2018-076 Partial Scholarship ReinstatementDate: 6/15/2018 Report No. 2018-076
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) Partial Scholarship Program
BACKGROUND:
PARD offers two scholarship programs providing financial assistance to families and
individuals. One scholarship is fully funded by a Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) and covers the full cost of summer camp. The second scholarship covers half of
program fees, can be applied to any PARD youth program, and is partially funded by the Parks
Foundation.
Funding for partial scholarships is raised through various activities including donations, fund-
raising, and allocation of proceeds from PARD hosted events, programs, and activities. The
funds are held in a Parks Foundation account. Parks Foundation advises PARD on the amount
available for scholarships each year.
Eligibility for a partial scholarship is based on criteria used by the Denton Independent School
District (DISD) for free and reduced lunches. Parents and guardians must provide a copy of the
free or reduced lunch letter from the school district. Beginning in the current fiscal year, the
maximum award to an individual is $150 per year. The time period is August 1 to July 31 to
coincide with the DISD calendar. Prior to FY 2016 – 2017, scholarships were limited to $250
maximum per child and a $500 maximum per family. The scholarships were also limited to
summer camps and childcare programs.
Scholarships are awarded by PARD staff on a first come first serve basis. Requests are
processed by PARD staff and recorded in Civic Rec, the Department’s registration software. As
an individual registers for a youth program, a partial credit is applied. The registrant is
responsible for the remaining balance. PARD requests reimbursement for the partial credit from
the Parks Foundation on a quarterly basis. An accounting of the scholarships used is provided to
the Parks Foundation as documentation. Below is a four year history of the number of
scholarships awarded and the number of individuals served.
Awards FY 2013 - 2014 FY 2014 - 2015 FY 2015 – 2016 FY 2016 - 2017
# of Scholarships 269 314 365 416
People Served 128 161 185 191
The Parks Foundation funded just over $19,000 last year in partial scholarships. This was up
from an average of $12,000 a year.
In October 2017, the City of Denton suspended all activities with the Parks Foundation while a
review of the relationship was conducted. This included the partial scholarship program since all
Date: 6/15/2018 Report No. 2018-076
funds raised by both the Foundation and PARD were held by the Parks Foundation. No partial
scholarships have been awarded in the current fiscal year.
With the conclusion of the review, the City is working with the Foundation to develop a formal
agreement at Council’s direction. As part of the agreement, guidelines and procedures will be
established for the administration of the scholarship program. A proposed agreement will be
presented to Council for review by the end of June.
In the interim, PARD will reinstate the partial scholarship program for the remaining fiscal year
effective immediately. This will allow PARD to continue serving families during the summer
months which has historically been the peak for requests and usage of scholarships. PARD will
award a total of $12,000 in partial scholarship based on the Parks Foundation commitment to that
amount. The Foundation’s commitment of $12,000 is comprised of $6,000 in previously raised
funds and a $6,000 CoServ grant received by the Foundation. PARD will process and document
awarded scholarships as previously performed with the intent of seeking reimbursement from the
Parks Foundation upon approval of a final agreement. Absent a formal agreement, the City will
cover the cost of the partial scholarships through PARD’s budget.
Scholarships will be awarded in accordance with the attached policy. The scholarship policy
establishes the eligibility requirements, distribution, award level, and guidelines that apply to all
PARD programs for which a fee is charged. The policy and application also align with
documentation requirements for grant funding.
The scholarship program will continue to serve children, youth, adults, and seniors. It is the
desire of the Denton City Council that scholarships exist to execute the mission of the PARD by
assisting low-income families and subsidizing costs associated with PARD programs and events,
in accordance of guidelines set forth by the City Council.
ATTACHMENT(S):
PARD Scholarship Policy
STAFF CONTACT:
Laura Behrens
Interim Director of Parks and Recreation
Laura.Behrens@cityofdenton.com