The Albert Lea mayor and City Council have chosen to designate funds to be used toward donations to organizations that promote and benefit the public at large. For the 2009 fiscal year, the city appropriated $50,000 in discretionary funds to support local organizations.

Only requests that are received on the city of Albert Lea’s grant application form will be considered for funding. All information must be provided as requested. The city manager, city attorney and finance director will review all requests for monetary donations from the public. Once identified as meeting the public purpose doctrine, all requests will be forwarded to the mayor and City Council members for review at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Approved funding will be available in January of 2009.

Applications are due to the city manager’s office by Oct. 17. Requests for 2009 are scheduled for review at the Nov. 10 City Council meeting. Future applications may be considered if the funds are not expended at that time.

The City Council reserves the right to expend part or all of the discretionary funds available to them during the budget year. Unexpended funds will be returned to the general fund.

Disbursement of funds will be contingent on budget restraints. The budget will be approved at a council meeting in December.

Application and guidelines are available on the city’s website, www.city.albertlea.org/grantapp.htm or are available in the city manager’s office, 221 E. Clark St., Albert Lea.

For more information, call 377-4330.