Sunnyvale council approves 2025 community events, neighborhood grants; reallocates leftover funds to community events

The Sunnyvale City Council approved staff and subcommittee recommendations for the 2025 Community Events and Neighborhood Grant Program on Jan. 14, approving funding allocations that reflect the subcommittee’s recommendation to shift unused neighborhood-grant funds to larger community events.

Angela Chan, staff liaison to the Community Event and Neighborhood Grant Program, told council the program had a 2025 allocation of $48,000, split initially as $24,000 for neighborhood grants and $24,000 for community events. The subcommittee recommended funding 10 neighborhood grant applications and 6 community event applications; because neighborhood requests totaled less than the allocation, the subcommittee proposed shifting about $7,275 to the community-events pool, bringing the total recommended awards to $31,275.

The subcommittee also explained that the community events requests exceeded available funding, so recommended funding at 60% of requested amounts for most community events and a lower percentage for one application (the Nepalese New Year event) because its initial budget did not follow stated budget guidelines.

Councilmember Murali Srinivasan moved to approve the subcommittee recommendation; Vice Mayor Linda Sell seconded. The motion carried 6-0 with Councilmember Cisneros absent.

Ending: Councilmembers praised staff and the subcommittee for outreach and for adjusting allocations to fund more community events; staff said they will continue to refine the process for next year.