CENTRE WELLINGTON — Changes to the township's community investment fund have left some organizations looking for funds elsewhere.
Presenting a report on Centre Wellington's Community Investment Fund policy at a council meeting Monday evening, community development manager Kristen Bettiol recommended several changes to the fund including changing the name from Grants to Community Groups and removing the capital stream.
The motion was passed unanimously by council. Mayor Shawn Watters had a pecuniary interest and was unable to participate.
The news was frankly "a bit of a gut punch and a surprise" for board co-chair at the Elora Centre for the Arts Kathryn Giffen who delegated at the meeting to ask council to reconsider removing the stream.
"I would really urge you to consider, perhaps taking a fresh approach to this and look at perhaps fixing the administrative process and saving the deserving capital funding programs that are in our community and especially impact the Elora Center for the Arts," said Giffen.
Asking council to think about the long-term impact, Giffen said the funding is necessary because it helps fund capital infrastructure upgrades that serve the community "not just for one year at a time as programs, but for decades as these projects are undertaken."
Outside of the infrastructure upgrades, Giffen said the group currently offers subsidized rental spaces to 13 long-term artists and cultural groups in the lower part of the building, which Giffen said was done because many couldn't afford market rent.
They also offer short-term subsidized rental spaces "or in many cases with fees frequently waived" to community groups and hosted 92 events this year alone in coordination with many of these groups.
"One thing is certain, our need for our heritage schoolhouse will continue to weigh very heavily on our operations...and we really don't want this to weigh on our community impact in the long-term," said Giffen.
When asked how much the centre is looking for, Bettiol said about $23,000 annually over the next three years to fund things like a fire escape, metal gutters, a downspout, a hot water heater and stabilizing the main floor in the gallery "nest area."
The group has received approximately $700,000 in grants from the township since the group took over its current space.
"It's very hard to fundraise for basic replacement of existing capital projects," said Giffen. "I mean, the community doesn't get excited about gutters and downspouts, but those are issues that we have to worry about on a daily basis."
In justifying the removal, Bettiol said the recommendation to remove the capital stream was in part due to the amount of staff resources that the capital grants require, has few applicants that can apply and projects have struggled to be compliant or completed timely.
"This stream causes significant challenges and consumes township resources in terms of agreements and reconciliation," said Bettiol at the meeting.
She later clarified organizations that receive other funding but still wish to be considered can request up to a maximum of $5,000 cumulatively of all financial support from the township.
"The idea is that they need to prioritize what they want to ask for...and they would be able to receive up to $5,000," said Bettiol.
Other changes included limiting organizations to one grant submission, pausing annual specific streams to new applicants and restructuring the community impact, arts culture, festivals and events, and inclusive community streams.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
