POLICY AND PROCEDURE
Subject: Environmental
Sustainability Grant
Funding
Index: Financial Services
Number: 203-2
Effective Date: April 2, 2013December 9,
2025
Prepared By: Engineering
DivisionPublic Works
Department
Supersedes: September 1, 2009April 2,
2013
Approved By:
1.0 PURPOSE:
To provide a uniform process and guidelines for submittal, consideration and approval of requests for funding assistance for water quality, water conservation, recycling and/or other environmental sustainability projects by Non-Profit Organizations serving residents of San Clemente.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
Engineering DivisionPublic Works Department (Environmental Programs Division; Utilities Division – Water Conservation and Solid Waste & Recycling); Utilities Division
3.0 REFERENCES:
Not Applicable.
4.0 POLICY:
The City of San Clemente shall strive to allocate funds annually from the Clean Ocean Fund, Water Conservation Fund, and Solid Waste Fund to support Non-Profit Organizations and public schools in providing water quality, water conservation, and recycling services or outreach to residents of the City of San Clemente. In the case of other environmental sustainability initiatives as defined in this policy, the City will strive to allocate General Funds for these efforts.
Each year in conjunction with the City budget process, the City Council will determine the amount of funds available for Environmental Sustainability grants. Award of grants is subject to available funding. At the end of each Fiscal Year (June 30), all City appropriations cease and any unallocated grant funds will not be carried forward to the next Fiscal Year. An Environmental Grant Committee reviews will review grant requests two timesone time per year in January and JulyMarch and recommends approval or denial of Attachment 2
funding. With limited exception and on a case case-by by-case basis subject to City Manager approval, grants shall not exceed $2,000.00 or 50% of the total project cost, whichever is less. City staff will strive to notify applicants of their grant request status within two (2) months of the application deadline.
Grants are not intended to provide ongoing funding to well-established programs or services unless a clear benefit to the City of San Clemente and the community would be provided by the proposed activity. Grants are also not intended for any political or religious activity. Any organization that receives grant funding assistance agrees to include a brief statement in any promotional materials to acknowledge the City’s financial contribution toward the project.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission – The advisory commission as established and discussed in Chapter 2.28 of the City of San Clemente Municipal Code. Coastal Advisory Committee – The advisory committee as established and discussed in Chapter
2.42 of the City of San Clemente Municipal Code.
Environmental Grant Committee – The City staff committee that provides initial review and recommendation of Environmental/Sustainability grant funding requests submitted to the City. This committee shall consist of the Environmental Programs Analyst (Engineering Division), Water Conservation Analyst (Utilities Division), and Environmental Services Coordinator (Engineering Division), or as otherwise designated by the City Manager.
Environmental Sustainability – Refers to environmentally sustainable initiatives such as:
• Resource Conservation: Decrease consumption of non-renewable, non-recycled materials and pursue and encourage use of renewable resources (e.g. water conservation, solid waste reduction & recycling, solar power, energy savings, recycled water, etc.).
• Environmental and Public Health: Minimize levels of pollutants entering the air, soil, and water from everyday business practices (e.g. water runoff reduction, water quality improvement, etc.).
• Transportation: Encourage and pursue alternative forms of transportation (including pedestrian, bicycle, mass-transit, and fuel-efficient/alternative fuel vehicles). • Community Education and Civic Participation/Public Involvement: Develop related education and outreach programs that are easily accessed by community members, and encourage collaboration and two-way dialogue between City officials, staff, businesses, community groups, and individual residents.
Grant Evaluation Criteria – Criteria used to evaluate grant funding requests will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
• Demonstrated organization competence and ability to provide service or outreach. • Impact of proposed services to effectively meet needs of San Clemente residents. • Relationship of project objectives to water quality, water conservation, recycling or other environmental sustainability concepts.
Non-Profit Organization – Non-profit organizations recognized by the State to be tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Service Section 501 (c) (3). The organization must have a Charter, Articles of Incorporation, and/or By-laws. No part of its net earnings insure to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual.
Public School – Those schools of the Capistrano Unified School District that are physically located within the City of San Clemente, including any Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and student clubs (with a faculty advisor) that are officially recognized by these schools.
Qualifications for Funding – The Non-Profit Organization must have proof and provide documentation that residents of San Clemente are being served. The organization must have at least one San Clemente resident on its Board of Directors or Advisory Board. The organization must have an affiliation in San Clemente and provide services or outreach to San Clemente residents in the form of mailings, public meetings, attendance at local community events or civic meetings. New organizations must provide a copy of their Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, two letters of reference from an existing local NonProfit Organization and/or government entity knowledgeable of the organization or services they intend to provide.
6.0 PROCEDURE:
6.1 There will be two (2February 28th )will be the annual filing deadline withins each Fiscal Year (July 1 to the following June 30) for consideration of Environmental Sustainability Grant funding requests. The first filing deadline will be June 15, and the second filing deadline will be the following December 15. To be considered for funding, applications must be received in the City Clerk’s office by 5:00 p.m. of the filing deadline. Any applications not received by this deadline will not be considered, and must be resubmitted during another filing period for consideration.
6.2 Grant funding requests must be submitted on the Environmental Sustainability Grant application form (Attachment #1), which is available for printing as well as electronic form submission on the City of San Clemente website at www.san-clemente.org.
6.3 Following the submittal deadlines, the Environmental Grant Committee will review submitted applications against the Grant Evaluation Criteria, seek consensus on proposed funding amounts (if any) for each application, and prepare a report for the next regularly-scheduled meeting of the Coastal Advisory CommitteeBeaches, Parks and Recreation Commission (CACBPR Commission). The report will be included in the agenda packet for the CAC BPR Commission meeting, which is publicly-noticed so that citizens can provide comment and feedback to the CAC.BPR Commission.
6.4 The CAC BPR Commission will consider and discuss the report by the Environmental Grant Committee, and either provide concurrence with the report, or propose its ownits recommendations for approval or denial of funding.
6.5 Following the CAC BPR Commission meeting, the Environmental Grant Committee shall prepare a memo, including the CAC BPR Commission recommendations, for City Manager approval.
6.6 After City Manager direction, letters will be sent to the applicants notifying them of approval or denial of funding and, if approved, the funded amount. Dispersing of grant funds may take up to 30 days following award approval.
6.7 Organizations receiving City grant funds must ensure that these funds are used only for the project identified in the grant funding request. If the project is canceled or otherwise not pursued, grant funds must be returned to the City.
6.8 A Grant Summary Report (Attachment #2) is required to be filed by each organization that receives funding assistance from the City. The Grant Summary Report form is available on the City’s website, and must be filed within 30 calendar days of the conclusion of the project. Failure to submit a Grant Summary Report will preclude an organization from applying for additional grant opportunities.
ATTACHMENTS:
1 Grant Application Form
2 Grant Summary Report Form
Date:
CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GRANT
APPLICATION
910 Calle Negocio, Suite 100, San Clemente, CA 92673
949.361.8200
Name of Organization:
Request Authorized by:
Contact Person:
Mailing Address:
Email: Web site:
Amount Requested: $ Date funding needed:
List amount and source(s)
of other project funding:
Project Title:
Description of the Project: (Attach additional sheet if necessary – Limit one page) Does this project directly impact San Clemente residents? Yes No Estimated number of residents affected:
Is this Organization incorporated in California as a non-profit organization? Yes No Date of incorporatio
Federal I.D. Number:
Is this Organization a local public school or affiliated student club or PTA? Yes No Name of school, club or PTA:
First time applicants: Provide copies of IRS tax exempt status letter, financial report of organization and listing of the organization’s officers and board of directors.
School applicants provide evidence of official standing of the PTA or student club.
Signature Date
Printed Name Title/Agency
n:
State I.D. Number:
Send or Deliver Application to:
City Clerk, City of San Clemente
910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA 92673
Date:
CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GRANT
SUMMARY REPORT
910 Calle Negocio, Suite 100, San Clemente, CA 92673
949.361.8200
Name of Organization:
Contact Person:
Did your organization receive the grant funding check from the City? Yes No Amount Received: $
Project Title:
Please provide a summary of how you dispersed the City’s grant funds:
(Attach additional sheets if necessary)
Did this project directly impact San Clemente residents? Yes No Estimated number of residents affected:
Signature Date
Printed Name Title/Agency
Send or Deliver Summary To:
Environmental Programs Section, City of San Clemente
910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA 92673