The City of Garden Grove from time to time receives cash donations and gifts for its various public programs.  Many times, the donations are directed for a specific purpose or program.  For example, the Police Department has received cash donations towards the purchase of a police dog for its K-9 unit.

Because expenditure of the donations or gifts for the purposes for which they were donated does not affect the General Fund, but alleviates the burdens to the City, staff recommends that the City Council authorize the expenditure of the donations and use of gifts for the specific purposes or programs designated by the donor(s) without further action of the City Council.  Otherwise, the use of the cash or gifts would have to be included in the City’s budget or specifically appropriated during the year.  Because receipt of donations is not predictable over time, and because donations for a specific program or purpose could not be used for any other purpose, it would be more efficient for the City Council to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of such donations as they are received or as the programs are being implemented. 

The attached Resolution authorizes the City Manager or his designee to approve the expenditure of donations for the purposes for which they were donated, provided that the expenditures for any one program does not exceed $50,000 in any fiscal year.  In the event that the proposed total funds to be allocated and spent for a specific program exceed $50,000 in any one fiscal year, the proposed allocation or expenditure of funds will be presented to the City Council for consideration.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Adopt the Resolution authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of funds or use of gifts donated to the City for the purposes for which they were donated.