The Sunflower board voted to decline a grantee’s request to use Sunflower grant funds to cover two surgeries included in the grantee’s final report. The modification sought approval to allow roughly $26,000 in grant dollars to cover two surgeries. The grantee told the board it would absorb the cost for the clients if the board declined.

Krista, a Sunflower staff member, presented the item and reminded the board of their prior discussion and the follow-up from the grantee. She said the grantee confirmed clients would not be charged for the surgeries if the modification was denied, and that the organization had offered alternatives such as using funds allocated for community health workers, prescription services and other budgeted activities.

Board member Sandra said she ‘‘struggled with us approving use of grant dollars for this, because that's not what we said we were going to do,’’ and that approving such a modification could set an undesirable precedent. At the board’s request, Missus Robin moved to decline coverage of the surgeries; Sandra seconded. The motion to decline the modification was unanimously approved.

Staff and board said they would direct staff to work with the grantee on an internal extension aligned with the original approved budget and on allowable reallocation or reporting steps. There was no appeal or further action from the grantee at the meeting.

The vote was recorded as a board motion with a unanimous outcome; the record does not give a numerical roll-call tally in the transcript. The board also confirmed staff authority to process an internal extension aligned with the organization’s originally approved budget if staff determine that appropriate.