Town of Olds will distribute more than $101,000 in FCSS grants to seven local organizations and service groups.
Each application was reviewed by town administration to make sure it was eligible.
Boys and Girls Club: $40,000.
Chinook Arch Victim's Services: $5,000.
Family School Wellness Program: $23,000.
Olds High School Support for Youth Development Initiatives: $3,380.
Youth Empowerment and Support Program: $11,000.
Mountain View Communities Adult learning Society: $7,020.
Olds and District Hospice Society: $4,200.
Of the seven groups, the Boys and Girls Club, the Family School Wellness program, the Youth Empowerment and Support Program, and the Olds and District Hospice Society got the amount they asked for. Chinook Arch Victim's Services, Olds High School Support for Youth Development Initiatives, and Mountain View Communities Adult Learning Society received less than what they asked for.
“Some of the requests have been recommended to be lower because of eligibility,” said Michelle Honeyman, manager of community development.
“There are certain portions of some of the applications that are not eligible for FCSS dollars.”
Mountain View Parent Link Centre and Peer Support for Abused Women Inspiring Challenge were denied FCSS funding.
“The reason for that is for the peer support program, the increase in administration cost over the last two years has been 250 per cent,” said Honeyman.
“As a region, we are looking at how we could provide that service and that program using local services or programs that are already established, or we as a region can develop a (similar) program.”
Parent Link was turned down because it asked for funding to pay for additional administrative support.
“Under the guidelines of FCSS and the eligibility criteria, we cannot fund it because it does not directly enhance the service,” said Honeyman.
The town will also keep $13,400 in reserve until September in case new and developing programs need extra funds.
“If we see a need in the community, or a program that is new or developed throughout the year comes to us for funding, we have dollars available to do that,” said Honeyman.
However, town administration will have to make sure the reserve funding is distributed before the end of the year, since any remaining amount will be taken off from next year's funding by the province.
“The way it works is if we don't spend it, we don't get it next year,” said Honeyman.
“We want to use up those dollars, and we will take a look in September and all of the community services staff will be in touch with the community groups this year, making sure that they have enough and they've used the money.”
If there is money still left by September, town administration will be doing another call for applications. Only groups and services that did not receive FCSS funding for 2012 will be eligible.
