Lloydminster organizations receive cut of grant

Lloydminster organizations will be receiving funding thanks to a Saskatchewan grant.

Lloydminster council approved a motion to allocate some funding from the Saskatchewan Lotteries Community Grant.

A total of 13 organizations are getting a piece of the $86,454 in funding.  

Patrick Lancaster, manager of social programs and services with the City of Lloydminster gave some insight into the committee that allocates the funding.

“The Community Service Advisory Committee is made up of eight community members, one member of council, Coun. David Lopez, one member is a youth appointee and six at large community members appointed to volunteer their time to review grant applications and provide recommendations to council,” he said. “There are other programs funded through Saskatchewan lotteries, like Saskatchewan culture receives funding through Saskatchewan lotteries. The community grant program is one that’s specifically for municipalities to disperse programs within their community.”

Coun. Jim Taylor asked if there were any parameters surrounding what percentage of a funding request an organization gets.

“There aren’t specific guidelines around the percentage of the funds that go out to any given organization. We do advise the committee that while often there is a desire to fund as many different projects as possible and see all applicants receive funding. That consideration really does have to be given to will the project be viable with a partial amount of funding given,” said Lancaster. 

“I do believe the committee has done a pretty good job of that. Under very seldom circumstances have we ever had an organization come back to us and say ‘we’re sorry there’s not enough funds here for us to proceed’ and to decline the funding.” 

Lancaster says the next steps for them would be to reach out to the organizations and see if they’re ready to proceed with the allocated funding. At which time, administration would then draft up contracts. If any funds were to be declined there is a process in the Saskatchewan Lotteries Community Grant Policy. 

Taylor asked if any groups appeal to them not getting funding through this program.

“We do get groups that come back and usually ask for feedback, what can we do better, guidance about future applications and sometimes even questions about allocation,” Lancaster.

Lancaster clarified that the policy itself does not have an appeal process for funding.

Being a sitting member of the committee, Lopez gave some insight into difficulties groups may face when applying for and using the funding.

“As an organization you have to really think outside of the box being in Lloydminster and saying, ‘Okay what can we do in Saskatchewan,’” he said. “It’s really an interesting thing that it’s proper Lloydminster or Saskatchewan. If you want to go to Vermilion to go to the park, it can’t be a part of this grant.”

Council approved the grant allocation for the 13 Lloydminster organizations. A full list of the organizations receiving funding is available online at MeridianSource.ca.

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Christian Apostolovski

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