LONDON, Ont, Tuesday, October 29 -- Pillar Nonprofit Network has launched an email campaign calling on nonprofit leaders, workers, volunteers, donors, and other supporters to urge London City Council to restore the City's Community Grants to the full levels promised in its 2024-27 Multi-Year Budget. Earlier today, using "Strong Mayor" powers bestowed by the province, the Mayor tabled his proposed 2025 budget adjustment. Following Council's earlier direction, the Mayor is proposing to reduce funding available through the City's Community Grants program by at least half, with a maximum of just $250,000 available per year in 2025, 2026, and 2027, down from the $500,000 originally budgeted. This involves reductions to the Capital Grants stream, Innovation stream, and Grassroots Grants stream that help to fund community infrastructure, new solutions, and equity-deserving communities experiencing barriers to other funding. It also involves reducing these streams to zero from property taxes and only issuing the remaining funding provided the Community Investment Reserve Fund has a minimum remaining balance of $1M each year.
The risks to area nonprofits and communities are clear in the language of the proposed budget adjustment itself.
"In recent years London’s not-for-profit sector has reported increased demand for services, increased costs to deliver services, and decreased fundraising opportunities. Council confirmed that not-for-profit agencies are key partners in delivering vital services and opportunities to the residents of London through several strategies in its strategic plan...."The City of London Community Grants program is the primary funding opportunity available to realize the commitments made to not-for-profit partners within Council’s Strategic Plan. Should this budget amendment be approved, the ability to achieve these strategies will be reduced, and potentially eliminated. In addition, not-for-profit organizations will be at risk of experiencing further challenges with this funding opportunity reduced."
Pillar has launched an email campaign, Strong Nonprofits, Stronger London, in hopes that Londoners will persuade Council members to amend the Mayor's budget and
- restore these streams to at least the levels promised in the Multi-Year Budget and
- re-attach them to the tax base so that they are not at risk of elimination in a given year.
How do we win?
Councillors have already had a chance to save Community Grants and the majority chose not to. (See vote breakdown below.) We win by demonstrating that Londoners really value the good work of local nonprofits and expect the City to be an active partner in in that work. To show the Mayor and your Councillor you care, use our easy campaign tool to send an email now.
What else can you do now?
This is Pillar's first foray into campaign organizing tools, and we're very hopeful our network can be engaged and mobilized in this way. After you sign, please share the campaign link with your colleagues, your board members, your donors, sponsors, and other supporters. All of us know how critical it is that the City remain invested in nonprofit work but, again, this is about the number of Londoners who show they care. Share this link with your full network: https://win.newmode.net/pillarnonprofitnetwork/strongnonprofitsstrongerondon
More Background
Earlier this year, the Mayor directed a "Strategic Opportunities Review Working Group" (SORWG) to find savings that could offset the high property tax burden built into the City's 2024-27 Multi-Year Budget. The group came up with very little, but immediately targeted the City's Community Grants program and Neighbourhood Decision Making program, also at risk of being eliminated in 2025-27.
At the time, the SORWG refused to hear from delegations and directed waiting speakers to speak to full Council, when a number of delegations came to highlight the value of these programs that attract additional investment into the community, allow the sector to explore innovative solutions, and support small grassroots groups from equity-deserving communities.
Pillar Nonprofit CEO Maureen Cassidy said then, “To lay the burden of (spending) reductions at the feet of community organizations who every day deliver demonstrable community benefit is simply not fair . . . . To label the work done . . . as ‘nice to have’ is a mischaracterization.”
In the end, five councillors heard the words of nonprofits and voted against having staff study making changes or cuts.
- Hadleigh McAlister (Ward 1);
- Sam Trosow (Ward 6);
- Anna Hopkins (Ward 9);
- Skylar Franke (Ward 11); and
- David Ferreira (Ward 13).
Voting in favour of proceeding toward the cuts were
- Shawn Lewis (Ward 2),
- Peter Cuddy (Ward 3);
- Susan Stevenson (Ward 4);
- Jerry Pribil (Ward 5);
- Corrine Rahman (Ward 7);
- Steve Lehman (Ward 8);
- Paul Van Meerbergen (Ward 10);
- Elizabeth Peloza (Ward 12); and
- Mayor Josh Morgan.
Steve Hillier (Ward 14) was absent for the vote.
Other ways to contribute feedback
There are a number of ways nonprofits and other Londoner can learn more about the Mayor's budget, the 2025 Budget adjustment, and the work of the Budget Committee, between October 30 and November 18, and a number of other ways Londoners can provide feedback.
- The City is conducting an online survey to solicit feedback on budget amendments. Results will be provided to the budget committee prior to the start of their deliberations.
- You can also contact your City Councillor with your feedback and concerns without using our online tool. Click here to learn who your Councillor is, the ward your neighbourhood is located in, and your Councillor's contact information.
- Make an appearance at the Public Participation Meeting at Budget Committee, Tuesday, November 19, 4pm, at City Hall, where any Londoner can take 5 minutes to address Council.
To learn more about the Budget
The City's Budget Team is putting on a virtual information session with Q&A, Wednesday, November 13, 12pm. Register here.
The Budget Team is also “popping up” to offer in-person information sessions at various locations across the city, including at
-
Covent Garden Market, 130 King St, Saturday, November 2, 10am-12pm
-
Canada Games Aquatic Centre, 1045 Wonderland Rd N, Monday, November 4, 9-11am
- Westminster Ponds Centre, 944 Western Counties Road (with London Environmental Network), Monday, November 4, 3-4:30pm
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Stoney Creek Community Centre, 920 Sunningdale Rd E, Wednesday, November 6, 4-6pm
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East Lion’s Community Centre, 1731 Churchill Ave, Tuesday, November 12, 9-11am
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StarTech.com Community Centre, 501 Southdale Rd W, Thursday, November 14, 5-7pm
And some City Councillors are hosting Budget Town Halls without City staff, including:
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Ward 4 and 5 Budget Meeting, Saturday, November 9, 1-3 pm, Knollwood Park P.S.
If you hear of others, let us know at policy@pillarnonprofit.ca.
The Ontario Nonprofit Network has just released the findings from its 2024 province-wide survey of nonprofits, reporting that nonprofits are experiencing stagnating and falling revenues. Now is not the time for the City to pull the plug on its valued investments in community. Let your Councillor and the Mayor know now. That's how we win. https://win.newmode.net/pillarnonprofitnetwork/strongnonprofitsstrongerondon
Article type:
News
News Topic:
Advocacy and Awareness
ChangeTheWorld
Grants and Funding
Leadership
Nonprofit Sector Development