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Board restores nonprofit assistance funding and establishes Community Impact Grant Program
Summary
Cumberland County commissioners approved restoring nonprofit assistance funding and creating the Community Impact Grant Program with an associated budget ordinance; staff and commissioners discussed application timing, eligibility, and previously allocated ARP funds.
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved the ARP committee’s recommendation to establish the Community Impact Grant Program and adopted an associated budget ordinance.
County staff told the board the program traces to American Rescue Plan allocations that initially set aside $3.5 million for nonprofit assistance. Staff said after prior expenditures and obligations, available unallocated general fund capacity totaled $1,081,770 and that an additional remaining allocation of $390,000 existed, which staff calculated would bring the program cap to $1,472,600. Staff also outlined an application window that would open immediately and close at close of business on March 17, and announced a virtual information session scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. Staff said the session would be recorded and posted to the county YouTube channel.
Commissioners asked staff to consider weather and access concerns; Commissioner Adams asked whether the information session and/or application period could be moved because of forecasted bad weather. Staff said they would work out the exact start date if needed.
Commissioner Sterling Jones moved to approve the ARP committee’s funding recommendation and associated budget ordinance (B250157) in the amount of $1,400,000; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.
Staff explained eligibility and changes from earlier rounds: applicants must operate in Cumberland County and provide programs serving affected populations such as low- and moderate-income residents, youth (including at-risk youth), health programs, arts and culture, community development, faith-based programs that provide community services (for example, feeding or after-school programs), domestic violence or sheltering services, and similar activities. Earlier iterations limited applicants to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(19) organizations; staff said using general fund dollars allows the county to consider organizations previously ineligible (for example, volunteer fire departments often classified as 501(c)(4)).
The committee asked staff to review applications and return funding recommendations to the ARP committee and then to the full board for final approval; approved contracts would carry effective dates of July 1, 2025, to align with FY2026.
