City of Bethel awards community action grants to local organizations

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The Bethel Freestyle Wrestling Club and the Delta Illusion Dance Company are the beneficiaries of the most recent funding round of the City of Bethel Community Action Grant (CAG).
The Bethel City Council approved Action Memorandum 18-69 authorizing city administration to award the grants to the two applicants. The Bethel Freestyle Wrestling Club was awarded $6,000 and the Delta Illusion Dance Company $1,770.
The City of Bethel established the Community Action Grant to allow community and individuals to request financial support for programs or events that contribute to the health, welfare, and overall quality of life for residents of Bethel and to advance and enhance the community’s opportunities, sustainability, and wellbeing. The City encourages projects and programs with components that foster community wellness, direct impact to the community’s vulnerable population(s) and/or civic engagement of Bethel residents and project beneficiaries.
“Funding for the program comes from 20% of the Alcohol Tax collected by the City,” states AM 18-69. The action memo was introduced by City Manager Pete Williams, which passed unanimously during city council’s October 9th, 2018 regular meeting.
Back on October 3rd, 2017 during the election, the citizens of Bethel approved a ballot measure to raise the tax on alcohol sold in Bethel from 12% to 15%. This initiative passed 425 yes votes to 276 no votes.
Groups or individuals who are interested in the funds can fill out an application when the next funding cycle opens in 2019.
The volunteer CAG Technical Review Board will evaluate and rank the applications and decide which applications should receive funding. The city council then gives final approval.