REPORT TO PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Approval of a Grant from the Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program in the Amount of $4,359.22 to Reimburse Santa Clara Pony Baseball for Eligible Expenses Related to Their 2023 Summer Travel Team
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Sports, Recreation & Arts Assets
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
The Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program was established in memory of Santa Clara resident and youth sports enthusiast, Wade Brummal. The program is intended 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. Enclosed as Attachment 1 is the original Council report establishing the grant fund.
The purpose of this report is present the grant request from Santa Clara Pony Baseball for reimbursement of eligible expenses in the amount of $4,359.22 for expenses related to their 2023 summer travel team. Per the grant guidelines, this level of award is subject to the review and approval of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
DISCUSSION
Overview of Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant 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 fund 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 Grant Program has accumulated 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, maintenance costs. (Only available if fund balance exceeds $15,000 in a year.)
3. Reimbursement of costs related to additional competition expenses (i.e., travel). Grants of this nature will be reviewed by the Parks & Recreation Commission on a case-by-case basis for a recommendation of approval.
4. Requests from 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 either staff (or the Parks & Recreation Commission), payments are issued by the Department directly to the youth sports organization.
Since 2016, a total of 27 grants have been issued through the Wade Brummel Grant Program for a total grant amount of $54,585.44.
Request from Santa Clara Pony Baseball (SCPB)
SCPB is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1963, whose purpose is to develop and promote the game of baseball as a recreational activity, while teaching valuable skills and sportsmanship to Santa Clara teens, ages 13 to 19 years old. SCPB supports approximately one hundred (100) athletes per year. SCPB has won ten (10) World Series Championships, hosted four (4) Palomino World Series tournaments, and has won five (5) titles in their history.
SCPB has submitted a grant request seeking reimbursement for costs associated with the 2023 summer travel team uniforms and equipment (Attachment 2). The program previously received a $3,257.66 grant allocation for uniforms, insurance, and equipment in 2022.
Department staff has reviewed the grant application and recommends that the Parks and Recreation Commission approved the request.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program is funded in the Public Donations Fund. As of February 7, 2024, the balance in the fund is $120,642. Consequently, there are sufficient funds to support the request for reimbursement
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.
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 from the Wade Brummal Youth Sports Grant Program in the amount of $4,359.22 for reimbursement Santa Clara Pony Baseball for eligible expenses related to their 2023 Summer Travel Team.
Staff
Prepared 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 Youth Sports Grant Program Application - SC Pony Baseball