TO:City Council
FROM:Community Funding Review Committee
DATE:April 25, 2023
SUBJECT: FY 2023-24 Community Events Grant Recommendations RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Community Events Grants totaling $83,073.50.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute Community Events Grant agreements with grantees.
3. Authorize expenditure in the amount of $83,073.50 in FY 2023-24 from A/C #001-1120-611-5920 (CF2024, CEF Grants/Donations) for Community Events Grants.
4. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Minimal administrative staff costs associated with executing contracts and compliance monitoring, and grant funding in the amount of $100,000 will be requested in the upcoming FY 2023-24 General Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND:
The Community Events Grant (CEG) provides financial support for community arts and cultural activities and events that take place within the boundaries of the City, and for school performance groups representing the City at competition events located outside of the city. The program seeks to benefit a wide cross-section of the community. The CEG is available to local, non-profit community, and school groups. The FY 2023-24 General Fund Budget will include $100,000 for CEG with the proposed allocations:
$85,000: Available through annual grant funding cycle application process.
FY 2023-24 Community Events Grant Recommendations
April 25, 2023
5 9
2 $15,000: Held in reserve for City Council to approve unanticipated, off-cycle funding requests that may arise throughout the fiscal year.
The CEG provides grantees a maximum grant award of $8,500 and a minimum award of $500. Grants to organizations seeking funds to support team events are limited to a maximum of $100 per individual team member. Grant applications must demonstrate that the requested CEG funds will be matched through other sources.
CEG grant applications for FY 2023-24 were accepted from January 23, 2023, through February 23, 2023. Public outreach for the grant program took place in January and February and included news postings on the City’s website, social media channels, and the January and February issues of the CityScene. The Acorn published an article about the grant opportunity on February 4, 2023. A CEG workshop was held on January 26, 2023, which was recorded and made available for viewing on the City’s website. In addition, emails were sent to previous CEG recipients, and a press release was sent to local media outlets. Complete program information can be found on the dedicated City Manager’s Office Grant Opportunities webpage (www.toaks.org/grants) on the City website.
A history of the CEG (previously known as the Community Events Endowment Fund and changed by City Council at the September 14, 2021, City Council meeting) awards for the past seven years is attached for City Council reference (Attachment #1). The CEG grant cycle was suspended during FYs 2019-20, 2020- 21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
There were 18 CEG applications received this year with a total requested amount of $104,448.50. Staff conducted an initial review to confirm the applications met minimum qualifications. No applications were rejected for non-compliance with program requirements during staff’s initial review.
The Community Funding Review Committee (CFRC) members separately reviewed each application and scored them based on several grant-specific criteria, including the organization’s mission and background, activity or event goals and objectives, and benefit to City residents.
On March 27, 2023, the CFRC met to discuss the collated scores of the applications. The committee determined one applicant’s funding request needed to be adjusted to adhere to the criteria of no more than $100 per individual for a team event. Another applicant’s proposal did not meet the program requirement of a community art or cultural activity or event. The CFRC unanimously recommended funding in the amount of $83,073.50 to 17 programs.
FY 2023-24 Community Events Grant Recommendations
April 25, 2023
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2 Allocation Scoring Method
In May 2019, the CFRC approved an allocation method based on collated points scored on the application as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: CFRC Original Allocation Method
85 – 100 points scored 100% of requested amount
70 – 84 points scored 75% of requested amount
55 – 69 points scored 50% of requested amount
54 or below points scored No funding
Collating the seven CFRC members’ scorecards and using the original allocation method revealed that nine applicants were eligible for full funding and eight applicants for 75 percent funding, for a total of $83,073.50.
The CFRC unanimously (4,0) recommends awarding grants in the amount of $83,073.50 to 17 programs (Attachment #2).
Next Steps
Upon approval by City Council, CEG grantees will enter into agreements with the City for a one-year period, effective July 1, 2023. Grantees will receive payment upfront and will be required to submit a Final Performance Report.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
G. Continue City's commitment to community and cultural programs and services (such as Performing Arts/Theatres, Libraries, TOTV, Visual Arts, Youth and Senior Programs).
PREPARED BY: Clyde Doheney, CFRC Chair
Sarah Mailes, Community Services Analyst
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Community Events Grant Award Seven-Year History Attachment #2 – 2023-24 Community Events Grant Award
Recommendations
CMO: 481-10/SM/H:Common/City Council/Council Items/2023/042523/042523 CFRC CEG Staff Report