Availability of FCSS Fund Usage Details in Clearwater County

Clearwater County participates in the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) program, but based on the available search results, the public accessibility of detailed information about how these funds are used appears limited. This report examines the FCSS program structure, reporting requirements, and what information may be publicly available regarding Clearwater County's specific FCSS fund allocation and usage.

FCSS Program Structure and Funding

The FCSS program operates as an 80/20 funding partnership between the Government of Alberta and participating municipalities or Metis Settlements7. Under this arrangement, the province provides up to 80% of the funding while municipalities contribute at least 20%7. This program enables communities to design and deliver preventive social programs that enhance well-being among individuals, families, and communities2.

Clearwater County is a confirmed participant in the FCSS program, with references to "Clearwater Regional FCSS" appearing in documentation15. The regional FCSS office serving Clearwater County appears to be based in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta1.

Reporting Requirements for FCSS Participants

All municipalities participating in the FCSS program must fulfill certain reporting requirements:

1. At the application stage, organizations must provide "detailed budget...indicating exactly where FCSS dollars will be spent" and their "organization's budget for the current year"1.

2. Participating municipalities must electronically submit Annual FCSS Program Reports by April 30 each year7.

3. These annual reports include financial information that is reviewed and reconciled by ministry staff569.

Provincial Reporting on FCSS

At the provincial level, considerable information about FCSS funding and program categorization is published:

1. The Alberta government produces annual FCSS overviews that provide summaries of funding allocations, expenditures, and program activities2569.

2. These reports categorize expenditures by service type (children/youth, families, adults, seniors, community development, and program management)69.

3. Provincial reports show regional breakdowns of FCSS funding and expenditures, but typically at the FCSS region level rather than individual county level69.

Clearwater County's Financial Transparency

Clearwater County demonstrates some commitment to financial transparency:

1. The county publishes audited financial statements annually, with documents available from 2012 through 202313.

2. The county's budget process involves public deliberations, with budget news releases published each year13.

3. In budget documents, the county has expressed commitment to "greater financial transparency"4.

Gaps in Public Accessibility of FCSS-Specific Information

Despite these transparency measures, there are limitations to the public availability of detailed FCSS fund usage by Clearwater County:

1. While the county publishes consolidated financial statements, these documents may not separately detail FCSS funding and expenditures1113.

2. The search results do not indicate that Clearwater County publishes FCSS-specific reports or breakdowns of how these funds are allocated to different programs and services.

3. Government transfers are listed in Clearwater County's financial statements, but FCSS-specific funding is not clearly delineated in the excerpts provided11.

Conclusion

While Clearwater County participates in the FCSS program and meets reporting requirements to the provincial government, the search results do not provide clear evidence that detailed information about the county's FCSS fund usage is readily accessible to the public. The county publishes general financial documents and the provincial government produces annual FCSS overviews, but county-specific FCSS funding details appear to be limited in public documentation.

For residents seeking detailed information about FCSS fund usage in Clearwater County, direct inquiries to the Clearwater Regional FCSS office or Clearwater County administration may be necessary to obtain specific program funding details beyond what is available in public financial reports.

Citations:

1. https://clearwatercounty.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=79130545-6ab6-4cb4-8f02-f6d4b0100e02
2. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ae0e44f4-cbf0-4432-b0ef-413d5902f762/resource/a707c2e4-8082-4858-953f-332491125df7/download/fcss-2009-annual-overview.pdf
3. https://financialpost.com/commodities/reconciliation-in-canada-the-clearwater-deal-marks-indigenous-nations-growing-clout
4. http://clearwatercountytaxpayers.blogspot.com/2018/
5. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ae0e44f4-cbf0-4432-b0ef-413d5902f762/resource/8c1b0bad-8f42-4c04-b41c-8a2502e16bad/download/fcss-2007-annual-overview.pdf
6. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ae0e44f4-cbf0-4432-b0ef-413d5902f762/resource/a0a60761-76fe-4935-aa58-516940e8ad11/download/fcss-2008-annual-overview.pdf
7. https://www.alberta.ca/family-and-community-support-services-fcss-program
8. https://www.myclearwater.com/My-Government/Transparency-and-Performance-Data/ARPA-Public-Transparency-Portal
9. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ae0e44f4-cbf0-4432-b0ef-413d5902f762/resource/554fbea5-4f00-4001-8c29-89e39dd7b2ef/download/fcss-2010-annual-overview.pdf
10. https://www.fcssociety.ca/budget
11. https://www.clearwatercounty.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=b78598a2-45a5-4f89-98c4-1e42d96f6630
12. https://www.clearwatercounty.ca/grants
13. https://www.clearwatercounty.ca/p/budget

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