Carroll County supervisors hear nonprofit funding requests from New Opportunities, CASA, Breda Day Care and RSVP

Carroll County supervisors on Tuesday heard presentations from four local nonprofit programs seeking county support as the board prepares for next year’s budget cycle.

New Opportunities CEO Chad Johnson told supervisors his agency has not increased its typical county funding request since 2010 and emphasized the organization’s “one‑stop‑shop” model that connects clients to multiple services—food pantry, low‑income heating assistance (LIHEAP), WIC, Head Start and behavioral health—so families can leave services within a few months where possible. “We really try to get a family lots and lots of different services right from the get go,” Johnson said.

Stephanie Henrich, executive director of Centers Against Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA), described damage to the organization’s Spencer hub from flooding earlier this year and said the agency’s regional budget covers 19 counties. Henrich said CASA’s annual operating budget for the 19‑county service area is “a little over $800,000,” of which about $595,000 came from state VOCA and related sources in the last year. She told the board Carroll County provided $1,000 this year and asked the county to consider $5,000 for the next fiscal year to support client assistance, mileage reimbursement and local office costs. “We would hope that Carroll County would consider $5,000 for next year’s funding to help us get through,” Henrich said.

Representatives of the Breda Day Care Center and Preschool described program demand and a facility need. Tia Aged, vice president of the Breda Day Care board, said the center is full with 38 children and has a waiting list of roughly 20 families (about 45 children). The center requested help to replace and expand an aging outdoor deck that staff say is failing; the presenter described the deck replacement estimate as roughly $12,000 and said the project would allow additional classrooms outdoor access.

Stacy, the RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) presenter, asked Carroll County to continue a previously requested level of support for RSVP—$9,000 this year—and reviewed local volunteer work: pen‑pal and school engagement programs, veteran projects, nursing‑home visiting and episodic community volunteer projects. Stacy said the county match helps secure federal and state grant dollars that fund the volunteer program’s operations and noted RSVP presently reports about 331 active volunteers in Carroll County.

None of the nonprofit presentations included a formal vote or an immediate funding decision by the supervisors. County staff indicated the board will consider nonprofit requests as part of the upcoming budget process and asked agencies to submit required financial documentation, including audits, when available.

Why it matters: county funding decisions affect the size of the local match that draws down federal and state grants and can fund direct client assistance, transportation and local office costs for regionally based providers.

Clarifying details reported to the board included: CASA’s regional annual operating budget “a little over $800,000,” state funding of about $595,000, a reported 27% reduction in VOCA funding that year; CASA reported 32 sexual‑assault cases served in Carroll County during the prior year; RSVP’s current request of $9,000 (level funding historically used by the county) and ~331 volunteers in the county; Breda Day Care reported 38 enrolled children, 23 families, a waitlist of about 20 families (roughly 45 children) and an estimated deck replacement cost of about $12,000 (presenter‑supplied estimate).

Speakers and roles were identified at the meeting and were the sole sources of the quotes used above. Agencies were invited to provide formal contract requests and audits to county staff during the budget review process.