Hilliard council committee proposes $200,000 community grants program with new eligibility and reporting rules

The Hilliard City Council’s ad hoc committee unveiled proposed rules and an application timeline for a community grants program that would reserve $200,000 for nonprofit projects serving Hilliard residents.

Councilmember Cole, who presented the package to the council, said the committee drafted “eligibility criteria and instructions that are straightforward, clear, aligned with best practices for grant making” and aims to make the process easier for new applicants. The packet includes a separate draft grant agreement prepared by the city law office; Cole emphasized that council “still retains full authority to counsel to approve either in full or in part or reject any grant application.”

The proposed eligibility requirements would limit applicants to IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organizations based in Hilliard that serve the local community and submit required paperwork and supporting documentation. The draft also lists categories explicitly ineligible for funding, including for-profit entities, organizations headquartered outside Hilliard, endowment funds and organizations with budget deficits. Cole said the rules allow very new nonprofits to apply for seed funding even if they lack two years of financial statements.

Under the timeline in the packet, staff would publish the application around June 1 and accept submissions through 5 p.m. on Sept. 1, with a completeness review by committee members “Dee” and “Jennifer” to be finished by Sept. 30. The reviewer role is limited to checking that applications include required attachments; Cole said the reviewers will not evaluate the substantive merits of applications before council review. Council would hold a special meeting in early October to review requests and then vote at a second October meeting, if scheduled.

The proposal includes a stricter reporting regime: grantees would be required to submit a detailed list of expenses and receipts documenting how city funds were spent, with supporting documentation due by Jan. 31 following the award year. “That was the one that gave me so much heartburn last time,” Cole said of the reporting requirement, explaining the city must be able to account for where dollars go.

Cole said the committee set the $200,000 figure by starting from last year’s grant funding and subtracting items moved to other budgets such as recreation and parks. She described the allocation as a single line in the council’s operating budget to help the finance department prepare next year’s budget, and said award contracts would be executed using the law office’s grant agreement template.

Councilmembers asked several clarifying questions during discussion. Councilmember Hale and others asked whether the city could help repeat grantees become more financially sustainable rather than simply limiting their eligibility; Cole said the committee will “encourage them to develop their plan for financial stability” and intends to support nonprofits through a new outreach effort called Hilliard CAN (Hilliard Community Action Network). Cole described Hilliard CAN as a survey and networking effort that will offer workshops and resource connections, including fundraising and social media training.

Council members also confirmed that the Emergency Services Commission (ESC) and the city fair have separate budget allocations: the fair now sits under parks and recreation, and the ESC is funded directly by the city operating budget. A question about the required insurance amount was raised; a staff member noted the precise insurance figure was under verification and the draft packet would be updated as needed.

No formal motion or vote on the grants program appears in the provided transcript excerpt; Cole said the package was placed on the evening’s agenda “optimistically” so the council could approve it and give nonprofits time to prepare applications if the council reached consensus. If approved, awardees would begin receiving funds in January following the council’s decision and would be required to file expense reports by Jan. 31 of the subsequent year.

The council was scheduled to consider the committee’s recommended eligibility criteria, application timeline and the $200,000 allocation during items for council discussion later in the meeting.