DATE: 12/18/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Community Services Department
2024-201
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF THE REVISED COMMUNITY
EVENTS CO-SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM POLICY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve and authorize the execution of the revised Community Events Co-Sponsorship Policy. Approval of this action allows for the Policy to be amended to better reflect current practice, revised language, and clarification regarding the use and eligibility of funding for City co-sponsored community events.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council approve and authorize the execution of the revised Community Events Co-Sponsorship Program Policy.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Initially adopted in January 2015, the Community Events Co-Sponsorship Program Policy is intended to facilitate the implementation of community events hosted by Corona-based non-profits by way of a fee waiver or in-kind assistance for City staff and/or resources.
Requests for these funds are intended to be one-time only, and organizations that will be considered must meet eligibility criteria.
On Thursday, September 26, 2024, at a Special Meeting of the City Council, staff presented suggested policy revisions for City Council consideration and feedback. Based on that feedback, staff revised the City’s existing policy to better reflect current use trends and best practices and add additional clarification where needed.
ANALYSIS:
The revised policy correctly identifies Community Services as the assigned department responsible for oversight of the program and the City Council as the approving body.
Additional language was added to clarify that events must be open to the public and not intended for private use and internal functions. Language was also added throughout the document, which states that all eligibility requirements must be met at the time of application. New and emerging groups may still qualify for funding if they are endorsed by an established non-profit that meets eligibility criteria. All applicants must be in good standing with their non-profit status and free of debts. Furthermore, returning organizations must be in good standing regarding the successful delivery of their proposed event, communication during the planning process, and delivering a valuable experience to the community.
Approval of the revised policy goes into effect with the next Community Events CoSponsorship Programming cycle, which will cover July through December 2025.
Applications for this funding cycle open in February 2025 and close in March 2025. During Fiscal Year 2025, the City provided Co-Sponsorship support for 24 events, totaling $34,681 in in-kind support through waived costs and fees for City services.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with the recommended policy changes.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action strictly pertains to the Co-Sponsorship Program and standard City operations and there is no possibility that approving this project will have a significant effect on the environment.
Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: JASON LASS, RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: DONNA FINCH, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Community Events Co-Sponsorship Policy (Redline)
2. Exhibit 2 – Community Events Co-Sponsorship Policy (Clean)