The Prince George Community Foundation could be put in charge of distributing $100,000 of the city's social grant funding next year depending on how city council greets the two proposals on Monday night.
Currently, an advisory committee is responsible for suggesting to council how the social grants budget should be allocated but securing committee members has been difficult, the commitment lengthy and funding decisions have not always been linked to priorities articulated by council, city social development manager Chris Bone said in a report to council.
Accordingly, Bone and council's finance and audit committee are suggesting the job be given to the PGCF with appropriate guidelines. A similar process is in place in other cities, according to Bone.
Bone and the committee are also proposing to establish a $25,000 "neighbourhood micro-grant" program beginning in 2012 once clearer criteria has been fleshed out. Similar programs have been established across North America, said Bone, as a means to provide seed money for neighbourhood initiatives like community gardens, festivals and block parties.
