Yelm hears grant pitches from local nonprofits; council to decide allocations during November budget process

Dozens of local nonprofit leaders addressed the Yelm City Council on Oct. 7 seeking city grant support for programs that serve youth, food-insecure residents and older adults.

The presentations were part of the council's outside-agency grant review; staff told the panel that final funding decisions will be made during the city's biannual budget process in November.

Why it matters: Councilors and staff said the requests reflect local needs that have grown since the recent school levy failures and that the council must weigh limited city funds across many applicants.

At the meeting Yelm Powerlifting asked the council for $10,000 to cover competition entry fees, equipment and uniforms. Thomas Hokow, a representative of the group, said the program is volunteer-led and has expanded from a handful of athletes to dozens in three years. "We believe that every student, regardless of financial background, should have a chance to participate," Hokow told the council.

Bounding for Families, the nonprofit that runs the Yelm Community Garden, requested $6,000 to establish a dedicated water source and connect existing drip irrigation. Board secretary Heidi Smith said the garden functions as an education and demonstration site "to teach the community how to feed themselves." She told councilors the current watering arrangement relies on a 300-foot hose stretched across a pedestrian walkway and creates safety and productivity problems.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church asked for $3,000 to help sustain its Giving Thanks dinner, a weekly hot-meal program that presenters said has served roughly 100 people per week and has run every Tuesday for 15 years. "The people we serve are from the Yelm community: low-income individuals, families, retirees and people with disabilities," said Davini Davis, who represented the program.

Other requests included: - Standing Room Only theater: $12,000 to support live-theater programming and education workshops. - YER (local nonprofit robotics program): $20,000 requested for robotics kits, laptops and space; presenters said any contribution would help and that they do not turn away students who cannot pay. - Not By Bread Alone (Yelm Christian Center food ministry): $10,000 to expand weekly meal service and grocery distribution (serving 150'00 people weekly, presenters said). - Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County, Yelm branch: $5,000 to offset operating costs and preserve low fees and scholarships for roughly 183 children served last year. - YHS Connects Booster Club: $10,000 requested overall; presenters asked the council specifically to consider a $3,300 stipend to restore National Honor Society advising. - Prairie Soccer Club: $5,000 for field rental, equipment replacement and scholarships. - Race for Rowan: $4,000 for donor-management software to expand outreach and volunteer coordination; the group said it has directly supported six Yelm families and relies heavily on local volunteers. - Yelm Dollars for Scholars: organizers said they need far more than the city grant but asked the council to consider $5,000 as a practical amount that would fund five scholarships; representatives also referenced a larger funding goal ($40,000) tied to broader fundraising. - Rebuilding Together Thurston County: $8,000 requested to help pay for accessibility and safety repairs for low-income homeowners in Yelm.

Council reaction and next steps Councilors repeatedly noted the volume of requests and that some needs were driven by the recent school levy failures. "It seems like a lot of this is the result of the levy failure," Councilor Richardson said during the discussion. Councilor Hess said the city must be a good steward of taxpayer dollars: "How can we guarantee that what's funded is actually for Yelm residents?"

City staff reminded the council that several funding sources the city relies on are uncertain this year and that outside grants are not guaranteed. Council members said they would review the applications and return to the formal budget process in November.

Ending: The council did not take funding votes at the study session. City staff will present recommended allocations and a budget amendment, if needed, for a November council meeting tied to the biannual budget process.