Representatives from Big Brothers Big Sisters updated the Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Emergency Services Committee on July 21 about a state grant award administered through DCJS that will fund expansion of the nonprofit's youth mentoring work in the county.
Bill Moon, regional director for Big Brothers Big Sisters, said the organization applied in November for funds intended to reduce violence by expanding pro-social life-skills programming. The original request was for $500,000 over an 18-month period starting in January; after state allocations and a roughly 13.7% across-the-board reduction to awards, the nonprofit's budget was reduced to $431,500. Moon said the grant is a reimbursement grant, that the state awarded roughly 20 grants from a $26 million pool, and that the organization believes it can meet its objectives at the reduced budget with additional donor support from local partners including Hilltop Construction.
Moon said the program will expand a group-mentoring model the agency piloted: the funding will allow 20 groups and serve an estimated 45 to 50 youth annually over the 18-month grant period, focusing in part on higher-needs youth. He said all funds come from outside the county tax base and that the county's partnership on the application was required for eligibility.
Committee members praised the program and a community member, Bryce Driscoll, spoke to the organization's long-standing work and need for volunteers. Moon added the organization has a waiting list of 267 children and served about 592 children last year, with a projected increase to more than 600 this year.
The committee did not take a formal funding action at the meeting; staff had pulled an agenda resolution related to contract-signing authority and said the chairman's signature authority was handled separately so no additional committee action was required that day.