Community groups and other organizations can expect less in the way of help from the City of Penticton this year and in coming years.
Council started out their deliberations over grant requests Wednesday determined to trim down the estimated $790,000 requested.
“If we were to pay everyone what they asked for, we would have to find another $120,000,” said Mayor Andrew Jakubeit, setting the minimum target for reductions.
Cuts started with the first item on the list, a new request from Okanagan Trestle Tours.
They received the $1,000 requested as an in-kind grant (for park rental) but not the $1,000 requested as a cash grant.
“I am always hesitant for any grant to a for-profit business. He is in this to make money, not a non-profit society,” said Coun. Max Picton.
A larger request, for $47,180, from the The Pinnacles Football Club was also turned down unanimously.
Even longstanding groups found their grant requests under question. Okanagan Fest-of-Ale, who were requesting a new grant of $10,000 for marketing, found themselves turned down flat.
Picton pointed out that the group has returned about $500,000 in donations to the community.
“Essentially, if we are giving them money, it is just a flow through to whatever charity they see fit, so it is not suitable for a grant,” said Picton.
Councillors were also considering the grants in light of a new policy of weaning groups, outside of those on the standing grant list, off city funds, diminishing the amount given over three years to zero.
“There are many organizations that said they would only need this for one or two years and have now been with us for many years,” said Coun. Helena Konanz.
“As a city, we can’t just fund everything. We have to follow our policy and wean all these off, unless they make it through as a standing grant. These organizations need to become self-sufficient,” said Picton.
At the end of the day, however, several councillors expressed concern over the grant process and the city’s need for these organizations to continue their operations.
“This is not a black and white process,” said Sentes. “We need these festivals, we need the influx of the dollars they bring.”
Jakubeit suggest the city needed better measures of what the grant will be used for and its success.
“Just have more accountability and make the organizers work a bit harder to achieve whatever our metric is measuring,” he said.