It’s been a long time coming, but the Albert Lea City Council now has a formalized process for nonprofit groups seeking funding. We believe the process is a good one.

To be considered for funding, nonprofits need to draw up a grant application to be reviewed by the council.

Previously, groups went before the council if they encountered funding shortages, and the city would award money on a first-come, first-served process. When the money was gone, it was gone.

As part of the new process, nonprofit groups need to show how the money they receive will benefit the community. Nonprofits also need to give the council an update at the end of the year.

This new process shows accountability and is intended to regulate the amount of money being donated by the city.

A cap of $50,000 on spending was also approved. This should help the city to plan the budget more accurately for the next year.

The process should also help the city make better judgment calls as there will likely be more requests for funding from nonprofits due to increased cuts in other sources of funding.

We applaud City Manager Victoria Simonsen and the council for addressing this issue, which should finally offer some consistency in the way the city allocates money to local groups.