Community Investment Funding Panel
Minutes – 15 December 2021
Present: Mr
M Preston-Thomas (delegated Chairperson), Ms R Gordon, Ms R Grant, Ms V Lock
and Mr B Subba
In
Attendance: Community Contracts Advisor (Mr P Prestidge),
Community Partnerships Coordinator (Ms D McLean-Janet) and Governance Advisor
(Ms K Redgrove)
Apologies : Mr
A White, Ms A Wiringi and Mr G Thomas
It was noted the position of
Chairperson for this meeting had been delegated by Mr Andrew White to Mr Mark
Preston-Thomas.
1. Apologies
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Resolved CIF/2021/005
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That the Community Investment Funding Panel
1. Receives
and accepts the apologies from Mr A White, Mr G Thomas and Ms A W Wiringi for
attendance.
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Gordon/Grant Carried
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2. Confirmation of
Order of Business
There were no changes to the
order of business.
3. Interests
There were no updates to the
Interests Register, and no interests with items on the agenda were declared.
4. Public Forum
There was no public forum.
5. Confirmation of
Minutes
5.1 7
September 2021
Document number M18907, agenda
pages 4 - 6 refer.
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Resolved CIF/2021/006
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That the Community
Investment Funding Panel
1. Confirms
the minutes of the meeting of the Community Investment Funding Panel, held on
7 September 2021, as a true and correct record.
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Grant/Gordon Carried
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6. Community Investment
Fund - Small Grant Allocation November 2021
Document number R26379, agenda
pages 7 - 83 refer.
Mr Prestidge explained that there
was a missing section 4.9.4 in the report, referencing the prescribed declining
ground ‘insufficient funding available to fully fund all suitable
applications’.
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Resolved CIF/2021/007
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That
the Community Investment Funding Panel
1. Receives the report
Community Investment Fund - Small Grant Allocation November 2021 (R26379) and its attachments (A2570591,
A2760186, and A2790968); and
2. Approves
funding for the Community Investment Fund Grant Applications as agreed at
this 15 December 2021 meeting and recorded in the tabled document (A2809809); and
3. Notes
that the Community Investment Fund is insufficient to meet the total value of
applications that meet the priority focus areas and that the Community
Investment Funding Panel will not be able to support all worthy applications
to the extent it may wish to.
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Gordon/Lock Carried
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Attachments
1 A2809809 - Community Investment Fund Small Grant
Recommendations
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There being no further business the meeting ended at 1.32
pm.
Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings by
resolution on (date) 2022
Item 6: Community
Investment Fund Small Grants allocation
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Community Investment Funding Panel
7 June 2022
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REPORT R26901
Community
Investment Fund Small Grants allocation
1. Purpose
of Report
1.1 To
allocate the second round of Community Investment Fund (CIF) Small Grants for
2021/22.
2. Recommendation
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That
the Community Investment Funding Panel
1. Receives
the report Community Investment Fund Small Grants allocation (R26901) and its attachment (A2884876); and
2. Allocates funding for the Community
Investment Fund Grant Applications as agreed at this 7 June 2022 meeting and
recorded in the tabled document (Axxxxx); and
3. Notes that the Community Investment
Fund is insufficient to meet the total value of applications that meet the
priority focus areas and that the Community Investment Funding Panel will not
be able to support all worthy applications to the extent it may wish to.
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3. Background
3.1 The
Community Investment Fund (CIF) is a contestable fund, providing grants to
community organisations that, “improve the wellbeing in support Nelson
‘communities of greatest need’ as being focusing on reducing social
isolation, reducing housing vulnerability, improving access to work and
learning opportunities, and reducing the impact of poverty.”
3.2 The
total CIF budget for 2021/22 is $342,923. 70% of the CIF funding, ($240,000),
was allocated as strategic grants to 27 organisations in September 2021, and
$56,640 was allocated as small grants to 17 organisations in December
2021. The balance of $46,283, is available to allocate as small grants up
to $10,000 each at this meeting.
3.3 The
budget for 2022-2023 will be a similar amount of which $235,000 has been
allocated towards the second year’s funding for strategic grants leaving
a balance of $108,000. The panel may at its discretion allocate grants from the
2022/2023 budget, to be paid from 1 July 2022, although this would impact on
the funding available for later funding rounds.
4. Discussion
Applications received4.1 A total of
29 small grant applications were received, requesting $126,604. Application
details are provided as attachment one. Officers have reviewed the applications
to assess their eligibility and alignment to the CIF priorities.
4.1.1 Three
applicants received a small grant in the December 2021 allocation, although
they had initially applied in April/May 2021. The panel may at its discretion
approve grants to these projects, payable from the 2022/2023 budget.
4.1.2 Three
applicants for a small grant also received a strategic grant. Groups that
have received strategic grants are eligible to apply for a small grant provided
it is for a different project or purpose.
Funds available:
4.2 The
total CIF budget for 2021/22 is $342,923, $296,640 of which has already been
distributed. The balance of $46,283 is available for distribution in 2021/2022.
4.3 The
Panel may also allocate grants from the 2022/2023 budget, although this is only
recommended by staff for exceptional situations, as it will reduce the putea
available for further funding rounds.
Funding
Priorities
4.4 As the fund has been oversubscribed,
with most applicants having some or a strong alignment to the fund purpose,
many applicants must be declined or receive partial funding despite submitting
worthwhile applications.
4.5 In decision making, the recommended
funding allocation reflects the following principles:
4.5.1 Prioritising
Communities of Greatest Need: Priority should be given to organisations
that will make a tangible difference to improving community wellbeing by
reducing social isolation, reducing housing vulnerability, reducing the impact
of poverty, and improving access to work and learning in Nelson.
4.5.2 Funding
for success: It is better to adequately fund a small number of projects and
decline others, than underfund multiple projects that cannot succeed.
4.5.3 Small
Grant Funding Levels: This fund is promoted as providing small grants with
a maximum of $10,000 and an expectation that most grants will be between $2,000
and $5,000. Where a grant is requested as a contribution towards a larger
project, the Panel should consider whether a grant will provide a meaningful
contribution to the success of the project.
4.5.4 Alternative
Funding Options: This involves considering whether the organisation has
access to alternative funding from other sources.
Decisions
on applications
4.6 The priorities and funding criteria
are defined in the CIF Panel Terms of Reference.
4.7 Based on the direction provided at
the workshops and the funding principles, Officers have prepared a schedule
with a recommended funding distribution to fully allocate the budget available.
This funding recommendation is being tabled at the meeting.
4.8 At the two workshops held prior to
this meeting, the Panel requested further information from Officers regarding
several applications. This information has been incorporated into the funding
recommendations.
4.9 The Panel should consider each
application on its merits and choose to either wholly fund, partly fund or
decline the application and articulate the reasons for the decision. Rationale
for declining applications are:
4.9.1 Incomplete
alignment with Council’s strategic priorities and the small grant funding
criteria.
4.9.2 Does
not achieve sufficient community benefit to Nelson residents when considered
against alternative applications.
4.9.3 Does
not sufficiently demonstrate the applicant’s ability to deliver the
project, service or activity when considered against other applications.
4.9.4 Insufficient
funding available to fully fund all suitable applications.
Assessments
4.10 Officers
reviewed all the applications and provided advice for the Panel to consider at
its workshop, and when making its decisions.
4.10.1 24
applications, requesting $111,145 were assessed as meeting the overall criteria
for CIF small grants funding – with some more strongly meeting the
criteria than others.
4.10.2 Five
applications, requesting $15,459 were assessed as not sufficiently meeting the
criteria for CIF small grants funding. In these cases, Officers will contact
the applicants to discuss alternative funding opportunities.
4.11 Officers
further reviewed the applications following the Panel workshop and provided a
recommendation (tabled at this meeting) based on the fund principles, the
previous track record of the applicant, direction provided at the workshops,
the financial and governance capability of the applicant, the Nelson community
benefit, reach and effectiveness of the activity when considered against other
applicants.
4.12 As the fund has been significantly
oversubscribed, with most applicants having some, or a strong alignment to the
fund purpose, many applicants must be declined or receive partial funding
despite submitting worthwhile applications.
5. Options
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Option 1: Allocate the
Community Investment Small Grants as per attachment three (recommended option)
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Advantages
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· Community
groups will receive Council grant funding to enable them to achieve positive
community outcomes.
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· Unsuccessful
applicants may be dissatisfied with being declined.
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Option
2: Allocate the Community Investment Small Grants differently to that
recommended in attachment three
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Advantages
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· Funding
will reflect the panel’s funding priorities.
· Community
groups will receive Council grant funding to enable them to achieve positive
community outcomes.
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Disadvantages
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· Unsuccessful
applicants may be dissatisfied with being declined.
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Option
3: Do not allocate the Community Investment Small Grants (not recommended).
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Advantages
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· None
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· Nelson
community groups would miss out on funding.
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6. Next
Steps
6.1 Once
the panel has decided on the allocation of the funding, staff will advise all
applicants of the decisions; and
· Develop funding
agreements with successful applicants, incorporating any specific conditions
the panel recommends, and pay the grants
· Contact all unsuccessful
applicants and discuss other funding options and support that may be available.
· Meet with successful
applicants on a regular basis to discuss and support project delivery.
Author: Paul
Prestidge, Community Contracts Adviser
Attachments
Attachment 1: CIF
Small Grant Applications May 2022 (A2884876) ⇩
