Rowlett City Council agreed on Aug. 18 to fund most of its recommended fiscal year 2026 community service grants after hearing presentations from applicants.

Council members approved funding for multiple applicants and discussed reporting and performance conditions for a mobile sensory trailer. Council did not approve the DEI community outreach request after at least two members opposed the $5,500 allocation.

At a work session focused on grant applicants, Harvest Life Ministries presented outreach totals and asked for $20,000 to support local care-portal work connecting churches with at-risk families. Pastor Cassin Huddleston said Harvest Life served 52 children in Rowlett since partnering with the CarePortal tool and that the ministry’s regional work produced 95 requests (about 220 children) with an estimated economic impact of $65,005.54 in the last 12 months. He told the council the grant funds would be used directly for Rowlett requests and that the church intends to form a nonprofit separate from the church within about 30 days.

Friends of Rescue Animals told council it has provided long-standing support to the Rowlett Animal Shelter. Diana Siegler, representing the group, said the organization spent $45,000 supporting Rowlett this fiscal year and that its proposed FY26 budget forecasts about $50,000 of Rowlett-specific expenses. The group requested $25,000, and Siegler said $5,000 of that could be used as a matching fund for North Texas Giving Day to multiply the city dollars.

Other applicants included East Texas CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and Keep Rowlett Beautiful (KRV). CERT’s representative, identified in the packet as Eric Ernst, described volunteer deployments to storms and events and estimated volunteer time valued at tens of thousands of dollars annually. Keep Rowlett Beautiful said the city’s $40,000 memorandum of understanding covers about half its annual budget and funds part of an hourly administrator position and volunteer programs.

Councilmembers asked applicants how city funds would be used and how organizations measure local impact. Patricia Mejia, president and CEO of the Children’s Advocacy Center for Rockwall County, explained the nonprofit’s role under the Texas Family Code: the center coordinates multi‑disciplinary responses to suspected child abuse and provides free forensic interviews, medical and mental‑health services, and prevention education. Mejia said the center served 41 Rowlett residents year to date through June 30 and asked for $6,160 to cover anticipated costs tied to historical case volume.

After discussion, council announced the following allocations at the work session: Rowlett Citizens Corps Council $100,000; Friends of Rescue Animals $25,000; Harvest Life Ministries $20,000; Sensory Tent Pals (mobile sensory trailer) $23,500; Children’s Advocacy Center for Rockwall County $6,160. The DEI community outreach request for $5,500 drew at least two explicit “no” positions and was not advanced.

Council attached a performance condition to the Sensory Tent Pals grant: staff were instructed to include in the grant agreement or contract a one‑year performance expectation requiring the nonprofit to maintain and use the trailer in Rowlett for at least a year and to return for further grant consideration later. Staff advised that the grant application text becomes part of the resulting agreement and that applicants must conform with the activities in their applications. Councilmembers said they would review administration of the whole grant program before the next cycle.

Council members said the approvals should not be construed as long‑term city ownership of nonprofit equipment; city staff noted Safe Harbor: the Sensory Tent Pals trailer would remain owned by the nonprofit and the city would structure reporting and possible annual operational support.

Council asked staff to incorporate applicants’ demonstrated metrics and to require accountability language in agreements. Several members urged staff to use the grant cycle to set clearer program guardrails ahead of next year’s budget and grant round.

Council directed staff to prepare agreements reflecting the allocations and the negotiated terms discussed at the work session.