The purpose of outside group funding is to allow groups providing services to Sunnyvale to request funding to meet significant community needs. Proposers requesting City funding must relate services to existing City goals, policies and action plans to be eligible for funding consideration. Such proposals may include (but are not limited to) emergency services, senior services, disabled services, youth services, advocacy services and housing programs. Proposals submitted by outside groups will be required to comply with the policies and procedures established by the Human Services Policy.
Please note that the Outside Group Funding process is now on a two-year cycle, with the fiscal year 2007-2008 as the first year. In the second year of the cycle new applications will be solicited only for construction or acquisition projects. There will be some allowance for emergency funding.
Outside Group Funding applications and additional information will be available on this web page before the next application period.
The following is some general information about the Outside Group Funding program.
Eligibility Criteria
The group must be incorporated as a non-profit organization, or be chartered as a local unit and organization so incorporated; and must be tax exempt (non-profits under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code and Section 23701(d) of the California Revenue and Taxation Code); or 101(b) of the IRS Code.
Organization Requirements
All groups/agencies applying for funding must have the following:
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Bylaws - The group must have Bylaws which clearly define the organization's purposes and functions, its organization and the duties, authority and responsibilities of its governing body and officers.
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Governing Body - Governance of the organization should be vested in a responsible and active board which meets at least quarterly and establishes and enforces policies. The board should be large enough and so structured to be representative of the community it serves. It should have a specific written plan for rotation or other arrangements to provide for new members.
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Personnel - The organization must provide for adequate administration of the program to insure delivery of the services. The organization must provide that it has a written job description for each staff position and an organizational chart approved by the board. Normally one individual should be designated as the full time director of the organization. Organizations must have a written Affirmative Action Plan. This plan would cover employment of staff members, volunteers and board members and delivery of service to clients.
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Non-Discrimination - Every organization receiving funds from the City is required to assure that it will not discriminate in employment, exclude any person from participating or subject any person to discrimination under any part of the program on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical conditions, marital status, sex, age of a person forty (40) years of age or older, or any other basis as to which discrimination is prohibited by state or federal law. Programs designed to meet specific needs may target its services to specific groups (e.g., seniors, handicapped, youth).
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Service Designed for Those With Disabilities - Every organization receiving funds from the City must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires that no otherwise qualified individual shall solely, by reason of his/her disability, be subjected to discrimination or be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the organization. All organizations are required to make reasonable accommodation to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to participate. This includes a barrier-free environment and, where reasonable, may even include the provision of assistive devices and/or staff accommodations.
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Accounting - Each organization shall maintain accounting records which are in accordance with generally accepted auditing practices, such as described in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-102 or in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Accounting and Financial Reports for Non-Profit Corporations.
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Auditing - The City will require an audit. An organization must have a bi-annual audit conducted and the auditor's report and financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards as set forth in Standards for Audit of Governmental Organizations, Programs, Activities and Functions.
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Organizations applying for funding will be required to submit documentation of the above, where applicable. Specific instructions will be provided in the application.
Funding Guidelines
Programs for which funding is requested must qualify under one of the criteria below. Proposals not fitting into these categories will not be evaluated nor considered for funding.
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Operational Programs - Funding of programs and services to address identified community need or problems (in City General Plans, action plans or policies) through direct financial support and/or in-kind contributions. Programs/services funded under this criterion must represent a service which can be more cost-effectively operated by the proposer (than the City) or, because of its role in the community, is the most logical service provider. Funding may be provided on a multi-year basis, but is not guaranteed. Proposer must submit an application each year, with every other year’s application being an abbreviated one. Continued funding is contingent upon City budget limitations and proposer's previous program performance. Proposer must demonstrate good faith efforts to secure funding for programs/services from other sources.
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Project - Funding of one-time projects designed to address a significant community need or problem. Funding of such projects shall be limited to a specific time-frame, usually not more than one year. The City allocates funding for construction or acquisition projects in the form of a low interest loan, secured against real property.
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Seed Program - Funding for start-up of new programs designed to meet a significant community need or problem. Proposers must demonstrate a high probability that funding can be sustained beyond the commitment of City funds. Initial funding for seed programs is limited to one year; second year funding is possible if the program demonstrates good performance, the proposer has continued need for start-up funds, and the proposer has developed future commitments for on-going funding.
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Emergency - Funding of operational programs offered in the community which meet an existing need. Proposers and programs qualifying under this criterion must demonstrate 1) good performance of current programs; 2) that financial difficulties will largely curtail the services to City residents; and 3) a reasonable probability that future funding to continue the program can be obtained from other sources. Funding for programs qualifying under this criterion shall be limited to one year. |
Other Funding Guidelines
The following guidelines are applied to the recommendation regarding the amount of funding for the program, after it has been determined that funding is recommended:
· Funding is not to exceed the benefits provided to Sunnyvale residents. (Funding may not exceed the pro-rata share of Sunnyvale residents relative to the overall budget.)
· Travel expenses must clearly indicate in-county versus out-of-county travel.
· The "surplus" or "contingency fund" of the organization should be used to fund programs in lieu of City funds to the extent it exceeds reasonable limits based upon the activities of the organization and its program. Generally, the surplus should not exceed three months operating budget.
· Non-expendable equipment purchases exceeding $200 should be considered as "project" costs and funded separately from indirect City programs. Only extraordinary (from normal operations) one-time equipment purchases will be considered for funding under project funding for indirect City programs.
Community Development Block Grant Funding
Those groups which provide services which meet the eligibility criteria for funding through the Community Development Block Grant Program may be considered for funding from this source. Based upon information provided in the application, staff will assess the project's eligibility for CDBG funding. Programs awarded CDBG funds must comply with the CDBG regulations, including income eligibility which requires that at least 60% of the agency's clients earn at or below the low income limits as published by HUD.