Municipal grants

Deadline looms for community groups to ask the County for support

An article published on page 12 of the Wednesday, October 19 issue of the Times called Municipal grants, stated that “the County… is now taking applications for its 2012 Community Foundation Grants program.” The article also stated that applications were due Friday, October 21.

The County Community Foundation is a charitable organization. It was created in 2009 by a group of talented volunteers from our community. It includes the County Community Fund, which provides grants to initiatives and projects in this community. The County Community Fund’s application includes a letter of intent, which must be submitted by Friday, October 21. The full application is due on Friday, November 11. The County of Prince Edward Community Grants Program is unrelated.

That was the program discussed in Wednesday’s article. Applicants for the Community Grants Program need not worry—that application is not due until Wednesday, December 7.

We apologise for any distress the mix-up may have caused.

The County has announced that it is now taking applications for its 2012 Community Foundation grants program. The program, which began in its current incarnation in 2009, will be offering grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 to not-for-profit groups operating in Prince Edward County. Groups that require more than $5,000 are asked to prepare a presentation to council. The program has undergone changes in the past few years. During the 2008 budget session it was disbanded completely, and applicants had to apply on a case-by-case basis.

In 2009 it was reinstated in its current form, with a nine-page application form that has groups outline in detail how they want to use the money, how the organization manages funds and how it benefits this community.

The County offers the grant as a sum or as a service in kind. For example, the County has provided the time of municipal staff or Countyowned facilities lieu of cash.

The grants are also available to both new organizations, as seed money to invest in the program, or to help an established group fund services or events.

“There’s a few [organizations] that get [grants] year to year, although the bulk of them are relatively new,” said Mayor Peter Mertens. “Because the intent of the grants are in part, startups.”

The 2012 grant applications will be reviewed by a committee made up of Mertens and Councillors Kevin Gale, Alec Lunn and Janice Maynard. They will review the applications and make recommendations to the whole council about how to distribute the grants.

Mertens said that the 2011 program totalled about $62,000 in grant money as well as the value of service in-kind. The 2012 budget has not yet been developed, so he can’t say how much funding will be available for those applying for grants this year, but expects it will be roughly the same amount.

These grants aim at providing access to arts, culture, environment, heritage and recreation. To be eligible, new or existing not-forprofits, community groups or organizations must have demonstrated sound financial management, and provide services and programs in an effective, accessible, open and inclusive manner.