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City adopts updated Wade Brummell youth scholarship guidelines, raises nonresident fee schedule
Summary
After more than a year of outreach with youth sports organizations, Santa Clara updated the Wade Brummell scholarship program to expand eligible uses, raise nonresident fee levels over time and permit expedited staff grants of up to $2,500.
The City of Santa Clara on Tuesday adopted revised guidelines for the Wade Brummell youth scholarship program, the municipal fund created to return nonresident user fees to youth sports organizations for scholarships and equipment.
Parks and Recreation Director Damon Sparacino said the guidelines are the result of a lengthy outreach process that included more than 20 organizations and roughly 30 participants in a series of nine meetings. “This report represents the proposed updates to the Wade Bridal program guidelines,” he told council.
Under the updated rules adopted by the council, the program’s priorities are participant scholarships first, then equipment and related costs; the policy clarifies eligible and ineligible expenses and raises administrative approval authority so staff may approve grants of up to $2,500 without commission review. The Parks and Recreation Commission retains authority to approve larger grants. The guidelines also allow the commission to consider requests from Santa Clara‑based groups that did not contribute to the fund if the balance exceeds $50,000 at fiscal year end.
During public comment Mike, who participated in the user‑group discussions, summarized the program’s intent: “The main purpose of the Wade Bridal Fund is to ensure that any child in the city of Santa Clara that wants to play any sport can play a sport and not be held out because his parents do not have the ability to pay a registration fee.”
Director Sparacino said the program will be reviewed again in two years to evaluate how the changes work in practice. Staff also noted the Wade Brummell account currently holds roughly $41,000 available for allocation; program rules governing timing of applications (one annual application per organization) remain in place with the new administrative flexibilities.
Council adopted the updated guidelines unanimously.
