Report to: Operations Committee Report number: CMS 02-17 Page 1 of 5 Town of Whitby Report Report to: Operations Committee Date of meeting: January 23, 2017 Department: Community and Marketing Services Department Report Number: CMS 02-17 File Number(s): n/a Report Title: Mayor’s Community Development Fund Annual Report 1. Recommendation: That Community and Marketing Services Department Report CMS 02-17 1. regarding the Mayor’s Community Development Fund be received as information. 2. Executive Summary: The Mayor’s Community Development Fund (MCDF) is financed by the Mayor’s Fundraiser and Mayor’s Golf Tournament to support lead and community grant requests. In 2016, the Mayor’s Community Development Fund received nine (9) lead grant applications. The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) – Ontario Branch was selected as the Mayor’s Fundraiser lead cause and was awarded $25,000 to help build a residential hospice in Durham Region. The Alzheimer’s Society of Durham Region was selected as the Mayor’s Golf Tournament lead cause and was awarded $25,000 to launch a Blue Umbrella campaign in Whitby. There were a total of fifty-three (53) community grant applications submitted in 2016 and the Grants Review Committee awarded thirty-one (31) community grants totaling $61,079. The grants support programs that serve the residents of Whitby, promote effective public engagement and ensure the Town remains the Community of Choice. The Grants Review Committee is submitting this annual report for Council’s information. 3. Origin:
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Report to: Operations Committee Report number: CMS 02-17
Page 1 of 5
Town of Whitby Report
Report to: Operations Committee Date of meeting: January 23, 2017 Department: Community and Marketing Services Department Report Number: CMS 02-17 File Number(s): n/a
Report Title: Mayor’s Community Development Fund Annual Report 1. Recommendation:
That Community and Marketing Services Department Report CMS 02-17 1.regarding the Mayor’s Community Development Fund be received as information.
2. Executive Summary: The Mayor’s Community Development Fund (MCDF) is financed by the Mayor’s Fundraiser and Mayor’s Golf Tournament to support lead and community grant requests.
In 2016, the Mayor’s Community Development Fund received nine (9) lead grant applications. The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) – Ontario Branch was selected as the Mayor’s Fundraiser lead cause and was awarded $25,000 to help build a residential hospice in Durham Region. The Alzheimer’s Society of Durham Region was selected as the Mayor’s Golf Tournament lead cause and was awarded $25,000 to launch a Blue Umbrella campaign in Whitby.
There were a total of fifty-three (53) community grant applications submitted in 2016 and the Grants Review Committee awarded thirty-one (31) community grants totaling $61,079.
The grants support programs that serve the residents of Whitby, promote effective public engagement and ensure the Town remains the Community of Choice. The Grants Review Committee is submitting this annual report for Council’s information.
3. Origin:
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As per the Mayor’s Community Development Fund Policy, Council Resolution #336-15, the Grants Review Committee is required to submit an annual report to Council.
4. Background: The Mayor's Community Development Fund has been in place for many years. In June 2015, Council approved a Mayor’s Community Development Fund Policy which established the Grants Review Committee. The Committee consists of four members of the public appointed by Council, plus the Mayor and Staff Advisor. This Committee reviews applications and awards grants, based on the criteria and available funds in the Mayor’s Community Development Fund.
The MCDF utilizes net revenue from the Mayor's Fundraiser and the Annual Golf Tournament to provide financial support to community groups, events and initiatives that will benefit the community. The grants are provided to a broad range of initiatives that focus on social inclusion and community engagement.
Each year the MCDF supports two lead causes or charities, plus provides funding for initiatives benefiting the community, capital projects, community events, and support for individuals in special circumstances.
Up to 50% of the proceeds raised by the Mayor's Fundraiser and up to 50% of the proceeds raised from the Mayor’s Annual Golf Tournament are awarded to a lead cause or charity and the balance is awarded in smaller grants up to $5,000. Lead cause or charity applications are due March 31 and October 31 of each year and funding for smaller community grants are due at the end of each month.
Grant recipients are required to submit a final report at the conclusion of their project to the Mayor’s Community Development Fund Grants Review Committee. This ensures accountability of funds and allows the Committee to evaluate the success of the projects.
5. Discussion/Options: Lead Cause Grants
In 2016, nine (9) lead cause applications were received.
The Mayor’s Fundraiser was introduced in April 2016 and raised $104,107 for the Mayor’s Community Development Fund. The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) – Ontario Branch was selected as the Mayor’s Fundraiser lead cause and was awarded $25,000 to help build a residential hospice in Durham Region.
The donation supported VON’s commitment to fill a major void in residential hospice. VON delivers services to people and families facing end-of-life issues by providing palliative care, caregiver support, bereavement services, information and education, and is now planning to extend these services to include residential hospice care.
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The Mayor’s Golf Tournament was held in August 2016 and raised $47,178 for the Mayor’s Community Development Fund. The Alzheimer’s Society of Durham Region was selected as the Mayor’s Golf Tournament lead cause and was awarded $25,000 to launch a Blue Umbrella campaign in Whitby.
The Blue Umbrella campaign will provide dementia-friendly customer service training to local businesses, services and organizations and will establish Whitby as the first dementia-friendly community in the Region of Durham. This initiative aligns with the Town’s commitment to being age-friendly, inclusive and accessible.
The 2017 Mayor’s Fundraiser lead grant applications were due by October 31, 2016. Due to the high number of applications and carry over of funds, the Grants Review Committee selected two lead causes for $25,000 each for the 2017 Mayor’s Fundraiser.
Community Grants
As depicted in Attachment 1, the Committee reviewed fifty-three (53) community grant applications in 2016 totaling $179,648. The following thirty-one (31) grants were approved, with a cumulative value of $61,079.
• 2nd Brooklin Scouts ($350) • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oshawa-Whitby ($4,515) • Big Brother Big Sisters of South-West Durham (Silent Auction Package: $150
Gift Basket) • Boys and Girls Club of Durham ($4,226) • Brooklin Horticultural Society ($1,000) • Charles H Best Diabetes Centre ($4,200 and Silent Auction Package: $250
Recreation Gift Certificate) • Cody DeNoble Golf Tournament (Silent Auction Package: $150 Gift Basket) • Community Care Durham ($500) • Community Development Council Durham ($500) • Driftwood Theatre Group ($250 and a Silent Auction Package: Lunch for 2 with
the Mayor) • Durham Farm Connection ($500) • Durham Youth Drug Awareness Committee ($1,600) • Epilepsy Durham Region ($2,800) • Feed the Need ($3,000) • Footprints for Autism ($500) • Girls Incorporated of Durham ($5,000) • Lakeridge Health Whitby Volunteer Services ($2,000) • Ontario Philharmonic (Silent Auction Package: Lunch for 2 with the Mayor) • Ontario Regiment Association ($5,000) • Ontario Shores for Mental Health Science – Mental Health Literacy ($2,000) • Ontario Shores for Mental Health Sciences – Talk About Mental Illness
($2,000) • Rotary Club of Whitby ($500) • Royal Canadian Legion, Brooklin Branch #152 ($3,000) • Royal Canadian Legion, Whitby Branch #112 ($3,000)
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• Scientists in the School ($3,500) • Scouts Canada - Whitby Area ($2,500) • Vintage Whitby ($880) • Vintage Whitby - Brooklin Project ($1,600) • Whitby Blues Festival ($500) • Whitby Village Seniors Program ($5,000) • Windreach Farm (Silent Auction Package: $250 Recreation Gift Certificate) The Mayor’s Community Development Fund focuses on supporting projects and events that are new and innovative and low priority is given to funding ongoing projects. The Grant Review Committee has recommended provisions be made for organizations such as the Royal Canadian Legion Branches who have traditionally received funding for their Open Houses and Remembrance Day ceremonies. A modification to the MCDF Policy Procedures has been submitted to reflect that up to 10% of the MCDF grants may be provided to ongoing projects and initiatives that are of importance to the community. For example, in 2016 there was a total of approximately $150,000 raised from the Mayor’s Fundraiser and Golf Tournament. This would equate to a maximum of $15,000 being granted to ongoing projects and initiatives. Community organizations would still have to apply annually to be considered for funding.
6. Public Communications/Plan: A communications plan for the Mayor’s Community Development Fund has been developed with the objective to build and increase awareness of how the MCDF works and benefits the Whitby community. Opportunities for the lead grant are advertised in January and September of each year and community grants are advertised throughout the year with more of a focused advertising campaign in January and June.
The communications plan has also been developed to enhance transparency and promote civic engagement through promotion of the MCDF on the Town of Whitby website, through The Whitby Perspective and advertisements in local media and social media channels. Fund recipients are publicized on the Town of Whitby website, through social media and media events, as applicable.
7. Considerations:
Public 7.1.The Mayor’s Community Development Fund benefits the public as it provides financial assistance for community groups and individuals within Whitby to help them undertake initiatives that would benefit the community at large.
Financial 7.2.The opening balance of the Mayor’s Community Development Fund as of January 1, 2016 was $28,363. The net contribution of funds raised from the 2016 Mayor’s Fundraiser was $104,107 and the funds raised from the Mayor’s Golf Tournament was $47,178. The total amount of grants provided in 2016 was $111,079 resulting in a year end balance of $68,569 which will
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be carried over to 2017. Two lead grants of $25,000 have been approved for the Mayor’s Fundraiser resulting in $18,569 in funds remaining for the Grant Review Committee to allocate towards community grants until the revenue from the 2017 Mayor’s Fundraiser is received at the end of the first quarter.
Impact on and input from other Departments/Sources 7.3.The Community and Marketing Services Department provides staff support to the Mayor’s Fundraiser and Mayor’s Golf Tournament and a staff member of the Department serves as the Staff Advisor on the Mayor’s Community Development Fund Grants Review Committee.
Corporate and/or Department Strategic Priorities 7.4.
The recommendations contained within the MCDF Report are consistent with the Town of Whitby Council 2014 – 2018 Goals:
1. To build a strong, respectful Council team with a positive, shared vision and four-year action plan; to ensure all municipal affairs are conducted with professionalism and integrity; and to enhance the transparency and accessibility of Town Hall and support effective public consultation and engagement.
3. To continue the Whitby tradition of responsible financial management and respect for taxpayers; and to understand the importance of affordability to a healthy, balanced community.
7. To remain the community of choice for families and become the community of choice for seniors.
8. Summary and Conclusion: The Mayor’s Community Development Fund Grants Review Committee ensures that the funds from the MCDF are administered in a fair, equitable and transparent manner. The provision of these funds to community groups and initiatives contributes to making Whitby the Community of Choice.
9. Attachments: Attachment 1: MCDF 2016 Overview
For further information contact: Sarah Klein, Manager of Recreation and Staff Advisor to MCDF, x4338
Original Approved and Signed.
Peter LeBel, Commissioner of Community and Marketing Services, x4319
