This is the first installment in a summer series looking into how local non-profits are doing since changes to the way the city handles grant funding came into effect this year. The changes were made to reduce duplication of funding and increase transparency in the grant process.
The St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank says it is glad the city has changed the way it doles out grants, despite seeing a net reduction in the dollar amount it received this year.
This year is a test run for local non-profits that rely on funding through the city’s recently changed outside agency operating grant program, changes some councillors expressed concern about when they were approved early last year. Local non-profits saw a 15-per-cent reduction in money available from another grant many of them rely on, the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) operating grant program.
“The (outside agency grant) policy is allowing for more equity throughout the not-for-profits in the city, because there were agencies who couldn’t apply before who can now,” said St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank executive director Suzan Krecsy.
The St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank received $73,763 this year from the outside agency grant program, up $3,763 from last year. However, it saw a reduction from the FCSS operating grant program of about $30,000 compared to 2018, which Krecsy said they already managed to cover through fundraising.
“We had to work a little harder to recoup that money we lost, but yeah we’re in a good position,” she said. “We’re a lean machine – we will just keep it going.”
Changes to the outside agency operating grant program included setting a fixed funding pot each year of $9 per capita for outside agencies, which resulted in $594,700 distributed this year amongst 10 organizations. The alterations aimed to make the process more transparent and eliminate overlapping with the FCSS grant.
Previously the outside agency grant was only available to a limited number of agencies.
Coun. Ken MacKay was opposed to the changes when they went through, due to fear of “unintended consequences.”
Since the first funding year after the change is about halfway through, MacKay said he has not really heard any feedback from impacted organizations.
“I’m always afraid of unintended consequences, you stop the water coming out of that hole, it’s got to come out somewhere else on the water hose,” he said.
“If they don’t get the same amount of funding, that can challenge some of these agencies and the programs they deliver,” he said. “I think you start to see some of that maybe coming out, although I don’t have any specific examples ... but that’s always my worry.”
MacKay said administration will be returning with an impact assessment of the grant program changes likely this fall, as applications for 2020 grant funding are being reviewed by the Community Services Advisory Committee for council recommendation.
“I’ll wait and hear how we do as we go into this next funding time,” he said.
City communications advisor Amy Nastase said in an email grant applications are not guaranteed year to year, and groups are encouraged to secure a variety of funding sources.
