GONZALES — Seven recipients have been selected and approved to receive the Community Action Grant Program funding to implement a variety of civic-minded community activities.
“Back in June the city council approved the recommendation of the Measure K Oversight Committee to fund a Community Action Grant Program,” said Deputy City Manager and Community Development Director Thomas Truszkowski. “That program is open to any resident, community group or business owner and those people that are interested in taking on an activity that will improve resident well-being and quality of life consistent with the city’s vision.”
The funding for the Community Action Grant Program was $20,000 from transaction and use tax approved in November 2014 by 67 percent of the Gonzales voters.
One of the purposes of the Measure K tax was to continue the development of innovative programs for economic growth, youth, adult and senior activities. Additional fund balanced allowed for $5,000 to be added to the Community Action Grant Program budget.
The City Council recommended that grant amounts be available in the amounts of $500 to $5,000. Grants are allocated based on submittal. The applicants had to attend a mandatory applicant meeting on Aug. 16 to be eligible to be considered for grant funding.
At least one of the two volunteers responsible for the group had to be from the city of Gonzales. Non-eligible applications would include requests dealing with debt relief, scholarships, religious activities, business expenses and academic research. The deadline for the applications was Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. Eight applications were received that requested $35,780.
According to Truszkowski, one application was denied because it arrived after the deadline.
“The applications that were sent in were screened for completeness, checked against eligibility criteria and forwarded to a subcommittee of Measure K Oversight Committee,” said Truszkowski.
The groups that were recommended for Community Action Grant Program funding were the Gonzales Community Presbyterian Church, $5,000; Ramirez-Treleven Project, $4,780; the Gonzales Lion’s Club, $5,000; Grupo Su Unidos De Gonzales, $4,500; Assemblia de Gonzales, $2,500; Salvation Army, $2,300; and Gonzales Youth Guardians, $600. The total funding is $24,680.
The next step would be notify the applicants of the Gonzales City Council decision as of Oct. 2. There is a mandatory orientation meeting scheduled for Oct. 18. The final step would be to implement the projects between Oct. 19 and June 1.
“This is really a step forward in providing citizen opportunities to react with our city and enhance the quality of life,” Truszkowski said.
