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More than two dozen nonprofits and residents urge retention or expansion of leverage-support and neighborhood funds
Summary
During a lengthy public-comment period, nonprofit leaders and residents described program outcomes and requested specific funding: examples included Camp Joy, KidFuture CPS, Artsville, Bethany House, PigWorks and several chambers seeking $200,000–$400,000 awards or project support.
Dozens of speakers used the hearing’s public-comment segment to describe programs supported by past city leverage-support awards and to request continued or increased funding in the FY2027 budget.
Camp Joy speakers emphasized outcomes from in-school student leadership work, with one manager citing survey results showing roughly two-thirds of participants reporting multiple growth experiences and nearly 70% reporting leadership skill gains. KidFuture CPS asked for funds for marketing and a new program-finder tool to connect families to services. Artsville leaders and local residents requested $250,000 for facility improvements in Madisonville and described the center’s role serving youth and neighborhood artists.
Several business and trade organizations asked for multi-hundred-thousand-dollar awards: the African American Chamber sought $400,000; the Hispanic Chamber asked to continue a $200,000 application; CinciTech urged that city funding remains important because it unlocks state matching dollars under Ohio’s Third Frontier program. PigWorks requested consideration for support of an $8 million runner’s-park project in Walnut Hills. Bethany House and Santa Maria Community Services described housing- and family-stability outcomes tied to human-services funding and asked for continued investment; Bethany House noted 700 families served and a plan to open daycare to shorten shelter stays.
Speakers also urged geographically targeted uses of one-time capital trust proceeds, with the Carthage Civic League asking council to use Southern Railway trust allocations on Vine Street infrastructure and pedestrian crossings in their neighborhood. Other public commenters asked the city to dedicate capital funding for bike infrastructure, invest in community violence intervention programs, and support disability-pride and financial-literacy programming.
No formal action was taken at the hearing; council members heard requests that will inform budget-policy discussions ahead of the manager’s recommended budget next month.
