Every year, CTM receives money from the City as part of the Neighborhood Support Program (NSP) for directed project(s). For the current City fiscal year July 2015 – June 2016, we will receive $6,800. In order to select the projects, we hold a vote of all residents who attend the meeting. You do not have to be a member of CTM to vote on NSP projects. We will vote at the December membership meeting, Monday, December 7.
We need project suggestions from you now so that we can publicize them before the December vote. There are a guidelines for what cannot qualify. Ineligible activities and expenses include:
- Direct social services such as emergency food and housing assistance.
- Routine operating expenses of the Community Council such as rent, utilities, building maintenance, repair, and equipment rental, except for Community Council expenses of a Community Council phone service and post office box not to exceed $1000 per contract year.
- The purchase of office supplies to support the ongoing operations of the Community Council.
- Food expense, with the exception of fund raising resale purposes, limited to $1,500 per contract year.
- Entertainment, other than events widely promoted for general attendance by the residents of the community.
- Hiring an NSP Manager.
- NSP compensation for Project Coordinators and other contractors for performing routine office duties or conducting activities unrelated to those of the Community Council.
- Direct cash awards to individuals or groups
- A Community Council using NSP funds to purchase advertising that appears in its own NSP subsidized publications.
- Activities that duplicate government services which are currently available within the neighborhood.
- Hiring of Community Council officers or their immediate family members, with the exception of minor children who may not earn more than $500 per year from NSP employment.
- Use of NSP funds to endorse or promote political candidates.
- Activities that fail to serve any public purpose.
Everything else is a possibility!
Now is your chance to suggest something. The more details (what, when, cost details) you put into your suggestion, the more likely voters will understand it…and then possibly vote for it. An absolute must is that we can implement the project and finish spending before end of June 2016; otherwise, we lose the money. Send your suggestions to us here. We will publicize the project suggestions just before Thanksgiving holidays. Our hope is that anyone making a project suggestion will come to the December meeting to answer any questions before everyone votes.
You can read more about the City’s NSP program here.