Human Services Commission recommends updated grant policy to City Council, sets application caps

The Lacey Human Services Commission voted Feb. 6 to recommend a revised human services grant policy to the Lacey City Council that would cap public-service noncapital grant awards at $35,000, cap capital grants at $50,000 and limit each agency to one application.

Human Services Coordinator Michelle Chavez told commissioners that the city allocated $300,000 for the program in 2024 and that the City Council again budgeted $300,000 for 2025. Chavez said 10 of the 11 agencies awarded in 2024 were under contract or nearing fully executed contracts and had begun invoicing for expenditures as of Jan. 31.

Chavez said the proposed changes grew from work-group feedback and council guidance to broaden eligibility while keeping funding reliable and accessible. "I'm recommending that we cap the public service applications at $35,000 and that we keep the cap for capital projects at $50,000. And then I would like to allow for one application per agency," Chavez said.

Commissioners discussed whether the proposed $35,000 cap reflected leftover funds from the prior year; Chavez replied the 2024 awards nearly exhausted the $300,000 allocation and the $35,000 cap is intended to allow the commission to fund the same number or more agencies next cycle.

After discussion, a motion to recommend the draft policy — incorporating the $35,000 public-service cap, $50,000 capital cap and one-application limit per agency — to the Lacey City Council passed by unanimous voice vote.

Chavez told the commission that the work group will return with recommended rubric changes and that commissioners will participate in application evaluation for 2025. The commission will also continue a needs assessment and consider minor tweaks to priorities such as housing, survival and security.

The commission forwarded the recommended policy to City Council for consideration, without setting a council hearing date at the meeting.