1) Council member(s) receive(s) a request from an organization.
2) Entities can apply to receive an NDF by submitting a form which requires the following information:
a. Entity's correct address.
b. Entity's contact information.
c. The sponsoring council member's name and district.
d. Proof of good standing with the Secretary of State.
e. Justification for the intended use of funds. This should also include any supporting documents such as quotes, invoices, bids, etc.
3) Each council member receives an email as requests are submitted for sponsorship. The legislative aide then confirms the accuracy of entity's submitted information. The legislative aide will prepare all requests for their council member's review. Once the council member selects which submissions they would like to fund, those applications and an internal NDF request form will be submitted as a hard copy and via email to the council administrator no later than ten (10) days prior to the last work session of the month. They will specify if it is intended to be a single allocation or pass around. If it is a pass around, a packet will be shared with the full council.
4) The council will vote during a work session to approve the NDF list and refer it to the docket. The council administrator will process NDF requests after second reading (or process a budget amendment in the event that the recipient is a division of the LFUCG).
5) The council administrator prepares a legal agreement in consultation with the Department of Law that outlines the intended use of the funds and required documentation. This agreement must be signed and returned to the council administrator prior to the issuance of the NDF check. If the agreement is not signed and returned in thirty (30) days, the funds will be forfeited and the entity will be ineligible for funds for one (1) year. A copy of the fully executed agreement is kept in the council clerk's office and a copy is returned to the organization for their records. The council clerk obtains a signature from the mayor and places the LFUCG seal on all copies. The council clerk then retains a copy for their file and routes the additional copy to the council administrator to be sent to the organization along with the check.
6) Once approved at the work session, the NDF process could take up to four (4) to six (6) weeks and is tracked by the council administrator. The expense is reflected in individual council members' cost centers under NDF account number 71214. The council budget analyst, or the council staff member responsible for performing budgetary analysis, sends a monthly cost center report to the council member and their legislative aide. These reports may be pulled at any time during the month by the legislative aide in PeopleSoft Financials. The legislative aide is responsible for monitoring the cost center report for accuracy, balance tracking and communicating status to their council member. Due to processing time, an NDF expense may not show up in the PeopleSoft reports right away. It is recommended that legislative aides reference the NDF file for status updates and contact the council administrator for questions regarding current balances.
7) Once the entity receives the NDF check, they have six months to submit all relevant receipts and financial documentation to the sponsoring council member office. Failure to provide documentation will make the entity ineligible to receive funds for one (1) year. Failure to deposit the check within sixty (60) days will make the entity ineligible to receive funds for one (1) year. The council member office will provide a financial summary of each NDF recipient to the council administrator within fourteen (14) days of receiving documentation from the entity.
(Res. No. 599-2023, § 2, 11-2-23)