Grants allocated to community groups

April 23, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Angela Gismondi
King council approved grants for various local volunteer and charitable organizations at the April 14 meeting.
As part of the 2014 budget, council allocated a series of grants totaling $10,250 to various community organizations and events.
Included in this year’s budget is $400 for the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund, $1,600 for secondary school graduation awards, $2,500 for the Nobleton Victoria Day Parade and Celebration, $1,000 for the Schomberg Agricultural Fair, $750 for the Kettleby Fair, $750 for A Main Street Christmas (Schomberg), $750 for the King City End of Summer Bash and $2,500 for Holland Marsh Soupfest.
The budget provides for $20,000 in grants, which means funds in the amount of $9,750 had not yet been allocated. Following the adoption of the budget, the grant application process was advertised and community organizations had until March 31 to submit their requests. A selection panel of Township staff reviewed the applications. The requests were considered at the April 14 meeting.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of York received the biggest grant in the amount of $2,500 for an educational program they are running in schools across York Region and in King Township. CHATS, the Kettleby Cemetery and the York Region 55+ Games received $500 each. Hospice King-Aurora, the King Township Food Bank and York Environmental Alliance received a $750 grant from the Township. The Kettleby Village Association received $300 for its Canada Day celebration
They also received $200 for Christmas in Kettleby.
Groups who requested funding but were not approved for a grant were the King Speed Skating Club, the Holland Marsh Christian Reformed Church and the Rotary Club of Kleinburg, Nobleton and Schomberg.
Feast of Fields organizer Patty Fleetwood came before council at the meeting asking them to consider providing a grant for the annual food festival, which takes place in Nobleton. Fleetwood said the organization failed to submit an application but was hoping to be granted the same amount as last year, $1,000. Council approved the addition.
Township Clerk Kathryn Smyth explained a number of community groups who applied last year failed to apply this year, for whatever reason.
“Each year we get a series of asks,” said Smyth. “We never know from one year to another what submissions we’re going to get.”
Councillor Cleve Mortelliti asked if the Christmas in King City organizers could also submit a late grant application.
Councillor Peter Grandilli had an issue with making amendments to the grant requests, especially since they had already been reviewed by the clerk and included in the report presented to council.
“If the groups complain do we just give them money?” asked Grandilli. “I don’t want everyone to come back and ask for more money.”
According to Township CAO Susan Plamondon, it is likely that a number of groups failed to apply due to unfamiliarity of the process. The staff report proposed that the remaining grant funds available ($2,000) be set aside in anticipation of receiving future grant requests.
“We anticipate the possibility that things may come up later in the year,” said Plamondon, adding approving the grant requests outlined in the report does not shut the door for other groups. “This does not preclude any other groups from making an application.”
The grants for community groups were approved.