By Shaun Penner

Community Group Funding

Changes to community group funding approved to align with City Council’s strategic priorities

Oct 6, 2020 | 11:48 AM

Grande Prairie City Council has approved changes to the policy on community group funding, which are intended to give more clear direction to council and community groups alike, while also reducing administrative burden.

The changes were approved at Monday’s City Council meeting, and Mayor Bill Given says it was about time to do so, as the policy hasn’t been updated since 2016.

“It has been a while, a lot has changed,” said Given. “The major changes to the policy really speak to Council’s desire to ensure that our community group funding is aligned with Council’s overall strategic plan and strategic priorities.”

The amendments to the policy now make it so each new Council, at the beginning of its four-year term, can allocate funding on a multi-year basis that aligns with its strategic priorities. Community groups that receive funding would still be required to report to Council each year.

Given says this will provide a much clearer and more simplified process in getting funding to the most vital groups in the community.

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“Before, there was no indication from the City or City Council (of) what our priority areas were for community group funding,” said Given. “That meant that community groups were, really, subject to some ambiguity when they were applying, not knowing what City Council was looking to support or which types of services were most in need in the community.”

With that, he says groups such as non-profits and other community organizations that offer significant contributions to the City will have much clearer direction in the application process, while also cutting down on the amount of time spent deliberating over such funding.

“This will ensure that after each municipal election, the new City Council has an explicit discussion about what their priorities for community group funding, and that the organizations serving Grande Prairie residents are aware of those priorities.”