New bylaw fosters social connections and sense of community

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

The shortcomings of the Community Donations Policy, which received approval last year, prompted the creation of a new policy to shore up Strathmore’s commitment to build strong relationships and better coordinate donations made to not-for-profit groups to support festivals and events within the community.
The Community Donation Policy 1208 was approved in mid-September 2014, yet since its inception numerous flaws within the policy emerged. In order to address the issues, administration introduced the Community Investment Fund – a policy that was brought before the Policy Review Committee two weeks ago.
Made up of three categories – Community Matching Funds, Festival and Event Funds small scale, and Festival and Events Funds large scale – the bylaw intends to promote connections with community group and allow council to better control the process of granting community donations.
“The purpose of the policy is to build capacity within the community by enhancing the unique arts, cultural sports and recreational aspects of Strathmore throughout festivals, events, and community projects,” said Municipal Clerk Jennifer Sawatzky.
“Arts, cultures, sports and recreational festivals, events and community projects, are vital to making social connections between various groups in the community and to contribute to Strathmore’s sense of identity, place, and community.”
The fund provides a set of guiding principles to facilitate long-lasting partnerships between town council and community not-for-profit organizations to foster Strathmore’s cultural, artistic, and sports and recreational attributes. As outlined in the policy, it is supported by three sustainability objectives: fostering safe and caring neighbourhoods, supporting a strong sense of identity in communities, and enhancing arts, culture, sport and recreational prosperity.
“I think it’s a really wonderful, much-needed, great start and the work done on it, is really impressive,” said Councillor Denise Peterson.
Separated into three parts, the fund aims to properly address funding requests from different community groups. The Community Matching Funds allows for one-on-one
matching funds and gifts-in-kind for up to $500 to assist in developing sustainable initiatives to contribute in bringing residents closer together. Groups will have to provide proof of liability insurance coverage, expense receipts, and an activity report to Community Services when accepting funds under this application.
The policy also offers a Festival and Events Funds small scale, to enhance sports and recreational sustainability, arts, and culture by protecting the characteristics that contribute to Strathmore’s uniqueness. While also providing one-to-one matching funds and gifts-in-kind, the Festival and Events Funds contributes up to $5,000 to newly formed organizations or to revitalize existing not-for-profit organizations – the only organizations eligible to apply – to encourage self-sustainability.
In comparison, the Festival and Events Funds large scale provides one-to-one matching funds and gifts-in-kind up to $15,000 to not-for-profit groups that have a demonstrable history of organizing and hosting large-scale festivals and events that have potential to attract tourism. Under the policy, those applications that demonstrate events to be multi-faceted have established potential audience support, and have the ability to contribute to the local economies, will receive preference for funding.
Council will be required to approve a yearly budget for the Community Matching Funds, while the Community Investment Fund Committee will provide recommendations to council before each year’s fall budget workshop.
During the Aug. 19 regular town council meeting, council voted unanimously, with the absence of Councillor Brad Walls, to repeal the Community Donations Policy No. 1208 and voted to approve and adopt the Community Investment Fund Policy No. 1208.
Shortly after, council passed Bylaw 15-21, which sets out for the review committee to meet quarterly to plan processes, and approve and review applications. According to Sawatzky, Community Futures Wildrose and the Strathmore and District Chamber of Commerce have agreed to have a representative sit on the committee. Administration also requested two members from administration join the committee.
For more information and complete guidelines and eligibility, the Community Investment Fund (CIF) policy will be made available on the Town of Strathmore’s website at www.strathmore.ca.