The City of Cape Town has extended the application period for public benefit (PBO) and non-profit organisations (NPO) to apply for grants-in-aid until 20 January 2020.

By applying for this financial assistance these organisations can continue to receive assistance for this financial year after changes to national legislation limited the options available to the City to give rates rebates. The City has thus found a way to help these organisations despite the nationally mandated amendments. Read more below:

Amendments to the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act necessitated a substantial change to the City’s Rates Policy to bring it in line with the amendments.

In terms of the amendments to the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act, the City was required to institute new property categories and align its rebates, reductions and exemptions to the amended national legislation. The amendments were implemented simultaneously with a new General Valuation 2018 Roll, which came into effect on 1 July 2019.

Previously, generous relief was granted, particularly to PBOs and NPOs. Unfortunately, the manner in which rates rebates for these organisations was traditionally assessed and granted is no longer permitted due to the changes in legislation.

The City has therefore identified the grant-in-aid process as a mechanism to continue providing financial relief to the affected organisations. A dedicated amount has been budgeted for additional grants-in aid. PBOs and NPOs within the boundaries of the City of Cape Town are encouraged to take advantage of the application period extension and to apply for a grant-in-aid, irrespective of whether they fall within the new properties owned by PBO and used for specified public benefit activities property category or not.

‘The City will continue to provide assistance where it can, despite these nationally mandated amendments. It was, therefore, important to extend the application period to ensure as many of these organisation as possible have the opportunity to apply for financial assistance,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Alderman Ian Neilson.

‘Due to the critical and important work that they do, we feel that it is essential to continue providing support to PBOs and NPOs. Their contribution to the well-being of our city and its people is invaluable and they can rely on our continued support. We have identified grants-in-aid as an alternative option to continue providing support and I would like to encourage these organisations to make use of the application period extension and to apply.’

The grant-in-aid process is different from the rates rebate application process, and information on how to go about the grant-in-aid application can be accessed on the City’s Get Grants-in-Aid funding website.

Source: City Of Cape Town