In response to a request by the EFCL, council has agreed to a 40% increase in the annual operating grants of community leagues, effective January 1.   This has the potential to raise the average grant from about $11,000 to approximately $15,400, once criteria for funding has been finalized.

 

On a second front, city council has also agreed to create a capital fund for community leagues, to help them construct and repair all of their facilities on licensed land.   This would include halls, rinks, tennis courts, basketball courts, parking lots, sidewalks – anything the leagues build on their licensed property (note: playgrounds are eligible for NPDP funding as they are on city parkland, not community league licensed land).

 

Initially, the EFCL asked for $3 million to be placed into this fund each year.  Council decided to begin by stocking it with $1.5 million per year and will consider raising it next year.

 

Capital funds will be made available to the leagues on a 50/50 matching basis.  Criteria for funding is still be developed, however,  early indications suggest that a portion of the money will be set aside for small, medium and large scale projects.  Dispersal of the funds is also expected to coincide with completion of a new tripartite license agreement, which describes how leagues are able to use the land they get from the city.

 

A joint committee of EFCL, community league and city staff hopes to complete work on both the grant criteria and license agreement early in the new year.

 

Allan Bolstad

Executive Director

Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues