Riverton hears requests from 14 nonprofits and service providers seeking $517,268 in community-contract funds

Riverton city staff told the City Council on April 8 that the city received 14 applications for community contracts for services this year totaling $517,268, and the council heard brief presentations from many of the applicants as it begins the FY26 budget planning process.

“Each year as we get planning in our budget planning process…the city of Riverton does receive direct distribution funding from the state of Wyoming from over the capital mineral royalties,” Administrative Services Director Mia Harris summarized, and said the council would consider funding allocations during the budget process. “We did receive a total of 14 submissions this year for funding requests totaling $517,268,” Harris said.

Presenters highlighted a mix of operational needs and program requests. Highlights from the presentations included:

- Wind River Transportation Authority (WRTA): WRTA said Riverton is the hub of its countywide system and requested the city’s share to meet a required local match that unlocks federal transit funds. WRTA reported about 36,000 riders in 2024 and said the region must provide roughly $596,590 in local matches this year to access over $1 million in federal support; WRTA requested $86,708 from Riverton as the city’s share.

- Riverton Volunteer Fire Department: Chief Jesse Cassidy said the department responded to 351 alarms in 2024, has 43 active members and serves roughly 23,000 residents across 120 square miles. Their request (presented as $5,000) would support member benevolence, reserves and mutual-aid accounts.

- Volunteers of America / Center of Hope: Brad Hendry described services for people in substance-use crisis. The Center of Hope operates social detox and transitional 3.1 beds, and emphasized gaps in funding that can be a barrier to accepting clients during initial care.

- Riverton Help Center and Foundations for Nations food pantry: Both groups described rising demand. The Riverton Help Center said its first-quarter emergency assistance to households had reached $9,300 (fuel and rent among top needs). Foundations for Nations said it packed 681 weekend backpack bags since February and fed 2,083 children from January through March; staff said the pantry served roughly 10,000 people in 2024.

- Paws for Life animal shelter: Directors asked for funds for facility improvements (concrete pads, drainage) and cited 357 city impounds in the prior year and roughly $43,082 in 2024 veterinary bills; council members asked the shelter and city staff to clarify which vet costs were charged for animals brought by city animal-control officers.

- Eagles Hope and other housing/shelter providers: Eagles Hope said it operates transitional and emergency housing (currently 17 livable rooms, expansion under construction) and is receiving ARPA capital funding to renovate additional units; it requested operating support for utilities and insurance while remodelling proceeds.

- Cats (Central Wyoming Children’s Center for Art, Technology and Science), Riverton Recreation, Chamber of Commerce and other community groups: Each described program activity and said modest city funding supports operations, programming, public events and outreach that serve families and visitors.

Council members asked clarifying questions about program scale, per-unit costs and which expenses were city responsibilities (for example, Paws for Life and veterinary bills associated with city impounds). The council did not make funding allocations at the meeting; staff said the presentations will inform budget deliberations this spring.

Next steps: city staff will continue budget planning; council members said they will review the requests and consider allocations as part of the FY26 budget process and will follow up with organizations where more documentation or clarifications are needed.