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Chatham County reallocates nonprofit funding pool after staff review; board agrees to small adjustments and to explore United Way partnership
Summary
Staff presented a recommended nonprofit competitive-award list funded from a quarter-percent allocation of the general fund; commissioners asked for a rebalancing, staff produced a second, more formulaic pass and the board agreed to a modest amendment and to continue exploring a possible United Way administrative partnership for future cycles.
Chatham County staff presented recommended awards from the county's nonprofit competitive pool and then offered a second pass after commissioners raised concerns about how allocations were prioritized.
Staff said the FY26 competitive pool totals $528,000 (a quarter-percent allocation of the general fund as set by the board). This year 26 program requests were submitted from 21 agencies; the total FY26 ask was roughly $1.4 million, creating a substantial gap between requests and available funding. Staff described a review process that combined an initial audit of applicants and programmatic evaluations by approximately 17 county subject-matter experts.
Because several new programs applied this year, staff presented two versions of recommended awards. The first emphasized stronger programmatic alignment with the board's stated priorities (notably anti-poverty objectives). After discussion, staff created a second, more formulaic pass intended to be closer to prior-year funding patterns and to preserve some agencies' prior-year funding levels. Commissioners reached consensus on the second pass with a small amendment: restoring additional funding for a Latinx-youth/community program run by the county's Hispanic liaison office by moving a portion of United Way's competitive award (the board asked staff to rebalance the numbers on the spot; staff said the adjustment would be incorporated into the final recommendation).
Why it matters: The nonprofit pool is intended to support local human-services programs that the county does not directly provide. This year's larger-than-usual application total — and several new program requests — forced staff and commissioners to balance a desire to seed high-performing or high-alignment programs against preserving stable support for existing providers.
Commissioners also asked staff to continue exploring a possible administrative partnership with United Way's local 'Bold Goal' process to see whether United Way could administer the competitive process on the county's behalf in future cycles. Staff and commissioners said any such change would be developed in consultation with the board and would preserve county oversight and recognition of county funding where appropriate.
Ending: Staff will return the revised nonprofit award list in the budget ordinance materials and indicated they will prepare additional background if the board wishes to pursue a United Way administrative partnership for future cycles.
