Orem entities are vying for $1.8 million in grants

OREM — It's easy to split $1.8 million 28 ways, except when one of the parties seeking the money wants $16 million.

Those 28 entities, including the Orem Recreation Department, which asked for $16 million to purchase more soccer fields, are all vying for the same chunk of money — revenue from Orem's CARE tax.

"Obviously there's more being requested than there's going to be (available), even with a super, killer economy," said Orem City Recorder Donna Weaver. "There are some tough decisions to be made."

The one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax was approved by voters in November 2005 and should bring in about $1.8 million each year for eight years, the duration of the tax.

Obviously that's a far cry from $16 million, but buying land for playing fields is expensive. So it's almost like a recreation department "wish list," with the hope that Orem city will be generous, said recreation director Karl Hirst.

The money is pooling up until the Orem City Council makes a decision on which groups are eligible for funding — and how much they should get.

Monday was the application deadline and Thursday the Orem City Council members received a mountain of packets with the daunting responsibility of screening and evaluating which groups are most eligible for the funds.

"It was kind of crazy here Monday," Weaver said. "Everybody waits until the last minute, like filing your taxes."

Of the 28 CARE grant applications, 24 of them were turned in on Monday. The other four came in Friday afternoon.

"I think it's a good start," said Janet Low, an Orem Public Library division manager who is coordinating the CARE (Cultural Arts and Recreation Enrichment) program. "For many, this was such a fast track this year. We hope that we'll have even more next year."

Groups and organizations scrambled to gather tax documents, financial records and write mission statements and objectives in an attempt to win the City Council's stamp of financial approval. There were also many questions about the nonprofit organization's background, goals and audiences.

The City Council will interview the applicants during public meetings for the next three weeks, then announce the grant recipients May 8.