BERLIN – Municipal officials approved a new policy regarding nonprofit grants this week.
On Monday the Berlin Town Council approved a resolution addressing nonprofit grants. The new policy is meant to memorialize the grant process.
“It’s there so everyone knows what to expect,” Mayor Gee Williams said.
According to Town Administrator Laura Allen, town staff were asked last year by Councilman Zack Tyndall to take a look at the existing nonprofit grant process and “perhaps beef it up.” Allen said staff reviewed the existing practices and looked at policies in other municipalities. That research led to the policy she presented Monday, which outlines criteria, funding categories, eligibility and timing of grants.
“The purpose is to establish policies and procedures for assuring that all grants for charitable purposes are lawful,” Allen said, “and establishing a fair and efficient process for reviewing and approving grant requests.”
Allen said the new policy formalized grant criteria, categories of funding, eligible organizations and the application process. Under the new policy, town leaders would include a certain amount in each year’s budget for nonprofit grants. After the budget is approved and goes into effect, nonprofit groups will be able to apply for some of that funding.
Allen said the new process would not apply to Atlantic General Hospital (AGH), the Berlin Fire Company, Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services or the town’s Energy Assistance Program.
“The mayor and council have determined that the services provided by these organizations warrant a different approach,” Allen said.
Williams said keeping those groups separate would benefit everyone.
“What we have done is (we’re) having a specific pot of grant money that is only available to nonprofits that are not AGH, the Berlin Fire Company and Worcester Youth,” he said. “It makes a lot more sense. Those are unique services.”
He said the policy was simply meant to memorialize the nonprofit grant process and ensure it was accessible to everyone.
“We’re doing more nonprofit granting than any time in the town’s history but we’re also trying to be responsible,” he said. “Like anything else you have to formalize things now. It memorializes the policy so that it goes beyond us.”
The council voted 4-0, with Councilman Troy Purnell absent, to approve the policy.