A total of 15 non-profit community groups will receive a grant from the city next year while seven others who applied for funding have been denied.
The grants-in-aid are available to community groups who meet the eligibility requirements. The city’s Community Partnership Committee is tasked with evaluating all of the applications and grants are awarded based on city policy and what’s available in the budget.
This year, grants-in-aid totalled $552,264 – an increase of more than $25,000 over what was given out last year to 17 groups. The committee received grant requests totalling $609,177 which exceeded the city’s budget by $5,428.
Barry Watchorn, chair of the Community Partnership Committee, said because the demand was greater than what was available, not all of the groups got what they asked for.
“Of the 22 applications received, the committee is recommending approval of 14,” Watchorn said. “The committee spent two full days meeting with applicants, then reviewing, evaluating and preparing recommendations based on council’s finance policy criteria.”
The groups declined funding are: Campbellton Neighbourhood Association ($1,500 for a sign), Volunteer Campbell River ($35,000), Storey Creek Golf and Recreation Society ($782), Campbell River Army Cadets ($1,000), Campbell River Air Cadets ($2,531), Royal Canadian Sea Cadets ($5,000), and D.A.R.E. B.C. ($1,700).
Groups may be denied funding for a number of reasons, including if they do not fit the criteria of being a non-profit organization, based in Campbell River, or open to the greatest number of residents possible. Grant requests were also declined for events that already receive funding from other levels of government or a government agency. Applicants must also have more than 50 per cent of required funding coming from other sources.
Groups that will receive grant funding in 2015 are: Shoreline Arts Society ($5,000), River City Arts Festival ($1,000), Campbell River Twinning Society ($5,000 to assist with immediate expenses after its provincial gaming grant was denied), and the Campbell River Food Bank ($9,800).
The following groups will receive funding in 2015, 2016, and 2017: Recreation and Culture Facility Rentals Grants ($10,000 to provide rental subsidies to 20 community groups), Museum & Archives ($179,214 for future recruitment and retention of staff), Haig Brown House Museum ($43,200), Tidemark Theatre Society ($175,000), Art Gallery ($52,500), Arts Council ($22,000), Salmon Festival ($20,000), Search and Rescue Society ($9,500), Campbell River Writer’s Festival Society-Words on the Water ($2,000), Greenways Land Trust ($15,000 to increase volunteer coordinator’s position from seasonal part-time to year-round part-time), and Citizens on Patrol ($3,000).
Watchorn said the multi-year contracts allow community groups to plan for the future and are awarded each year to certain groups such as the Museum, Art Gallery and Tidemark Theatre.