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Dozens of nonprofits ask borough for grants as council faces $10,000 outside‑agency pot
Summary
Local nonprofits and volunteer groups asked the council for small outside‑agency grants — requests included youth sports expansion, scholarships, a music festival, food packs and survivor services — while a council member noted $21,200 in requests vs. $10,000 available.
Dozens of local nonprofits and volunteer groups gave five‑minute presentations at the Carlisle borough workshop seeking outside-agency grant support, outlining services that range from youth sports to emergency housing and survivor services.
Councilor (unnamed in the transcript) noted that the total requests among agencies present totaled $21,200 while the borough had roughly $10,000 available for outside-agency awards. The council will consider committee recommendations and issue decisions in June.
Notable presenters and requests:
- Jordan (Carlisle Community Coalition) described the free Carlyle Summer Basketball League, which expanded to include another team per age group and now serves about 231 youth. Jordan said the league remains free for families and depends on sponsors and fundraising: "It's a 100% free league," he said, and noted halftime half-court shots and concessions have helped raise several thousand dollars for volunteer stipends and operations.
- Doreen Wilbur (Central PA HBCU & Workforce Fair) asked for $1,000 to expand a book scholarship and workforce‑testing assistance, adding, "I'll accept 500," if the council cannot provide the full amount. The fair is scheduled tentatively for Oct. 19 at Dickinson College and organizers said they hope to expand scholarship support for students and career entrants.
- The Bluegrass on the Grass presenter (former deputy mayor) described a long‑running free music festival that draws roughly 4,000 people and runs on a modest budget (~$26,000); a borough grant would help pay artist fees, staging and production.
- Nicole Best, treasurer of the Carlisle Area Dog Park Association, requested $500 to establish a grounds‑maintenance fund to cover routine safety work (trees, gates, mowing); she said the volunteer group serves ~80–85 member families and more than 100 dogs.
- Roger Spitz and Matthew Myers (Carlisle Area Sertoma Club) described inclusive youth programs including a free baseball camp for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing children. The club said it has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships and estimated the weeklong camp costs roughly $2,500 to run.
- Beth (Community Cares) outlined homelessness‑prevention and shelter work, saying Community Cares provided roughly 1,400 coordinated entries in 2025 and sheltered more than 600 people last year. She said the organization spends about $30,000 a year on rapid‑response costs and would welcome any borough support.
- Lisa Maddox (Project Share) requested $2,000 for a weekend nutrition "power pack" program that supplied 5,620 packs to Carlisle students in 2024–25 at about $6.25 per pack: "We are asking you for 2,000 because that's what I can ask you for," she said.
- Kathleen Smith (YWCA Carlisle) requested $2,000 to strengthen crisis intervention and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking, describing a 24/7 crisis hotline and legal and hospital advocacy services.
Council members asked applicants whether they could operate with partial awards; several presenters said they could continue their programs at reduced scale and would seek additional sponsors or donations. A council committee will review applications and return recommendations; the chair said decisions would be announced in June.
