SUBJECT
Title
Approval of a Grant from the Wade Brummal Youth Sports Scholarship Program in the Amount of $17,575 to Reimburse Santa Clara Westside Little League for Eligible Expenses Related to the 2024 Spring Season.
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Sports, Recreation & Arts Assets
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
The Wade Brummal Youth Sports Scholarship Program (Scholarship Program) was established in memory of Santa Clara resident and youth sports enthusiast, Wade Brummal (Attachment 1). The intention of the Scholarship Program is to promote the participation of Santa Clara youth in organized sports programming by providing qualified organizations with the opportunity to obtain grants to offset the costs of fees, equipment, and other related program costs. Since 2016, a total of 27 grants have been allocated from the Scholarship Program for a total grant amount of $100,893 (Attachment 2).
The purpose of this report is to present the grant request from the Santa Clara Westside Little League for reimbursement of eligible expenses in the amount of $17,575 related to their 2024 spring season. Per the Scholarship Program grant guidelines, this level of award is subject to the review and approval of the Parks & Recreation Commission (Commission).
DISCUSSION
Overview of Wade Brummal Youth Sports Scholarship Program
Each local youth sports organization that uses a City Parks & Recreation facility and/or field is required to pay a $25 fee for every non-resident youth participant in their program. To document the fee, each organization is required to provide seasonal rosters that identify non-resident players.
In return, those same groups are eligible to apply for a grant from the Scholarship Program to support the participation of Santa Clara youth who are unable to afford program fees or equipment. Grant requests are submitted by youth sports organizations and are evaluated by the Parks & Recreation Department for eligibility based on the following guidelines:
1. The organization must be a City of Santa Clara non-profit, sports, or school organization, serving youth 18 years and under, and have participated in the payment of non-resident youth participant fees;
2. Grant funds must be used to cover registration and/or participation fees, enhanced services, training, equipment, facilities, or other expenses related to the sport, league, or activity;
3. In general, requests are limited to no more than one request per organization, per sport/per season, with a $500 limit per request; and
4. Larger grant amounts may be considered, provided the Scholarship Program has sufficient funds. Requests larger than $500 must be reviewed and approved by the Parks & Recreation Commission.
Priorities of Funding
The current policy establishes the following priorities when considering grant requests:
1. Participant Scholarships - Reimbursement of a youth sports organization's direct financial assistance to support disadvantaged residents to participate in the sport (i.e., league registration fees, participation, etc.). Individuals must be qualifying residents of the City of Santa Clara (as defined in Policy and Procedures 1.8).
2. Relevant program costs - Reimbursement for new equipment, field repairs, capital projects, and maintenance costs (only available if fund balance exceeds $15,000 in a year).
3. Reimbursement of costs related to additional competition expenses (e.g., travel). Grants of this nature will be reviewed by the Parks & Recreation Commission on a case-by-case basis for recommendation of approval.
4. Non-contributing Santa Clara-based youth sports organizations and programs are also eligible to request funds based on fund availability. Requests must be made to the Parks and Recreation Commission for approval.
5. Contributions to the fund do not constitute a guarantee of funding.
Once a grant is approved by staff or the Parks & Recreation Commission, payments are issued directly to the youth sports organization by staff.
Request from Santa Clara Westside Little League (SCWLL)
Per the SCWLL website, SCWLL is a nonprofit organization founded in 1933, whose objective is “to implant firmly in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, and respect for so that they may be well adjusted, stronger, and happier children and will grow to be good decent, healthy, and trustworthy citizens.”
SCWLL has submitted a grant request seeking a total reimbursement of $17,575 for equipment and scholarship costs associated with the 2024 spring season and has not previously received any funding from the Scholarship Program (Attachment 3). Of this total amount, $1,817 would be reimbursed for items purchased to maintain the infield and prepare for play on the diamond, $14,508 for equipment purchased to be used for the entire league, and $1,250 towards registration scholarships.
The Department received a total request of $3,600 for 21 player scholarships. Only $1,250 for six players was validated and recommended to be awarded due to meeting the scholarship program’s Santa Clara residency requirement. The $1,250 recommended scholarship for the six eligible players is based on the following calculation:
|
Number of Resident Players |
Division |
Scholarship Award (per player) |
Total Scholarship Award |
|
1 |
Upper Division |
$250 |
$250 |
|
2 |
Lower Division |
$200 |
$400 |
|
3 |
Challenger Division |
$200 |
$600 |
|
Total: |
$1,250 |
Following the current policy, the 15 player scholarship requests ineligible for the scholarship due to not meeting the Santa Clara residency requirements are in the Challenger Division. Wade Brummal Youth Scholarship Program Policy is expected to be before the City Council in the near future to consider changes to the policy for eligible expenses. Should this part of the policy be changed, the SCWLL may return to the Commission for reconsideration of a grant for the additional 15 player scholarships under the new policy.
Department staff have reviewed the grant application and recommend that the Parks & Recreation Commission approve the grant request in the amount of $17,575. The staff’s review has determined that the grant request aligns with the Scholarship Program’s priorities and meets the eligibility requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 153778(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Wade Brummal Youth Sports Scholarship Program is funded from the Public Donations Fund and has a current scholarship balance of $113,032. Staff is recommending to allocate SCWLL’s grant request of $17,575.
Pending approval of the scholarship grant requests in RTC 24-992 ($17,545), RTC 24-1003 ($22,240) and RTC 24-1012 ($11,652), the effective fund balance would be reduced to $61,565.
|
Reference |
Current Scholarship Fund Balance |
Request Amount |
Ending Scholarship Balance |
|
24-992 |
$113,032 |
$17,545 |
$95,457 |
|
24-1003 |
$95,457 |
$22,240 |
$73,217 |
|
24-1012 |
$73,217 |
$11,652 |
$61,565 |
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Parks & Recreation Commission agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve a Grant in the Amount of $17,575 from the Wade Brummal Youth Sports Scholarship Program in the Public Donations Fund to Reimburse the Santa Clara Westside Little League for Eligible Expenses Related to the 2024 Spring Season.
Staff
Prepared by: Angelique Wilson, Recreation Supervisor
Reviewed by: Kimberly Castro, Recreation Manager
Approved by: Cynthia Bojorquez, Assistant City Manager/Acting Parks & Recreation Director
ATTACHMENTS
1. Item 13, October 27, 2015 City Council Report
2. Wade Brummal Disbursement Log
3. Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program Application- Westside Little League