REPORT TO SUBCOMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Consideration of Fiscal Year 2019/20 Community Events Grant Program Applications
Report
BACKGROUND
Each year, the City Council allocates funding to support community events through the Community Events Grant Program (CEGP) based on funding recommendations from the Community Event and Neighborhood Grant Distribution Subcommittee (Subcommittee).
The Subcommittee consists of three members of the City Council charged with conducting an annual grant review process that includes: 1) A review of the application process; 2) recommendation of any changes as appropriate to the full City Council for approval; 3) review of grant application submittals; and 4) presentation of recommended funding levels to the full City Council for final approval.
The Subcommittee met on February 19, 2019 to review and accept the grant application materials for FY 2019/20. Staff opened the application period for a total of eight weeks from February 25 through April 19, 2019.
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the grant applications received and to seek direction from the Subcommittee on the recommended funding for each application. The Subcommittee is scheduled to present its recommendations to the full City Council on June 25, 2019.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.2.1, Community Engagement - Goals and Policies
Goal B: Achieve a community in which all community members can be actively involved in shaping the quality of life and participate in local community and government activities.
Goal C: Create a strong, positive community identity, rich in cultural diversity.
Council Policy 7.2.18, Special Events
D. Community Event Program
The City may fund community events through this program.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b)(4) in that is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
DISCUSSION
FY 2018/19 Allocations
In FY 2018/19, the City Council approved four Community Event Grants for a total of $10,500. Unfortunately, due to construction delays, the Sunnyvale Historical Society & Museum Association was unable to utilize the awarded funds of $3,000 for their proposed anniversary event.
FY 2019/20 Allocated Budget
The Subcommittee’s recommendations for grant distribution are based on budgeted amounts of $10,500 in Community Events Grants. In addition, the $3,000 unspent funds from FY 2018/19, awarded to the Sunnyvale Historical Society & Museum Association will carry over for FY 2019/20.
At the March 7, 2019 Study/Budget Issues Workshop, Mayor Klein made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Larsson, to refer Budget Issue No. 3 (Increase Community and Neighborhood Grant Funding) to the budget process with a 50% increase in funding. Councilmember Melton offered a friendly amendment to direct staff to refer the budget issue doubling the amount as originally proposed with direction to staff to provide options ranging from a 50% to a 100% increase. The motion to refer Budget Study Issue #3 as amended carried on a 7-0 vote.
At the FY 2019/20 annual budget workshop on May 23, 2019, staff will be presenting two options to increase the available funding per Council’s direction: 1) a 50% increase that would result in a total of $15,750 in available funding and 2) a doubling of the current level of funding that would result in a total of $21,000.
As the Subcommittee is meeting in advance of that workshop to establish funding recommendations, the Subcommittee is requested to consider its grant recommendations within the context of the existing available budget of $10,500 a second scenario that assumes a funding availability of $15,750 and a third scenario that assumes a funding availability of $21,000, with the additional $3,000 carryover from FY 2018/19. In this way, once action on the budget issue has been taken, the process for final approval of grant recommendations can move forward to the full Council on June 25, 2019.
Community Events Grant Program
As of the application deadline, eight CEGP applications were received for a combined funding request of $34,418 as follows:
|
Organization |
Event |
Amount Requested |
|
Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project |
Sunnyvale Pet Parade |
$3,000 |
|
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition |
Bike to Work Day 2020 |
$5,000 |
|
Sunnyvale Downtown Association |
Holiday Tree Lighting |
$4,500 |
|
Sunnyvale Downtown Association |
Jazz & Beyond Festival Series |
$5,000 |
|
Sunnyvale Downtown Association |
Summer Series |
$5,000 |
|
Sunnyvale Downtown Association |
Vudu Movie Nights |
$4,500 |
|
Sunnyvale Downtown Association |
The Magic of Sunnyvale |
$4,000 |
|
Sunnyvale Historical Society & Museum Association* |
Heritage Park Museum, Anniversary Celebration |
$3,418 |
*The Sunnyvale Historical Society & Museum Association was awarded a grant for the Anniversary Event during FY 2018/19 grant cycle in the amount of $3,000. The funds were unspent due to construction delays at the site. The funds will carryover to FY 2019/20; however, the funds have not been earmarked for the Sunnyvale Historical Society & Museum Association, consequently, they have submitted an application for FY 2019/20.
Enclosed is a summary of the applications received for FY 2019/20 with historical data on past allocations (Attachment 1). Copies of the individual grant applications are also provided as Attachments 2-9 (CEGP).
Funding Scenario 1: Make recommendations based on the existing available budget of $10,500.**
|
Total Amount Requested |
$34,418 |
|
Total CEGP Budgeted Amount including the $3,000 carryover fund |
$13,500 |
|
Variance Between Requested/Budgeted |
($20,918) |
Funding Scenario 2: Make recommendations based on proposed budget supplement of a 50% increase that would result in a total of $15,750 in available funding***
|
|
|
|
Total Amount Requested |
$34,418 |
|
Scenario 2 Funding Amount, including the $3,000 carryover funds |
$18,750 |
|
Variance Between Requested/Proposed Funding Amount |
($15,668) |
***The total amount requested exceeds the proposed increased funding amount.
Funding Scenario 3: Make recommendations based on proposed budget supplement of a 100% increase that would result in a total of $21,000. ****
|
|
|
|
Total Amount Requested |
$34,418 |
|
Scenario 3 Funding Amount, including the $3,000 carryover funds |
$24,000 |
|
Variance Between Requested/Proposed Funding Amount |
($10,418) |
FISCAL IMPACT
If the Subcommittee chooses to make recommendations based on funding Scenario 2 or Scenario 3; funding of those recommendations will be contingent on approval of the proposed budget supplement, and the approval of the FY 2019/20 Recommended Budget.
**The total amount requested exceeds the budgeted amount.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Subcommittee agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board, on the City’s website, and the availability of the agenda and report in the Office of the City Clerk.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Review the FY 2019/20 grant applications for the Community Events and develop funding recommendations to be submitted to the full City Council for final action.
2. Take other action as determined by the Subcommittee.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff makes no recommendation.
Staff
Prepared by: Jennifer Acuña, Administrative Analyst
Reviewed by: Cynthia E. Bojorquez, Director of Library and Community Services
Reviewed by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Grant Funding Worksheet
2. Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project - Sunnyvale Pet Parade
3. Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition - Bike to Work Day 2020
4. SDA - Holiday Tree Lighting
5. SDA - Jazz & Beyond Festival Series
6. SDA - Summer Series
7. SDA - Vudu Movie nights
8. SDA - Magic of Sunnyvale
9. SV Historical Society & Museum Assoc. - Heritage Park Museum, Anniversary Celebration