By Andy Sevilla.
Though the new fiscal year is more than seven months away, city officials are beginning to prep for the upcoming months-long budget deliberations, and are asking nonprofits interested in Kyle grant funding to apply for those dollars now.
Tax-exempt organizations interested in city of Kyle community support funds have until March 31 to apply for potential grants. These monies are for projects and programs that deal with community needs the city is not already addressing.
City of Kyle accepts grant request for projects or programs that: •Are likely to have an impact on the quality of life of a significant number of people in the city •Address issues or problems the city is currently not •Propose practical ways to address community issues and problems •Stimulate others to participate in addressing community problems •Are cooperative efforts and minimize or eliminate duplication of services, •Are sustainable over time
City of Kyle generally does not grant funds for: •The use of and payment for services of a fiscal agent •Endowment funds •Religious organizations for religious purposes •Fundraising activities or events •Umbrella funding organizations that intend to distribute funds at their own discretion •Political lobbying or legislative activities •Individuals |
The application process for Kyle’s community support grant funding opened Feb. 20; council will consider those solicitations during budget deliberations this fall.
Last year, council members approved $38,000 for 12 organizations.
City leaders will consider grant requests that address community needs in the areas of: arts and culture, education and training, community development and community service, environment, health, human services, recreation, and animal related services.
Grant requests will only be accepted from organizations that are tax-exempt, or have applied for tax-exempt status, under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, officials said.
The city’s Community Relations Committee will review the applications during April and May, and will submit their recommendations to the city manager for inclusion in his proposed budget.
City Manager Lanny Lambert expects to present the council, which could potentially have four new faces come May, with the fiscal year 2014-2015 budget in July.
This present fiscal year’s budget topped $45 million and raised property taxes to a figure higher than any other Hays County city for the first time in recent history. The $0.5483 ad valorem tax rate was increased by 2.39 cents from the previous year to help cover costs associated with the first year of the $36 million road bond voters approved in May 2013.
Aside from deciding what nonprofits to help in the next fiscal year, officials will also contend with another expected hike on the property tax rate due to – likely – new debt. Council members approved at their Feb. 18 meeting a list of needed expenditures nearing $2 million, that, if given final approval, could potentially raise the ad valorem rate by three cents.
On top of those three cents, council members will also need to consider another property tax increase to fund the second year of the road bond projects. Though funding is in place, engineering contracts for the five road bonds projects have still not been finalized. Lambert said he expects to have those contracts for council approval in March.
