Carleton Place Community Enrichment Program

Community groups and not-for-profit organisations within the Town of Carleton Place. The Town states that individuals and businesses are not eligible, and that an organisation located in Carleton Place but more regionally oriented, or one representing a special interest group, will not be considered. A group may apply for one program or event per year, with special consideration for events in their inaugural year. Requests from recreational sports groups to sponsor an individual athlete or a team for a competition or tournament are not considered either.

Money or help in kind. On the money side: start-up funds for a brand-new event, once only; sponsorship funds for an event or festival that is already established; or one-time funding at Council's discretion for something outside the usual rules. In kind: rental fees reduced or covered at the Carambeck Community Centre, Town Hall, the Arena, Market Square, the Canoe Club, Carleton Junction and the Pool; the loan of municipal equipment or special-events supplies; and staff support for set-up before and after. The Town says all requests for municipal facilities, equipment and staff are considered before requests for financial support, because that support is easier to track. Whatever the form, the Town sets a ceiling: no applicant receives a grant of more than $1,500, and Council will not support a grant the Community Enrichment Program Committee has not approved.

On the Community Enrichment Grant Application Form — there is an electronic version on the Town's program page — or by email to the Recreation and Culture Department at jhansen@carletonplace.ca. The application needs a description of the program, event or festival with its objectives or its benefit to the community, and a budget on the Town's budget form. The first intake closes on 28 February each year; a second closes on 31 August if funding allows. Incomplete applications are not considered and the committee does not follow up for missing information. Questions before applying go to the Recreation and Culture Department — Jessica Hansen, Community Development Coordinator, 613-257-1704 — or to the Town Hall at 175 Bridge Street, 613-257-6200.

At least half. The Town requires a minimum contribution of 50% from the applicant through other financial and in-kind support — fundraising and volunteer support — and it has to be shown clearly in the budget submitted with the application. The grant is meant to be supplementary to an organisation's main sources of funding, and the Town writes that no organisation should be dependent on this source of funds to ensure its program, event or festival can run. Funding is guaranteed only for the fiscal year applied for; it carries no commitment to help again the next year.

A final report, submitted within 30 days of the program, event or festival finishing. It asks who benefited from the funding, how many people attended and how many of them paid, the date and location, the benefit to the Town, and whether the event was a financial success. Any organisation that does not complete and return the form will not be considered for funding in subsequent years, and repeat grants only go to groups that met the reporting requirements of earlier ones. Applicants are told to keep all receipts, since they may be asked for them. A group that received a monetary donation over $500 also completes the Post Project Report Form, which asks in detail where the funding was spent.