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Nonprofits, residents urge council to restore or increase VCF and program funding; Bennett's Village seeks alternate path after ineligibility
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Summary
Dozens of nonprofit leaders and residents spoke during public comment, asking the council to restore prior-year support for arts, youth, food-security and housing services and seeking a path to city support for Bennett’s Village after it was deemed ineligible for VCF funding.
Dozens of community organizations and residents used the council’s two-minute public-comment slots to press Charlottesville elected officials to restore or increase grants recommended for FY27 and to highlight local program impacts.
Sheena Altensileva of Charlottesville Tomorrow told the council the nonprofit newsroom’s proposed "community growth and visibility" program would provide free marketing and sponsorships to small businesses and nonprofits, helping them reach local audiences. "We’re dedicated to creating equitable access to trustworthy information and amplifying voices that have historically been excluded," she said.
Several arts organizations asked the council to reconsider reduced awards. Caleb Nelson of Live Arts said his organization’s proposed allocation was nearly half of last year’s and warned the cut would imperil education programming. Adam Nemat of MEMA described after-school songwriting programs that served about 300 youth across seven housing communities and said current funding covers less than half of requested support.
Advocates for Bennett’s Village — an inclusive-play project at Penn Park — said the group was deemed ineligible for VCF because of an existing city MOU and asked the council to identify a route for direct city support. "There’s nothing in our MOU that prevents the city from providing funding to our project," Karen McClurkin (Bennett’s Village executive director) said, asking staff and council to help find a path to fund phase two.
Jane Colony Mills of Loaves and Fishes told the council the food pantry served 4,565 unique Charlottesville residents since July 1, 2025, that need has risen 75% over three years, and that the group faces a proposed 9% cut in the FY27 draft; she urged restoring or increasing the award.
Other speakers included City of Promise, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia (which asked to restore funding from $60,000 to $116,000 to meet anticipated enrollment increases), Piedmont Family YMCA, BridgeLine, Birth Sisters of Charlottesville and many small arts and youth-service providers. Speakers described measurable outcomes — from reduced absences and improved literacy to prevention and reentry supports — and argued reduced grants would force program cuts or reduced service levels.
Councilors said they had heard the requests and discussed whether strategic discretionary funds could be reallocated; several councilors mentioned $100,000–$150,000 as a possible supplement pending follow-up, and staff agreed to follow up on eligibility and any corrected slides or reports. The session ended after a motion to adjourn was made and carried by voice vote.
