Galesburg aldermen are considering funding external agency requests in the amount of $115,000 for fiscal year 2024.
Applications were received from 27 organizations, requesting $247,806 in funding for a variety of projects, events and services. A total of $135,000 was approved in the 2024 budget. The City Council will consider the funding requests at Monday’s meeting in City Hall.
According to the agenda item for Monday, City Manager Eric Hanson and the Administrative Services Manager recommend aldermen award funding to the applicants which most closely align with the established criteria, while remaining within budget.
Consideration was given to the overall community impact of the project, as well as additional factors including, but not limited to, the following:
- does the proposed project bring out-of-town guests to our community for the day,
- does the proposed project bring out-of-town guests to our community overnight,
- does the proposed project provide an event or service that improves the quality of life for our citizens,
- does the proposed project provide economic benefit to the community,
- and/or does the proposed project provide an event or service to an underserved population that would otherwise not have access to the event or service.
The largest recommended award for 2024 is $17,500 to the Galesburg Lions Club which conducts the annual Big Bang Boom July 4 fireworks show at Lake Storey Park in conjunction with WGIL. Last year, the Lions were awarded $15,000.
Recommended to receive $10,000 each are National Stearman Fly-In, Galesburg Heritage Days, Galesburg Railroad Days and The Great Balloon Race.
All funding applications were reviewed by the city manager and a committee of staff members to prioritize the impact of each proposed project, prior to providing the attached recommendation.
Funding awarded is on a reimbursement basis, contingent upon the completion of the event or service as outlined in the grant application.
According to the agenda item, there is sufficient funding available in the 2024 budget for the recommendation, which funds all agencies that have received funding through this process in the past at a level meeting or exceeding last year’s funding award. Unused funding of $20,000 will be utilized in support of the warming shelter program.
