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Raleigh staff present FY26 agency grant recommendations totaling $4.37 million
Summary
City staff and advisory commissioners presented recommended FY26 awards for arts, human services and community enhancement grants; council did not take a formal vote, and final awards will be approved with the FY26 city budget.
City of Raleigh staff and volunteer commissioners on Thursday presented recommended awards for the city’s FY26 agency grant programs that together total $4,370,000 in proposed general‑fund support for arts, human services and direct allocations.
Katie Conyers, grants program manager in Budget and Management Services, told the council the recommendations “total $4,370,000 for FY '26.” The recommendations cover three competitive grant areas — arts, community enhancement and human services — and do not include Community Enhancement Grants funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
The arts presentation from the Raleigh Arts Commission recommended $1,860,000 to support 34 organizations after a review process led by four arts commissioners and 11 community panelists. Tony Gadsden, chair of the Raleigh Arts Partner Program Committee and vice chair of the Arts Commission, highlighted program results including arts‑education outreach and upcoming events, and asked council to approve the arts recommendations as presented.
The Human Relations Commission recommended $810,500 to competitive nonprofit applicants after reviewing 31 competitive proposals; Robert Kortz, secretary of the Human Relations Commission and co‑chair of its grants committee, said that amount was the commission’s award recommendation to council. Housing and Neighborhoods staff presented recommendations for the Community Enhancement Grant (CEG) program, which is funded with $200,000 in federal CDBG dollars; Nick Dula, compliance and planning manager, said staff recommended funding the four highest‑scoring proposals: Consumer Education Services, Step Up Ministries, The Green Chair Project and Oak City Cares.
Council members asked clarifying questions about program rules and scoring, eligibility limits and the relationship between these awards and the forthcoming city budget. Conyers reminded the council that per council policy “the maximum funding request for any agency is 25% of that agency’s prior year actual operating expenditures” and that agencies requesting $25,000 or more must submit audited financials.
No formal approval of the grants occurred at the work session. Council staff indicated the recommendations will be implemented through the FY26 budget process; a council member noted, “we don't have formal approval today… and then it'll be approved when the budget's approved.”
The presentations acknowledged a new arts applicant, Little Raleigh Radio, and named several arts programs supported by the grants. Council members did not propose changes at the work session; final awards and any adjustments will be part of the FY26 budget adoption process.
Details: arts — 35 applicants requesting about $2,300,000; 34 organizations recommended for $1,860,000. Human relations — 31 competitive applicants; $810,500 recommended to competitive applicants. Community enhancement — $200,000 CDBG; four projects recommended.
