Nonprofits seek city CIP support for child welfare, housing and youth programs

Manchester City Commission staff opened a series of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) presentations on March 12, outlining projected federal and local grant levels and inviting nonprofit applicants to summarize their requests for mayoral and budget consideration.

Applicants described requests ranging from small program underwriting to multi‑million dollar capital projects. The city’s CIP staff said anticipated federal sources include CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) at about $1,600,000, HOME program funds totaling about $1,200,000 and potential ESG funds of about $149,000; staff said they had received 35 requests from 30 non‑city agencies totaling roughly $3.2 million, plus 89 requests from 13 city departments totaling “around a hundred million dollars,” which included roughly $4.4 million in requests for city funds.

Why it matters: CIP allocations determine which community programs and capital projects receive city support in the mayor’s recommended budget. Nonprofits told commissioners their requests would support services for children, youth, people experiencing housing instability, and residents with disabilities or limited incomes.

Amaskeag Health, which operates pediatric integrated care and school‑based behavioral health, asked for CIP support to sustain case management and behavioral health clinicians embedded in clinics and 13 Manchester schools. Stacy Bealey, director of integrated health at Amaskeag Health, said the organization’s model “provides patient centered care and essential social services that empower at risk youth and their families to lead healthier, more successful lives physically, mentally, and emotionally.” Bealey described case managers who address domestic violence, food insecurity and housing instability and who connect families to activities that support child development.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Manchester asked that CIP funds be directed to the Union Street clubhouse, which the speakers said serves kindergarten through 12th grade and is located in the NRSA. Antonio Feliciano, director of operations, said funds would cover a portion of the club’s transportation expenses to keep its fleet of eight buses operating for before‑ and after‑school programs and to provide evening transportation for tweens and teens. An alderman noted the organization had historically received $21,000 in CDBG funding.

The Manchester Child Advocacy Center (operated by Granite State Children’s Alliance) requested $89,000 in FY26 CIP funding: a recurring $19,000 allocation for forensic interviewing and victim support and a one‑time $70,000 request to help renovate a recently purchased building at 607 Chestnut Street. Amy Lynn Sullivan, program manager and forensic interviewer, said the Manchester CAC conducted 180 forensic interviews last year, including 134 for Manchester children in abuse and neglect cases; she and Nicole Ladoux, chief program officer for Granite State Children’s Alliance, described renovations needed to bring the 15,000‑square‑foot former funeral home up to code and ADA standards (estimated total renovation cost $2.1 million, with $1.775 million already secured from county and state sources). Ladoux said renovations include two interview suites, expanded behavioral health space and on‑site specialized medical exam capacity. She said renovations are planned to complete by fall 2025.

City Year New Hampshire representatives asked for CIP support to underwrite stipends for AmeriCorps corps members who serve as student success coaches. Barry Brensinger, a City Year board member, and Ginny Ray Sparkman, impact director, said the Manchester site has 25 AmeriCorps members serving 52 classrooms across five schools and that local funding leverages federal AmeriCorps and private contributions.

NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire sought $1.7 million to close a financing gap on a planned 25‑unit affordable rental project on a former Pro Street lot. Robert Turney, executive director, said tax credit financing, bonds and capital subsidy from New Hampshire Housing have been secured and that the city contribution would be the final large subsidy to begin construction, with an anticipated completion target of summer 2027. Turney said roughly half the units would be for households earning less than 60% of area median income and that the project includes 25 project‑based vouchers committed through New Hampshire Housing.

Smaller program requests and service applications followed. The Elliott (Ellie) Perry Foundation asked for $11,500 to fund youth sports and a professional‑attire program; Easterseals New Hampshire requested CIP funds to complete building accessibility and sensory improvements at a West Side early childhood location that has a large wait list; the Palace Theatre requested $15,000 to underwrite student tickets for Title I students (the Palace said the funding would support 1,440 student tickets); Queen City Bicycle Collective sought funding to expand shop hours and affordable repair/sales programs and to train two paid participants; MyTurn described diploma‑plus programs at Central and West high schools that served 95 active students and reported that 100% of its 2024 seniors graduated; Holy Cross Family Learning Center described English-language and workforce training for adult immigrants; Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire said it served roughly 583 Manchester youth in 2024 and expected to grow; and Girls Inc. requested $12,000 to support its Varney Street center and after‑school programming.

Housing and homelessness prevention requests drew extended questioning from commissioners. Nicole Hudson, leased housing coordinator for Manchester Housing, said the Housing Authority’s landlord partnership program had supported 732 individuals and 289 households with security deposits, owner incentives and repairs, and that the program’s request was $500,000 (staff said any lower amount would still be helpful). Hudson said the program’s average cost per family served to date was about $2,800, and that more than 5,000 families were on the Manchester wait list for housing assistance.

Program accountability and eligibility questions surfaced repeatedly: some applicants said income documentation could be a barrier for families (for example, some child victims arrive with foster caregivers or protective services and lack family income records), and several providers said they rely on a mix of county, state, foundation and donated funds alongside CIP or CDBG support. CIP staff told presenters to keep comments brief and noted public hearings on the next five‑year HUD consolidated plan scheduled for April.

No formal votes were taken during the presentations. City staff said they will evaluate applications and make recommendations to the mayor, who will present a CIP budget to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen later in the spring.

Requests summarized: the presenters’ numeric requests and project totals reported to the commission include an $89,000 request from the Manchester Child Advocacy Center (with $70,000 one‑time for renovations), a $1.7 million request from NeighborWorks SNH for a 25‑unit affordable housing project, a $500,000 request (amount flexible) from Manchester Housing for landlord partnership supports, $15,000 from the Palace Theatre for student tickets, $12,000 from Girls Inc., and multiple smaller program requests. Several applicants noted prior years’ CIP or CDBG support and said city grant coordination staff could help identify additional federal and state grant options.

The commission’s CIP staff will compile applications and present recommendations to the mayor, who will include selected projects in a proposed budget to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen later this spring.