Play UA Financial Assistance Program

II.    Goals of the PLAY UA Financial Assistance Program

The City understands the limitations some families may have with discretionary funds for recreational services and seeks to help remove barriers to participation and promote access to programs and services. It is our desire to have a user-friendly process to encourage use of the program for those who need it. The following are goals of the PLAY UA Financial Assistance Program:

Remove financial barriers to participation and create a program whereby funds may be accessed by residents in need.
Create and maintain a simplified application, review, and award process.
Increase community awareness of the PLAY UA Fund for those who would benefit from the program, as well bring awareness to those who would like to contribute to the fund.
Provide a sustainable funding method within the Parks & Recreation Department for financial assistance.

III.    Program Policy

Financial Resources

1. Transaction Fees
   The Department will institute a $1 fee added to registration transactions to generate funding for the assistance program. The fee will be applicable to program registrations, membership passes and facility rentals; it will not be applied to daily admission fees. The $1 fee would be applied per module (programs, passes and rentals) which could result in a $3 transaction fee if each module is included in one transaction.Based on the nature of select services, the Department will review and determine which sales transactions will not be charged the $1 fee. For example, classes that are free or have no registration cost will not be charged the $1 transaction fee.
2. Donations
   Individuals may also choose to make a separate donation towards the PLAY UA Financial Assistance Fund. Donations can be submitted through the Department’s registration software (RecTrac). Individuals will be presented with a “donation opportunity” if they would like to select a donation amount towards PLAY UA Financial Assistance. This will create awareness of the program and allow customers to provide funds to support the needs of residents. Donated funds will be tracked by the Finance Department and any unused donations will be carried forward year-to-year.
3. Budgeted Funds
   Each year the Parks & Recreation Department, as part of the annual budget process, will designate a certain amount of funds to be utilized for financial assistance. The following will be considered in setting the annual PLAY UA budget:
   a. Donated fund balance available in the PLAY UA account
   b. Review of previous year’s awards
   c. Anticipated awards for the coming year
4. Utilization of Funds
   Any donated funds will be utilized first and adhere to the intended purpose of donors.The financial assistance amount within the operating budget will be monitored to ensure allocations do not exceed any designated revenue source. RecTrac will be used for processing the distribution of financial assistance funds during customer transactions as available.If the annual allotment of funds is exhausted in the annual PLAY UA Financial Assistance budget, the Department may consider increasing the annual allocation. The Department may recommend other external funding sources for consideration to customers.The Department will submit documentation to the Finance Department to transfer funds from the PLAY UA account to the appropriate facility or program revenue to cover the financial assistance utilization. Any remaining funds collected and not dispersed will carry over for future utilization.

IV.    Eligibility Criteria

1. Assistance will be awarded as funds are available.
2. Assistance is available to residents and those who work in Upper Arlington. Full time City employees and non-resident part time/seasonal employees are not eligible. One (1) of the following items is required to verify residency or employment in UA:
   a. Copy of most recent driver’s license, utility bill, tax record, or employer paystub.
   b. Copy of housing lease/rental agreement with owner’s signature.
3. In addition to confirming a household member lives or works in UA, eligibility is determined by the applicant meeting one (1) of the following scenarios:
   a. Verifying your household qualifies for the UA schools Free/Reduced Lunch Program (see chart below). Income for all household residents must be combined and used for qualification. This qualification would apply to households with children that may not be of school age.b. Verifying annual household income (see chart below); income for all household residents must be combined and used for qualification.
4. Statement of need if neither of the two above options apply. UA Parks & Recreation reserves the right to request additional support documentation from applicants.
5. Financial Assistance recipients are expected to participate in programs or utilize the pass. Failure to attend programs or utilize memberships may compromise future eligibility for the program.
6. To ensure proper use of City funds and to verify applicants meet eligibility criteria for assistance, the City will randomly select applications for verification.

V.    Procedures

Award Parameters

1. A 50% reduction in program and membership fees will be awarded to the eligible participant and members of their household for the calendar year (January 1- December 31) while funds are available.
2. Each year, applicants must confirm they continue to meet Play UA Financial Assistance eligibility criteria and desire continuation in the program. A statement of continued eligibility must be completed each year by the recipient enrolled in the program.
3. PLAY UA funds may not be utilized in addition to other program discounts. For example, individuals who utilize Medicare supplemental benefits for free or reduced program fees (SilverSneakersTMor Renew Active participants) do not qualify for additional PLAY UA discounts for those programs. These individuals may still apply for and utilize PLAY UA Funds for other programs; however, PLAY UA funds will not be additionally awarded where SilverSneakersTM or Renew Active discounts are already received.

How To Apply

1. Our online application is available on our website at //upperarlingtonoh.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1086/record-types/6494. We encourage applying online, however, if needed you may complete an application in person at Parks & Recreation Administrative Office at 3600 Tremont Rd, Upper Arlington, OH 43221.
2. Provide a copy of one (1) acceptable proof of residency or employment in UA and indicate your eligibility using one (1) of the eligibility scenarios provided in the application. Proof of residency or employment may be attached using the online application.
3. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and a response will be made available within two weeks.

When To Apply

1. We encourage application submissions as soon as possible for review and consideration.
2. Applicants may want to register to hold a spot in a program and will be reimbursed if the request for financial assistance is approved. Please Note: for financial assistance to be considered for a program for which you have already registered, a PLAY UA application must be submitted within two (2) business days of the transaction date.
3. If reapplying for ongoing financial assistance for a new calendar year, please complete your request and statement of continued eligibility in November before registration for the next year begins. The Department will send a reminder notice to each household currently enrolled in the program. This is to encourage awareness of the need for reapplication each year and to confirm household eligibility criteria is still met.

Application Process

1. All applicants must submit an application for consideration and review. The following forms will be utilized throughout the application process:
   a. PLAY UA Financial Assistance Policies & Procedures (Internal use).
   b. PLAY UA Financial Assistance Application (OpenGov online form on our website).
   c. PLAY UA Recipient Feedback – Requested feedback following use of funds.
2. Applications received will be forwarded to the Department Administrative Assistant to review and verify residency. Upon verification, the Administrative Assistant will forward each application to the Director for final review and approval. The Department reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify an applicant’s eligibility for support.
3. Approved applications – The requester will be notified by the Parks & Recreation office and the 50% discount will be applied in their RecTrac household account.
4. Denied applications – The requestor will be notified by the Parks & Recreation office with reason for the denial.
5. Approved customers will be able to register for programs and purchase passes through Rec Trac. The 50% discount will be applied during checkout and the customer will pay the remaining balance. The discount will apply to purchases once accepted in the program. To receive reimbursement for a previous registration the applicant must contact the Department no later than two business days after the transaction.
6. All application decisions (approved or denied) will be entered into the PLAY UA tracking spreadsheet for record keeping purposes.
7. Each year the Parks & Recreation office will request feedback from recipients on the Financial Assistance Program, the impact of the award, and any suggestions for program improvement. Feedback received will also be entered into the PLAY UA tracking spreadsheet for future reference.

Notification When Financial Assistance Is No Longer Needed

1. Recipients and their household are to notify our office if they no longer meet eligibility for financial assistance. This is appreciated so that funds may be directed to those individuals/households in need. Recipients are asked to notify our office in writing or e-mail.

VI.    Tracking Financial Assistance Participation

UA Parks & Recreation will utilize a tracking spreadsheet to gauge participation in the UA PLAY Financial Assistance Program. All applications will be entered into this spreadsheet for recordkeeping purposes.

VII.    Community Awareness

PLAY UA Financial Assistance information will be promoted throughout the community through various means including but not limited to: Activity Guide, City publications, Activity Registration Splash Page, school counselors, Network UA and community organizations.

VIII.    Policy Effective Timeline

This PLAY UA Financial Assistance Program went into effect in 2022:

1. Transaction Fees:
   a. Department began charging the transaction fee on February 1, 2022 with Summer Day Camp registration
   b. Transaction fee was charged for all other eligible transactions on March 9, 2022 at the start of the 2022 Spring & Summer registration window
2. PLAY UA Financial Assistance fee reduction for any eligible programs and passes upon acceptance into the program began as follows:
   a. February 1, 2022 for Summer Day Camp registration
   a. March 9, 2022 for 2022 Spring & Summer Programs, Pool, Tennis and Studio 55 Passes

The Upper Arlington Parks & Recreation Department understands the important role recreation and leisure plays in our daily lives and seeks to remove barriers that may prohibit an individual or family from enjoying our services. Please contact our office if we may be of additional assistance or answer any other questions.