Greenwood Neighbourhood Place (GNP) officials are struggling to maintain service levels for the year of 2014.
“Loss of government grants and an increase in operating cost make it very difficult to sustain the level of service for GNP,” said Marita Stermann, GNP executive director.
The Town of Sundre will be increasing the maintenance fee for Sundre Community Centre tenants by $2,400.
The organization is also facing a loss of $7,000 that would have come from the provincial Community Spirit Grant, which was cut this year.
Officials are requesting $10,000 from the Town of Sundre to assist with offsetting operating costs and were present at the council workshop meeting on Dec. 9 to make the request.
The organization received the same amount last year. However, the funds came from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) grant, which is also being cut by provincial officials.
“This grant has been diminished and we were made aware of this last year already. However we applied for funding to the town in the same amount,” said Stermann.
“All grants and funding we receive are attached with a mandate to do specific programming. They only cover a small portion of the operating cost,” she explained.
She noted there has also been a 10 per cent increase in administrative cost and a one to three per cent cost of living increase.
“GNP had a balanced budget until funding cuts came into effect and increases of expenditures for 2014 were announced.”
In the projected 2014 budget, GNP officials hope to fundraise $22,512. They are also asking for $10,000 from Mountain View County.
