HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 23-063, Community Event Grant Program Policy RESOLUTION NO. 23-063
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SARATOGA AMENDING THE
COMMUNITY EVENT AND STREET CLOSURE
GRANT PROGRAM POLICY
WHEREAS, the City Council implemented the Community Event and Street Closure
Grant Program in Fiscal Year 2023/14 to assist local volunteers and organizations build a stronger
sense of community in Saratoga through events; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the Community Event Grant Program Policy on
April 17, 2019, and further amended the policy on July 1, 2020,to establish criteria and eligibility
requirements for the program as well as describe operations of the program; and
WHEREAS, at the February 15, 2023, meeting, staff was directed to return to the City
Council with revisions to the policy to provide the City Council with additional data about the
events supported through the Community Event and Street Closure Grant Program; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the changes requested to the policy requested by the City
Council, staff has also proposed changes to better reflect the administration of the program.
NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby
amends the Community Event Grant Program Policy and declares that this resolution and attached
policy shall replace and supersede all prior resolutions, policies, and understandings related to the
Community Event& Street Closure Grant Program Policy.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga
City Council held on the 21St day of June 2023 by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS AFTAB, PAGE, WALIA, VICE MAYOR ZHAO,
MAYOR FITZSIMMONS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
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Kookie Fitzsimmons, Mayor
ATTEST:
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F3ritt Avrit, MMC, City Clerk
Resolution 23-063
Page 2
CITY OF SARATOGA COMMUNITY EVENT AND
STREET CLOSURE GRANT PROGRAM
Adopted and Amended June 21, 2023 via Resolution 23-063
I. PURPOSE
This policy outlines the criteria Council applies to determine secured and unsecured
funding allocations for the Community Event and Street Closure Grant Program. The
objective is to provide guidelines to administer a program that is in-line with Council
direction and is helpful to event organizers wishing to request grant funding. This
policy is effective beginning with Fiscal Year 2024/25 allocations.
II. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applications must demonstrate that the event meets the following criteria to be
considered for Community Event and Street Closure Grant funding:
a. Event must be organized and managed by volunteers.
b. Event must be held in Saratoga.
c. Event is free to attend and open to the public.
d. Event should showcase Saratoga's character, diversity or history.
e. Event should not be intended to celebrate or recognize a small group, such as
reunions.
f. Event must be an independent, standalone event. For example, it may not be an
activity hosted as part of an event that has received separate funding under the
Program.
g. Event organizer must obtain a minimum of$1 million liability insurance coverage
for the event. Events organized by individuals or an informal group of individuals,
that are not a part of or related to any non-profit corporation or other legal
business entity, may request City Council approval for event insurance to be
provided by the City's insurance program. City Council may authorize event
insurance through the City's insurance funding for Secured Funding Program
recipients when providing direction on funding allocations.
III. ANNUAL PROGRAM PROCESS
The annual process is outlined below and may be adjusted as needed:
a. January - Existing and prospective Secured Funding Program recipients submit
Secured Funding Interest Form &Agreement for events to be held in the next fiscal
year.
b. February - Council reviews the program schedule, policy, prior year allocations,
receives Secured Funding Interest Form & Agreement from existing and
prospective Secured Funding Program recipients, and provides direction on
Secured Funding recipients and their allocation amounts, and the total funding
allocation for the Competitive Program for the upcoming fiscal year.
City of Saratoga Communiry Event&Street Closure Grant Program Policy
Adopted and Amended June 21, 2023 via Resolution 23-063
Resolution 23-063
Page 3
c. March - Competitive Program application cycle is opened and announced to the
community.
d. April - Library & Community Engagement Commission reviews Competitive
Program applications and prepares a funding recommendation for City Council
consideration.
e. May - City Council receives Library & Community Engagement Commission
recommended allocations for Competitive Program applications and provides
direction on allocations for upcoming fiscal year.
IV. COMMUNITY EVENT GRANT PROGRAMS
a. Secured Funding Program
1) The City Council may provide Community Event and Street Closure Grant
Program Secured Funding to a specific event or to an event organizer to be
used as set forth in the Secured Funding Interest Form &Agreement.
2) All events funded by the Secured Funding Program must demonstrate that
they meet the Eligibility Criteria.
3) Secured Funding Program recipients are exempt from the competitive
application process. Secured Funding Program recipients and allocation
amounts are decided at the discretion of the City Council.
4) Event organizers are required to provide a completed Secured Funding
Interest Form & Agreement to be considered by the City Council for
Community Event Grant Program Secured Funding Program allocations. The
Secured Funding Interest Form & Agreement will be used to confirm the
event(s) will be held in the upcoming fiscal year, meet Eligibility Criteria, the
desired grant amount, estimated attendance, estimated total event cost,
anticipated event funding sources, and expected outreach and marketing
plans. Completed Secured Funding Interest Form Agreements will be provided
to the City Council for consideration when determining Secured Funding
Program allocations.
b. Competitive Funding Program
1) The City Council may allocate funding for the Community Event and Street
Closure Grant Program Competitive Funding. If funding is allocated for the
Competitive Program,the opening of the application period will be announced
to past applicants and to the broader community.
2) The maximum grant amount per event under the Competitive Program is
$2,000.
3) Recipients of Secured Community Event Grant Funding may not apply for the
Competitive Program.
4) Applications must be fully completed and submitted before the application
deadline to be considered.
5) Applications that do not meet Eligibility Criteria will not be considered.
6) Off-cycle applications will not be accepted.
City of Saratoga Community Event&Street Closure Grant Program Policy
Adopted and Amended June 21, 2023 via Resolution 23-063
Resolution 23-063
Page 4
7) Applications will be used to confirm that the event will be held in the upcoming
fiscal year, meets Eligibility Criteria, the desired grant amount, estimated
attendance, estimated total event cost, anticipated event funding sources,
applicant's past experience organizing events, and expected outreach and
marketing plans.
8) After the application deadline, the Library & Community Engagement
Commission will review eligible applications and provide the City Council with
a funding recommendation. The City Council will determine final Competitive
Program allocations.
V. ELIGIBLE EXPENSES &GRANT PAYMENT
1) Grant funding may be used for permit fees, facility or park rentals, street
closure as described below, event materials, supplies, vendors, and contract
services.
2) Grantfunding may not be used bythe grant recipientto pay stafforvolunteers
for time spent on event organization or coordination.
3) Grant payments are issued on a reimbursement basis following the event.
4) A Grant Reimbursement Request Form must be submitted to receive grant
payment.The Reimbursement Request Form must include an itemized list and
proof of payment for event expenses to be funded by the grant, total event
costs, and estimated event attendance. Optionally, event photos may be
submitted.
5) Only one Grant Reimbursement Request Form may be submitted for grants
issued for a single event. For grants issued to event organizers to be used for
a variety of events that meet Eligibility Criteria, a Grant Reimbursement
Request Form may be submitted after each event.
6) In addition to the above list of Eligible Expenses & Grant Payment
requirements, grant funding designated for street closures may only be used
for Big Basin way road closure costs and must be used for permit fees, signage
and barricades, notifications, City staff, and law enforcement officer costs
associated with a road closure before it may used for other road closure
expenses.
7) A Grant Reimbursement Request Form must be submitted within the same
fiscal year as the event to be eligible for reimbursement. For events held in
June, a Grant Reimbursement Request may be submitted up to 7 days after
the end of the fiscal year.
1652661.1
City of Saratoga Community Event&Street Closure Grant Program Policy
Adopted and Amended June 21, 2023 via Resolution 23-063