Dear CANCAN Members and Member Associations:
In the past, the CANCAN Board funded service requests (aka service requests made by the CANCAN membership) at its discretion, on a first come/first served basis. Because many of these requests were unplanned, they would end up in the financial statements as cost overruns. Additionally, the process had never been formally documented, which made it difficult to explain and follow consistently. In 2016 the board met to develop a new competitive process to re-grant funds to CANCAN members for service requests, which included:
- A yearly budget for service requests
- Documentation of the funding process
- Development of board priorities
- A revised service request process
The outcome of the inaugural program was the award of funds to four member associations to complete three projects: one to patch street potholes (submitted jointly by two associations), one to improve a dangerous sewer intake drain and one to beautify a street corner and purchase safety bollards. In 2017 the board is continuing this program to re-grant funds to associations.
A Yearly Budget for Service Requests
The board met in January and set a 2017 budget, which included a $5,000 line item for funding service requests. This amount was based on expected dues and available funds vs. expected expenses and previously encumbered funds.
Documentation of the Funding Process
A form with standardized questions was developed to assist in reviewing potential service requests. Upon completion of this form, all service requests will be reviewed against a set of competitive criteria:
- Alignment with membership priorities
- Demonstrated need of the request
- Impact on the neighborhood
- Availability of alternate/complementary funds
- Cost to service the request
- Available CANCAN budget
- Ability to complete within one year’s time
Development of Board Priorities
Additionally, the CANCAN board agreed to fund projects for the following purposes:
- Hosting a community event (must be open at a minimum to CANCAN members)
- Improving recreation areas or common areas
- Enhancing gateways or hallmark areas in the neighborhood
- Beautifying or maintaining the neighborhood
- Addressing blight in neighborhood
- Addressing general safety issues
- Improving communication among neighbors within the CANCAN area
If a service request meets the criteria for funding and falls within board priorities, the CANCAN board may vote to match up to 50% of the requested amount or the total yearly budget for funding service requests, whichever is less.
The 2017 Service Request Process
On April 17th, 2017 the CANCAN Board will review service requests based on the above competitive criteria and board priorities. To do this, the Board is requiring that all planned requests for 2017 be submitted by April 10th, 2017 via the CANCAN Service Request Survey, located at the following link:
https://goo.gl/forms/98DBL6zIrpvlADBB3
Requestors will be contacted regarding any decisions/next steps by May 1st, 2017.
The above survey is the board’s preferred method to receive your requests. To accommodate members that are unable to fill out online surveys, a paper survey can be made available calling Timmons Management at (313) 871-1124 and requesting a mailed copy. In these cases, scanned versions sent back to cancan.detroit@gmail.com are preferred, although mailed paper copies will be accepted if received by April 10th. Mailed copies can be sent to CANCAN, C/O Timmons Management, 2990 W. Grand Boulevard Ste M18, Detroit, MI 48202.
The board looks forward to hearing your ideas for improving our shared neighborhood, and thanks you for participating!
The CANCAN Board
