Goodyear council adopts revised community funding policy for nonprofit grants

The Goodyear City Council on April 7 unanimously adopted a revised community funding policy to guide city grant awards to nonprofit organizations and set a timeline for the upcoming grant cycle.

The policy update, presented by Christina Panatescu, the city’s community partnerships program manager, refreshes language from the city’s earlier documents and narrows the paper to focus solely on community funding as a distinct program. Panatescu said the fiscal-year 2025–26 application will be released April 12 via the city’s e-services application portal, remain open for one month, and that a council subcommittee will review applications the week of June 2 before the full council considers recommendations on July 7.

Council members on the subcommittee praised the rewrite as clearer for applicants and taxpayers. “We had a very good conversation about this. Our our subcommittee, really looked at it very closely and, we were very pleased with the work that you had done in preparing the policy,” Councilmember Cano said. “I feel like it sets us up well, moving forward. I love seeing things put into a little good, more structure and with, good intent.” Vice Mayor Campbell added, “I agree. I wanna thank you also because it was much more clear this time when we went to that meeting. And I think it's more, much more clear to the public as well because we are a steward of the taxpayer and we wanna let them know what we're doing, what they're spending their money on. Thank you. Thank you.”

Panatescu summarized the policy’s background, saying community funding began with a council goal in fiscal year 1995, and that a 2021 policy and related city planning documents informed the current revision. She told council the revision mainly moves items now handled through the regular budget or parks and recreation processes out of the community funding document and consolidates the elements that remain specific to community grant awards.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (Items 1–4): Approved 7-0. Items included: approval of minutes (Item 1); Resolution No. 2025-2457, a release-of-liability agreement with ImageTrend LLC (Item 2); Resolution No. 2025-2458, a memorandum of understanding with United Goodyear Firefighters Local 4005 covering 07/01/2025–06/30/2027 (Item 3); and Resolution No. 2025-2459, a memorandum of understanding with the Goodyear Police Officers Association covering 07/01/2025–06/30/2027 (Item 4). Council approved these as a block consent motion. - Resolution No. 2025-2460 (community funding policy): Adopted 7-0. - Motion to call an executive session pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes section 38-431.03(A)(3),(4) and (7) for legal advice and negotiation strategy regarding contracts and the Loop 303 ADOT expansion: Approved 7-0; council adjourned to the designated meeting room for that session.

Council did not take additional public comment on the funding policy during the item. The staff timeline provided in the meeting establishes the city’s application release (April 12), a one-month application window, a subcommittee review the week of June 2, and a full-council recommendation and adoption vote on July 7. The city clerk read the community funding resolution by title before the council moved to adopt.

The revised policy is framed as an administrative guideline for awarding city funds to nonprofit organizations; Panatescu emphasized the document is an update and consolidation rather than a substantive policy change. The council’s remarks focused on clarity and public stewardship rather than substantive changes to eligibility or funding formulas.

Council actions on the consent agenda and the community funding resolution were recorded as unanimous (7-0). The meeting concluded with a notice that the council would call the executive session on Loop 303 and then reconvene at a separate location for that discussion.