REPORT TO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Consider a Financial Grant in the Amount of $6,000 from the Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program for the Santa Clara Lions Football & Cheer Club 2022
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Sports, Recreation & Arts Assets
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
The Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program (Grant Program) was established in memory of Santa Clara resident and youth sports enthusiast Wade Brummal. On October 27, 2015 (Attachment 1), Council approved a fee in the amount of $25 per non-resident youth participant in Santa Clara youth sports organizations as a means of generating funds to support economically challenged Santa Clara youth participate in local Santa Clara based youth sports programs. The grants would reimburse the organization for registration, equipment, program fees, and other related costs. Prior to adopting the fee, the Program had been funded through individual donations and an annual golf tournament held at the now closed Santa Clara Golf & Tennis Club.
Local youth sports organizations using City Parks & Recreation facilities and fields provide seasonal rosters identifying non-resident players and payment of the non-resident participant fee. In order to be eligible to submit a request for a financial grant,
organizations must meet the established eligibility criteria, as follows:
(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, enhancing services, training, equipment, facilities or other expenses related to the sport, league, or activity.
(3) Requests are limited to one request per organization, per sport; and,
(4) A limit of $500 per group, per request would be granted,
(5) Larger grant amounts maybe considered provided the Grant Program has accumulated sufficient funds and that Grant Program requests above $500 are reviewed and approved by the Parks & Recreation Commission.
Payments are administered by the Parks & Recreation Department.
From 2015 to 2019, six organizations participated and received financial grants from the Grant Program for youth from low-income households to participate in sports programs. In 2020, seven youth sports organizations participated. The COVID19 pandemic impacted programs in 2021-22. The Grant Program account balance as of January 2023 is $275,520.
DISCUSSION
Santa Clara Lions Football & Cheer Club (Lions) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1960 whose primary purpose is to develop, promote and administer the game of football and cheerleading and to provide a healthy recreational activity while teaching sportsmanship and discipline to youth from ages under six to under nineteen years old within Santa Clara. The program supports approximately 800 children per year.
The Lions contributed to the Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program and met the fee requirements for the 2022 calendar year. In January 2023, Lions submitted three Grant Program requests (Attachment 2) for three programs held in 2022, each within the single request limit of $500, for a total of $1,500. However, the Lions provided 40 individual low-income resident youth with free or reduced registration fees, equipment, and/or other support assisting participation during 2022 football and cheer seasons at a cost of $6,000 ($150 x 40 youth served).
The Parks & Recreation Department staff reviewed the requests and determined that they meet the Grant Program guidelines. However, given that the annual Lions contribution toward participant costs and the quantity of Santa Clara low income youth served exceeds the small grant limit of $500, the Lions could request a larger one-time grant amount. Since the current Grant Program balance is more than sufficient to support such a one-time grant, staff recommends Commission consider approval of a one-time grant of $6,000 ($150 x 40 youth served).
The Parks & Recreation Commission will consider approval of the grant at their Regular Meeting on February 21, 2023.
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
There is no impact on the City’s General Fund. The Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program account balance of $275,520 can accommodate the request of a one-time combined Program Grant for 2021 and 2022 in the total amount of $6,000.
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 Wade Brummal Youth Sports Program Grant in the combined amount of $6,000 for the Santa Clara Lions Youth Football & Cheer Program for 2021 and 2022.
Staff
Prepared by: Kimberly Castro, Recreation Manager
Approved by: James Teixeira, Director of Parks & Recreation
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Council Report October 27, 2015 13.A
2. Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program Application - SC Lions 2022