Arapahoe County shifts aid‑to‑agencies grants to four priorities and proposes data‑driven funding split

Arapahoe County staff on Monday proposed a redesigned Aid to Agencies grant framework that narrows the program's nine funding categories to four priorities and uses data to allocate limited county funds.

Daniella Villarreal, who led the committee review, told the Board of County Commissioners that the program—created in 2008—has awarded slightly more than $27 million to 51 organizations since inception and that the county currently budgets roughly $2.08 million for Aid to Agencies. "Since inception, we've awarded a little bit more than $27,000,000 to 51 unique organizations," Villarreal said. Staff said a 2024 pause and cuts to the program were reversed for safety nets by the passage of Ballot Issue 1A; competitive grants remain paused while staff redesign the program.

Under the recommended framework, competitive funding would remain available with a $100,000 cap per award and safety nets would be limited to organizations that meet a new definition—nonprofits that provide essential, unique services to vulnerable populations and do not duplicate county programs. Staff proposed reducing the number of safety‑net recipients from eight to two: the county identified domestic violence shelter services (Gateway, now operating as 3 Birds) and a detox provider as sole providers in those spaces. Safety‑net awards are proposed as two‑year commitments with the option to renew; staff proposed the off‑the‑top safety‑net allocation at roughly $580,000.

To align the program with demonstrated need, staff presented two allocation options. Option A proposed an equal split across categories after safety nets. Option B—staff’s recommendation—used a data‑informed split: 40% to housing and homeless services, 30% to food security, 27% to mental and behavioral health/substance use, and 3% to transportation. Staff said the percentages reflected historical allocations, recent needs assessments, point‑in‑time counts and other local data.

Villarreal and Kathy Smith, Director of Community Resources, outlined underlying needs: the county's 2025 point‑in‑time count rose by about 75 people from the prior year and staff estimate the county is short well over 7,000 affordable housing units at 80% AMI and below. Staff also reported mental‑health provider shortages (designated a mental health professional shortage area), rising food insecurity and limited transportation options for vulnerable residents.

Commissioners asked several implementation questions. Commissioner Jessica Campbell and others pressed staff to explain why case management and employment services no longer appear as standalone categories; staff said case management would be eligible within the four priority categories and that workforce services are expected to be delivered primarily by the county's ARPA‑funded workforce partners and ArapahoeDouglas Works. Commissioner Fields and others raised concerns about concentrations of homelessness in Aurora and how county allocations should account for unequal geographic needs; staff noted that HUD‑funded homeless programs and Aurora's own policies influence where people are counted and served and said county general‑fund decisions should consider disproportionate need.

Transportation drew sustained attention. Commissioners and staff agreed transportation is a major barrier to employment and services, and several commissioners said the committee’s proposed 3% allocation for transportation felt low; staff said the 3% figure reflects historic application and award patterns and suggested additional county or ARPA funding could be used to scale transportation solutions and to build partnerships with RTD and Denver South.

Staff proposed a 2026 timeline: announce the new framework in July–August, host applicant workshops, open applications in August with an October 3 deadline, conduct internal review in October, present award recommendations at a November study session and ratify awards with the 2026 adopted budget in December. Commissioners also asked staff to include clear expected outcomes and reporting metrics in the application materials.

At the end of the discussion commissioners gave preliminary approval to staff’s recommended approach (Option B and the four priority categories) by thumbs up; staff will proceed to publish the revised framework and prepare grant materials and optional budget packages for board consideration. Staff said they will also present budget scenarios for an additional $500,000 or $1 million in aid‑to‑agencies funding for the 2026 budget cycle so the board can weigh targeted increases.