SUBJECT:
Title
2024 Grants to Communities Report
Body
DEPARTMENT: Administration
Department
PRESENTER(S): Amy Teetzel, Director of Administrative Services & Operations
First Name Last Name, Title
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
For information only.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Grants to Communities Program provides funding to local non-profit organizations to support projects, programs, and events that benefit Erie and its residents. Information on the program is available on the Grants to Communities <https://www.erieco.gov/974/Grants> webpage.
In 2024 we implemented a requirement for grant recipients to complete a final grant report that includes:
• Number of attendees or people impacted by the event or service.
• A detailed expense sheet showing how the grant funding was used.
• Receipts verifying use of grant funds.
Organizations that received grant funding had until Oct. 30 to complete the required report, and 82% of grantees completed this report on time. From these grant reports we can see that this program impacted more than 10,500 event attendees/participants and at least 2,095 service program recipients.
Below is the summary of the grants funded in 2024, approved by Council on Jan. 9, 2024 in Resolution 24-012.
Request Type |
Organization |
Event/Service |
Requested Support |
Funded |
Event |
Being Better Neighbors |
Juneteenth Festival |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
Event |
Being Better Neighbors |
PRIDE |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
Event |
Coal Creek Meals on Wheels |
Meal on Heels: A Shoe Fashion Show |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
Event |
Erie Booster Club |
After Prom |
$3,000 |
$3,000 |
Event |
Erie Historical Society |
Biscuit Day |
$4,000 |
$4,000 |
Event |
Erie Optimists |
Homecoming Parade |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
Event |
Erie Optimists |
Easter Egg Hunt |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
Event |
Erie Optimists |
Eerie Erie |
$2,000 |
$2,000 |
Event |
Soaring Heights PTO |
Hope and Gratitude |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
Event |
T2 Dance Company |
Color Wheel Project |
$3,000 |
$2,000 |
Service |
Collegiate Crossings |
Post-secondary educational plan counselling |
$5,000 |
$3,000 |
Service |
Erie High School Education Foundation, Inc. |
Annual scholarships |
$10,000 |
$3,000 |
Service |
Erie Elementary Library |
Library Book Walk |
$3,000 |
$1,500 |
Service |
Erie Rotary |
Erie Loan Closet - rental fees |
$720 |
$720 |
Service |
Erie UpLink |
Tiger Packs Food-Assistance Program |
$10,000 |
$9,000 |
Service |
Hello Nurze |
Website to connect families with home health care |
$2,500 |
$1,500 |
Service |
Sister Carmen Community Center |
Direct Financial Assistance for Erie Residents |
$15,000 |
$10,000 |
This program is very popular with the local non-profit community, and we always receive more requests than we can fund, and because of this, we requested an increase of $20,000 for 2025 to bring the total available grant funds to $80,000. Early in January 2025, staff will bring to Council their recommendations on funding for the 2025 cycle.
COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Attractive Community Amenities
ü Engaged and Diverse Community
ü Small Town Feel
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENT(S):
N/A