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PECS committee approves 2025 human services grant slate and votes to increase award pool
Summary
The committee approved awards to 58 organizations under the 2025 Human Services grant program and approved a motion to increase the county's award pool to $650,000 (from $559,609) for broader distribution and an added veterans assistance allotment.
DeKalb County's PECS committee on Nov. 1 approved the recommended slate of Human Services grant awards for 2025 and approved adding county funds to increase the award pool from the recommended $559,609 to $650,000.
Human Services staff described the annual, competitive process in which applicants must meet minimum thresholds, provide independent audits and demonstrate service in DeKalb. After scoring and evaluation, 58 organizations scored above the committee's 80-point threshold and were recommended for awards across nine service categories, including advocacy, crisis intervention, disability, elderly services, family services, food insecurity, homelessness, public health and youth services.
The committee's discussion centered on methodology: several commissioners argued for a funding approach that concentrated larger awards on high-impact organizations, while others favored distributing limited funds broadly across many community providers. Commissioner Ted Terry pressed staff to develop alternative funding methodologies for future cycles; Commissioner Long Spears and others supported adding funds to the current cycle to increase average award sizes. The committee agreed to raise the award pool in the motion to $650,000 and requested staff review alternative grant models (tiered award sizes or multi-year grants) for the next cycle.
A separate item to award $200,000 from the Victim Assistance Fund to certified victim service organizations was approved in committee as presented. Staff said they will provide commissioners with scenario analyses showing the distribution impact of larger award pools and options used by peer counties for future policy consideration.
