Upstream Initiatives Fund

On April 12th, the Regional Council agenda includes an update on the Upstream Initiatives Fund (p.63 of the staff report). The staff recommendation is: that the Region endorse the guiding principles outlined in the report as the basis for the terms of reference for the Upstream Initiatives Fund and; that the full terms of reference for the Upstream Initiatives fund be developed by further engagement and collaboration with stakeholders, building on the work already started as part of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan framework.

A little bit of background on this fund: Regional Council approved the establishment of an Upstream Initiatives Fund on December 15, 2021. The fund amounts to $2.1 million annually. Staff were directed to create terms of reference and related activities. According to the report, this funding initiative provides an "opportunity for the Region to work differently with the community to develop community-centered models to create a vibrant, healthy and safe Waterloo Region. Since the creation of the fund, staff have been exploring ways to mobilize the funding in ways that align with current strategy, policy and community need."

The recommended principles (p.64 of the report) are that the Upstream Initiatives Fund should: 

• Respond to the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan (CSWP) framework
• Support community-led change initiatives
  • (From the staff report): Consistently across communities, sectors and organizations, it has been expressed that systems need to focus on root causes in order for transformational change to occur within them (for example, in government, health, education, etc.) and the community they serve. In addition, community feedback has consistently identified community-centered models, led by community organizations and supported by systems, as the best way to move forward for meaningful change. A significant barrier consistently raised is the absence of responsive funding opportunities and meaningful investment.
• Explore and try new models of participatory governance with community
  • A community-led, system-supported approach to implementation of the funding program could include community representation at the decision making table, ensuring equitable access to information about funding opportunities, providing application and system navigation support (as relevant), having transparent and coordinated review processes, and ensuring accountability in monitoring and reporting is based on success measures identified by the community.
• Community Capacity, Collaboration and Knowledge Creation
• Building strategic alignment between other funding/investment

The staff report also states: "While downstream initiatives are required to respond to existing needs and generally take less time to achieve results, the more upstream the action, the greater the potential for population health gains and health-related cost savings." (p.66)

The Upstream Initiatives Fund was established in the amount of $2.1 million funded in 2022 from the property tax levy $1.6 million and a $500,000 Transition Fund funded from the Tax Stabilization Reserve and funded annually thereafter from the property tax levy 67

As for next steps, the staff report states: “With Council endorsement of this approach, staff will continue to collaborate and engage community leaders, organizations, sectors leaders and stakeholders in co-designing a model for launch this summer. Prior to launch of the model, staff will bring an update to Council with a terms of reference for the Upstream Fund. The recommended approach would be a developmental or pilot approach where exploration, experimentation, and refinement of the model will occur based on an iterative process for reflection, responsiveness, feedback and input.”