The City of Peterborough has launched a survey to gather feedback about the city’s community grant program.
The survey is the result of a motion supported unanimously by Peterborough city council on March 27 that directed staff to review the grant funding application and approval process “to ensure the integrity and fairness of the community investment grant’s program, and report back to Council with any recommended changes.”
At that same meeting, councillors had voted 7-3 against providing funding for two community organizations — The Theatre On King and the Artisans Centre Peterborough — that had appeared before council to appeal an earlier decision by an assessment committee to deny the organizations’ applications for 2023 grants.
In 2022, The Theatre On King had received the maximum grant of $15,000 and the Artisans Centre Peterborough had received $9,250. In 2023, neither organization received any grant funding.
For The Theatre On King, the change from a $15,000 grant to no funding at all from the city threatened their financial viability (the organization has since fundraised to cover its operating costs). Several delegations appearing before city council on March 27 raised concerns about the process used for determining grants for arts organizations.
“If your assessment process has led to the severing of funding for this essential part of our community, then your assessment process needs to change,” said Peterborough family physician Dr. Laura Lawson, speaking in support of The Theatre On King.
The city provides almost $250,000 each year to local not-for-profit and charitable organizations through the two grant streams, the community project grant and the community investment grant. For community project grants, the city provides $250 to $1,000 for specific projects. For community investment grants, the city provides $1,000 to $15,000 for projects, events, programs or operating budgets. Grant applications are reviewed by an assessment committee of two city councillors and 11 citizen appointees.
Concerns about how the city’s community grant program is delivered are not new. In 2017, former city councillor Dean Pappas had a motion passed to review the program, but no action was taken. The city’s arts and culture advisory committee, which includes members of the arts community, has also expressed concerns about how the city funds arts organizations.
In 2020, the Electric City Culture Council called on the city to align its processes for community grants for arts organizations with those of the federal government, most provincial governments, and many municipal governments.
The survey is available online at connectptbo.ca/community-grants-engagement (hard copies are available by calling the city at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822) until midnight on Sunday, July 11th.
The 27-question survey includes 20 questions related to the community grants program, including how effective the program has been, the clarity and ease of the application process, transparency in the evaluation and selection progress, and more. The survey includes several open-ended questions about the program.
“The City will use the input from the consultation to inform recommendations that will be considered by City Council on the process and program for the Community Project Grant and Community Investment Grant streams,” reads a city media release.
