The document is a presentation by the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region to the Kitchener City Council requesting continued funding for their community information services. It summarizes their 2015 funding agreement and 2016 funding request, and responds to the recommendation to cut funding and questions raised by the council. Key points made include that they are the only local comprehensive community information center serving Kitchener, their services go beyond just data to help people, and that cutting funding would negatively impact their ability to provide important services to the community. They ask to retain funding for community information and restore funding for social planning work.

1. 2016 Annual Community
Grant Appeal
Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo/
Community Information Centre of Waterloo Region
(now called the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region)
Presentation to Kitchener City Council
Monday December 14, 2015

2. To Be Covered
• Highlight all areas of our 2016 request
• Clarify why a local community information
centre is important
• Address questions raised at the Committee
meeting last week
December 14th 2015

3. Factors to Guide Decisions
• Prudent use of tax $
• Use facts, not impressions
December 14th 2015

4. 2015 Agreement
Grant funds are provided to the Organization to support the
following services:
2015 Grant
 To support Community Information Services $46,321
 To support resources dedicated to the operation of Kitchener’s Festival of
Neighbourhoods $10,772
 To support community information development
(update technical systems, web development e.g. specialized information
portals), new resource and product development, as well as professional
development for staff and organization such as applying new sector
standards which contribute to the development of community information
in Ontario, including the 211 system)
$17,237
Total $74,330
December 14th 2015

5. 2016 Request
• Total investment request = $100,000
• $75,817 (2% COL increase to the 2015 grant)
• $24,183 Part-time social planner to convene
forums on issues community has asked to
explore
December 14th 2015

6. 2016 Recommendation
• $0 for social planner to support forums
• $31,779 (50% of 2015 grant) for community
information service and development ($0 in
2017)
• $10,829 to support partner role in Festival of
Neighbourhoods
Total grant: 2016=$42,608 2017=$10,829
December 14th 2015

7. Defunding Rationale
• City corporation does not need our local
information service – needs will be met by Region
of Waterloo’s new database
• Community members can get information
on-line or through many other access points
• City of Kitchener can’t justify being the only
funder of local community information services
December 14th 2015

8. Response
• City corporate needs aren’t stated
• Web based region wide directory has been
publicly & freely available for over 8 years
• Information resources are provided now to
City community centres e.g. electronic Blue Book,
information brochures (over 5,000 brochures in past year)

9. • 42% of Region population lives in Kitchener
• 60% of our inquiry contacts are in Kitchener
• 60-70% of community organizations and services
in Waterloo Region are located lin Kitchener
• Kitchener stakeholders want region wide
information
December 14th 2015
Kitchener - Primary Service Area

10. City vs Region Funding
• City funding is to support information services –
inquiry, system navigation, resource centre, info
resources, etc.
• Region funding is for maintaining community
information database
• Up to this year we shared our database through
direct data transfers to local information centres
and other key stakeholders to support their work
December 14th 2015

11. Having basic tools
December 14th 2015
Having tools vs using tools…
People’s needs being met

12. Having basic tools
December 14th 2015
People’s needs being met
“Trained professionals effectively turn problems into
solutions and information into knowledge. This process
is more than just providing a telephone number or an
address, but a combination of empathy, listening skills,
an extensive knowledge of local resources and providing
options to services.”
Michele Watson, President, Inform Ontario
Helping People is More Than Data

13. Sector specific providers are
service area specialists
December 14th 2015
Info specialist has broader system
knowledge to help organizations navigate
outside of their own sector
Sector Specialist vs Info Specialist

14. Sector specific providers are
service area specialists
December 14th 2015
Info specialist has broader system
knowledge to help organizations navigate
outside of their own sector
“Even more important, is the ability of Centre staff to use that
information to not simply answer questions, but to explore these
questions and their possible answers in greater depth -- and, in a
case like ours, to support continued networking and connection.
We need this service in Kitchener-Waterloo. Our community
would be much poorer without it, and we urge you to continue
your support.”
Susan Vecchiarelli, President,
Canadian Federation of University Women K-W

15. Time and investment needed
to create information resources
December 14th 2015
Efficient and cost-saving creation
and development of resources
Maps, searchable lists, system navigation tools…
Info Work to Create Resources

16. Time and investment needed
to create information resources
December 14th 2015
rc
Efficient and cost-saving creation
and development of resources
"One particular initiative we applaud is the Centre’s goal to
improve tenant conditions in vulnerable neighbourhoods. The
Centre has created a useful information resource for tenants to
help guide them through the formal complaint process for dealing
with rental property maintenance issues.“
Mary Pappert,
Renters Educating and Networking Together (R.E.N.T.)
Development to Meet Needs

17. Community Validation
• 2014 survey of over 750 residents region wide
told us the community needs:
– Resource centre where people can get help (85% )
– Information services provided by phone, internet
and in person (63%)
– Communication to keep people updated on
important issues (58%)
– Incubator space for new groups (34%)
December 14th 2015

18. What People Tell Us
• Feedback from clients – high satisfaction rates in
evaluations – 98%; 94% say they will use the
information we provide
• We have created meaningful resources that make
information more accessible – can we do more?
• Statements of support – letters, testimonials and
presentations
December 14th 2015

19. Questions Asked at Dec 7th Committee
• Are we using City funds for the intended
purpose?
• What does it take to maintain a community
information database?
• How will our services be affected by City of
Kitchener grant cuts?
December 14th 2015

20. Are we using City funds for the intended purpose?
• YES!
• 98% of over 614,500 contacts in 2014 were
information contacts
• Funds are used only for:
– Providing information services
– Developing information services
– Supporting our role as Festival of Neighbourhoods
partner
December 14th 2015

21. What does it take to maintain a community
information database?
• Estimated 1.5 hours per record
• Formal inclusion policy determines the priority of what to
include in a database
• Data sharing arrangements can augment maintenance work
December 14th 2015

22. How will our services be affected by City of
Kitchener grant cuts?
• Will be less able to provide free and in-kind services to the
community
• Will need to generate more revenue through fee for service
• Less flexibility in how self generated funds are used to
support other areas of work –e.g. community forums, social
research, policy analysis
December 14th 2015

23. What is done with community forum results?
See summary handout with multiple examples
• Our work on many community issues started with input at
community forums
• We have played a leadership role in many community initiatives:
– Homelessness planning
– Healthy Community visioning
– ConnectKW
– Neighbourhood association networking – annual summit
– Disabilities and Human Rights – multiple initiatives
– Poverty Elimination
December 14th 2015

24. Appreciation & Reality Check
• We appreciate continued support for our role as a
partner in Festival of Neighbourhoods
• Our core operations make it possible for us to
support FoN in many ways
• Recognition and funding for the social planning role
is needed
December 14th 2015

25. In Sum
• Defunding is ill-advised and sends a negative
message to the community
• We are the ONLY local comprehensive community
information centre serving Kitchener
• Our staff are specialists who use information to
help people
• We deliver well beyond the annual grant
investment
December 14th 2015

26. Our Ask
• Retain funding for community
information service and development
• Restore funding for social planning work
• Work with us to undertake a community
information needs assessment
December 14th 2015