Philip Mumford, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Neck, asked the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors on Thursday to partner with his organization on an application to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for a security-focused grant.
The club asked the county to serve as fiscal agent so it could apply for up to $200,000 for a one-year project to strengthen perimeter and entry security, add surveillance and alarm systems, improve emergency communications and add a backup generator to keep programming running during outages. “We seek the county support and partnership in an application to the Virginia DCJS for funding to implement a comprehensive security enhancement initiative that protects youth and staff from bias motivated violence and hate crimes,” Mumford said.
The Boys & Girls Club told the board it currently serves 151 Northumberland youth and expects membership to rise to about 300 after a facility expansion that will increase program space from roughly 5,600 square feet to more than 18,000. Club staff said upgrades would include perimeter fencing, impact‑resistant doors with electronic locks, expanded camera coverage, metal detectors and exterior lighting. The grant requires the county to be the applicant and fiscal agent while the club would handle program delivery and reporting.
Mumford and his staff said there is no local match required and that the work would include staff training and closer coordination with local law enforcement and emergency services. Board members asked how families would be contacted; Mumford said the club uses a membership text-notification service and social media and that bus routes and set drop points provide regular transportation for many members.
Supervisor John Long moved to partner with the Boys & Girls Club on the grant; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
The application deadline is July 30. The county’s role, as described in the presentation, is primarily administrative oversight and fiscal accounting; the club will prepare programmatic reports if the grant is awarded. Board members noted the county’s finance and treasurer staff will need to review and approve submission documents in the state grant portal if the county serves as fiscal agent.
The board did not commit local funds; Mumford said the grant does not require a local match but may require staff time from county accounting and the treasurer to process reports.