The city council awarded the Sunnyvale Downtown Association with $19,520 to conduct their annual Music and Market summer series on Murphy Avenue. The same group was also given $2,000 to hold a holiday tree-lighting ceremony. And the Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association received $330 to hold a holiday parade.

According to John Pilger, the city's communications officer, the review committee awarded funds to the organizations based on a number of criteria. Pilger said the most important criteria were that each event must be of a citywide nature, with an ability to draw a minimum of 500 people. Pilger said the committee "encourages celebrations of community that focus on the character and diversity of the city."

But the Sunnyvale National Little League, U.S. Chinese-American Athletic Association and the Tennisball Cricket Association did not receive funding for the four sports tournaments they applied for.

According to Pilger, the sporting events did not have as broad an appeal as the three events that received funding. "By their very nature, tournaments attract an audience of people who are already involved in that kind of event. The events do not necessarily cut across boundaries within the city, which is one of the criteria involving the diversity and celebration of Sunnyvale," Pilger said.

But Mayor Julia Miller said, "It's not just a sports event. This promotes team building and established values for those children. It's tough during these budget times to turn away organizations that provide activities to our community."

Joe Antuzzi, chair of the Sunnyvale Downtown Association, said the grant money would benefit downtown business owners. "With the down economy, sponsorship is harder to come by," he said. The tree-lighting ceremony, holiday parade and Music and Market summer series "will bring business to downtown merchants."

The community events grant program started up in June 2001, when the council approved an annual budget of $25,000 for support of events not sponsored by the city. Last year the council awarded grants to six organizations—My Art School, Sunnyvale National Little League, the Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association, Master Gardeners, Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community Center and the Sunnyvale Downtown Association—for a total of $14,960.

Sunnyvale National Little League received money last year for a "hometown heroes" event, which Pilger said has a wider appeal than a tournament.

There is approximately $10,000 left over from the community grants event program, but Pilger said the council has not established where that money will go.