Local nonprofits ask supervisors for level or increased funding to sustain services

Several nonprofit leaders and representatives addressed the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors during the budget hearing, requesting level funding or modest increases to continue services that serve county residents.

Gordon Duncan, a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Fredericksburg, thanked the board for proposed level funding of $3,000 and asked supervisors to raise the allocation to $3,300. He told the board the program costs about $2,000 per mentoring match annually and cited an evaluation claim that mentored youth have better long-term economic outcomes. (Gordon Duncan, board member, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Fredericksburg.)

Anne Kloeckner, executive director of Legal Aid Works, requested level funding and described the agency's regional reach: three full-time and one part-time attorney covering five counties and 15 courts. She said 10,726 Spotsylvania residents are eligible for their services and that the agency helped 353 county residents in the most recent fiscal year, obtaining about $84,000 in annualized child and spousal support for clients. (Anne Kloeckner, executive director, Legal Aid Works.)

Rebecca Purdy, executive director of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, said residents have repeatedly requested more evening hours at the Salem Church and Snow Branch libraries and thanked the board for discussion about restoring those hours; the county's proposed increase for library funding was cited by commenters as enabling expanded branch hours. (Rebecca Purdy, executive director, Central Rappahannock Regional Library.)

Virginia Community Food Connections (VCFC) asked for level funding of $20,000 in FY2026 to support SNAP and Fresh Match token programs at farmers markets. Candace Armstrong, VCFC executive director, said the organization has distributed more than $863,000 across multiple programs in the planning district since 2020 and that more than half of that spending occurred at Spotsylvania farmers markets; she said prior county allocations (totaling $80,000) produced significant local economic activity. (Candace Armstrong, executive director, Virginia Community Food Connections.)

Empowerhouse, the regional domestic-violence shelter, described a large caseload and said the organization sheltered and housed dozens of Spotsylvania residents in the last year, including a majority of children among those sheltered. The agency said staff respond to hotline calls, hospital and courthouse needs and that one advocate is dedicated part time to the Spotsylvania sheriff's office. (Kathy Anderson, representative, Empowerhouse.)

Lewis Anne's Hope House (testimony given under similar names in the transcript) asked for the proposed budget increase to support family homelessness prevention, crisis assistance and housing stabilization. The speaker said the county identified 450 McKinney-Vento students in January, including 64 unaccompanied youth, and said increased funding would help prevent evictions and secure permanent housing. (Tara Best, representative, Lewis Anne's Hope House.)

Why it matters: Small local grants and county allocations help nonprofit partners leverage other public and private funding. Speakers framed their requests as cost-effective supports that reduce later public costs (for example, juvenile justice, emergency shelter or court delays).

The board did not act on these funding requests at the hearing. Supervisors will consider public comment as they prepare the final FY2026 budget.