma’s House

No grant (new application).

South Vancouver Seniors Network

$20,400 (same as 1998 grant)

City Council subsequently, on March 30, approved Social Planning's recommendations for all Community Services Grant applications, except for the two which were referred to the reconsideration process. At that time, Council also established a reserve of $13,198 for emergencies or unforeseen circumstances. It was understood that any new or increased grants coming from the reconsideration process would be funded from this reserve. The $20,400 originally recommended for the South Vancouver Seniors Network was unallocated, and so remains available in the budget for this or another grant.

RECONSIDERATION PROCESS

The applicants for reconsideration have submitted written material supporting their requests for changes to our recommendations. This material is included in Appendix I.

Social Planning staff reviewed the original applications, supporting materials, interview notes, and the new information that was submitted with the reconsideration requests. If there was still some confusion or lack of clarity, applicants were personally contacted to ensure that staff had a clear and complete understanding of the situation.

Staff then developed recommendations based on this review of all the pertinent information, and prepared written explanations for their decisions. These comments and the recommendations, are also included in Appendix I.

All applicants were advised that they could make presentations to Council if they were still in disagreement with the staff recommendations. Some of them may appear as delegations when this report is dealt with by Council.

CONCLUSION

After a careful and thorough review of the two applications that were referred, by the applicants, to the reconsideration process, Social Planning staff have concluded that their original recommendation for South Vancouver Seniors Network should remain unchanged, but the original decision to provide no grant to the 9 to 5 Working Society should be revised to provide a grant of $8,000.

* * * * *

cs990429.htm

9 to 5 Working Society - Grandma’s House (#54)

Request: $ 36,000
1998 Grant $ 0 (new application for 1999)
Social Planning Initial Recommendation: $ 0

Program Description (summarized from the grant application)

Grandma’s House is located a short distance from the Downtown Eastside and it provides women and minors who work in the sex trade with a drop-in centre as well as programs and services. City funding was sought to pay for a full-time coordinator to manage the facility.

Social Planning’s Initial Response

Staff recommended NO GRANT. The City of Vancouver currently funds another organization, WISH, which provides services to female sex trade workers in the Downtown Eastside. The Vancouver/Richmond Health Board is currently working with WISH to look at how this society can expand its capacity to provide more services to female sex trade workers. While the 9 to 5 Working Society does provide a drop-in service and programs for women in the sex trade it does not coordinate its efforts with other agencies and service providers in the area or clearly define its target clientele.

Basis for Reconsideration

The applicant requested reconsideration and provided a letter with additional written information about Grandma’s House. This information included responses to the staff comments that accompanied a recommendation for “no grant”. For example, the letter talked about the uniqueness of the programs offered at Grandma’s House such as a “community kitchen” and a “healing circle”. It clarified that the clientele are primarily single mothers working in the sex trade who come from areas east of the Downtown Eastside and that this clientele is different from those being served by other community organizations. In addition, the financial position of the organization was discussed and it was pointed out that without City help the service was at risk of closing.

Social Planning Comments

Social Planning staff reviewed the 9 to 5 Society reconsideration submission and met with the coordinator of Grandma’s House, Jamie-Lee Hamilton, as well as two of the Board members, Michael Kalmuk and Sue Bennett. We discussed the Society’s current financial situation, the programs they offer and their target clientele. Social Planning staff expressedconcern about the lack of policy and procedures for the Society’s work with minors involved in the sex trade. Also, there needs to be a better established relationship with the Ministry for Children and Families Adolescent Services Unit and the Police Department’s Car 86 service.

Currently Grandma’s House is facing a short-term financial crisis. They have secured funding from the Ministry for Human Resources (MHR) for the 1999/2000 year. However, payment of this funding has been delayed. The Society has applied for a CHIF grant from the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board, a grant from the Ministry for Labour and a casino grant from the Gaming Commission. The result of these grant applications will not be known until the Fall of 1999. Grandma’s House has just received a Revenue Canada charity number and will be doing a fund raiser within the next few months. Given this new information on their financial situation we are recommending a grant of $8,000 to meet their immediate financial needs. The grant will be made in two disbursements in May and August.

Recommendation: Grant of $8,000 to be used for the coordinator’s salary.

South Vancouver Seniors Network (#67)

Request: $40,000
1998 Grant: $20,400
Social Planning Initial Recommendation: $20,400

Program Description (summarized from the grant application)

The South Vancouver Seniors Network (SVSN) provides programs and services that encourage independence and decrease isolation amongst seniors and the disabled in the South Vancouver community. Included in their work are programs such as: wellness classes, information sessions, special events and outings, a medical equipment registry, and shop-by-phone. They are also involved in volunteer recruitment, training, and support, collaborative projects and services with other South Van agencies, fundraising, and the production of a bi-monthly newsletter.

Social Planning Initial Response

Staff recommended a grant of $20,400, which is the same as the previous year’s grant.

Basis for Reconsideration

The applicant claims that their financial situation has not been properly assessed or understood. In the supporting information (see the attached letter), the group states that the needs and population of seniors in this community are growing and that this agency would like to respond by increasing the hours of work of their administrator/coordinator to expand their services and to be able to work with other community groups to improve seniors’ services overall in the neighbourhood. They also would like to increase the salary of their administrator/coordinator to “a minimum standard in this profession”. The total cost of the proposed increased hours and salary is $8,128.

Social Planning Comments

Although the request for reconsideration was based on the organization’s financial situation, SVSN specifically raised two issues - growing community need and the staff salary. The Social Planning staff review consequently focussed on these two issues.

Staff agree that there are growing needs for seniors in South Vancouver and that some way must be found for providing more and better coordinated services. Consequently, we recommended, and Council approved a grant of $15,000 to South Vancouver Neighbourhood House for the South Van Seniors Project. This project is under the direction of a coalition of agencies delivering services to seniors in South Van (including SVSN), and is intended to develop a plan for coordinating the work of the member agencies, developing new links to community resources, and ultimately, to develop a seniors resource centre in South Van. It would be premature to give increased funding to any of the coalition members to enhance services before the project work has been completed.

SVSN is also requesting an increase in their grant to be able to raise the salary of their coordinator. While it is true that Executive Directors of other seniors’ organizations make more money, they are generally dealing with considerably larger budgets and programs and supervise a number of staff., which the SVSN staff person doesn’t do. A review of salaries of staff in other small service agencies indicates that SVSN’s salary rate is comparable.

This year, grant recommendations for most groups were the same as last year’s. Increases were approved in a few circumstances where there have been significant increases in service or where a salary adjustment has been required because it was significantly out of line with similar jobs and responsibilities. Neither criteria applies in the SVSN situation. Therefore, staff are recommending approval of a grant equal to last year’s grant - $20,400.

Recommendation: $20,4000

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