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The City of Yorkton will be looking for a Sask Culture Grant in order to move its Municipal Cultural Plan forward.

"In 2010, Yorkton City Council adopted the Municipal Cultural Plan and directed Administration to examine the findings and bring forward recommendations for an implementation strategy," said Lisa Washington, Community Development Manager. "Through a Municipal Cultural Engagement and Planning Grant obtained from Sask Culture, Common Ground Consulting worked with the community in 2012 and developed an Implementation Strategy for the Municipal Cultural Plan.

"In February 2013, Council approved the Implementation Strategy - Moving Yorkton's Municipal Cultural Plan Forward."

To carry out the implementation Washington said the City will look to work with existing groups in Yorkton.

"Pieces of the Municipal Culture Plan are better implemented from within the cultural community in tandem with policy work being done through municipal administration. After consultation with members of the cultural community who have been involved since the pilot project, administration is proposing to work with one or more of the Yorkton Arts Council, Yorkton Film Festival or Tourism Yorkton to contract human resources required to move key pieces forward by utilizing funding from the Sask Culture Municipal Cultural Engagement and Planning Grant. Confirmation of the partners will occur once the grant is approved," she said.

The implementation process will come with a cost, and Washington said that is where the grant application will play a role.

"The resource plan has identified that funding is required to provide dedicated human resources to move the Municipal Cultural Plan forward. Funding is available through the Sask Culture Municipal Cultural Engagement and Planning Grant. This grant encourages municipalities to invest in cultural engagement and cultural planning and aims to support Saskatchewan municipalities wanting to explore and plan for the creative and cultural potential of their community through cultural engagement and planning initiatives. The intent is to apply for a $10,000 matching grant to contract the human resources needed to move the plan forward," she said.

Washington said the City can meet its matching dollar requirement without impacting its 2014 budget.

"The City can meet the matching requirement of $10,000 by accessing funds returned to the Saskatchewan Lotteries Community Grant Fund, which the City administers on behalf of Sask Lotteries," she said.

"If successful in the grant application, the City will partner with one or two cultural organizations to manage the contract. An advisory committee from the cultural community, including City staff, will provide the required direction for the project. To fulfill the requirements for the grant application, evidence of Municipal support is required through a resolution of City Council."

The Community Development, Parks and Recreation Committee and their Saskatchewan Lotteries Community Grant Sub-Committee were consulted and both concur with Administration's recommendation.

Council was unanimous in support of the grant application process.