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East Lyme approves $6,650 in community grants, sets July 30 second deadline for remaining funds
Summary
The East Lyme Board of Selectmen approved $6,650 in timely FY2027 requests to four nonprofits and opened a second application window through July 30, 2026, to allocate the remaining $9,790. Board members also directed staff to improve outreach and clarify whether any recipients are mandatory under law.
The East Lyme Board of Selectmen on July 1 approved $6,650 in community-service grants to four organizations that submitted timely FY2027 requests and set a second deadline of July 30 for other groups to apply for the remaining $9,790.
The board approved the recommended awards by voice vote after a lengthy discussion about fairness, outreach and whether any regional organizations are legally required recipients. Under the approved motion, the Giving Garden will receive $2,500, Niantic Main Street $2,500, Safe Futures $1,000 and the Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Eastern Connecticut $650.
Why it matters: Board members said the town adopted a deadline and application procedure this year to make the distribution more transparent, but poor outreach and late submissions left many groups off the original list. Members debated four options — strict enforcement of the January 21 deadline, a relaxed window, equal division among applicants or funding all listed groups — before choosing to honor the timely requests and offer a second opportunity.
During public comment, Margaret Susaf, chief operating officer of Safe Futures, told the board, “this past year we served over 300 victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, trafficking, elder abuse and child abuse from East Lyme,” and thanked the town for prior support. David Lriori, executive director of Warriors for Warriors, asked the board to consider his organization’s late submission and described the veterans services his nonprofit provides, saying in part, “This person would have committed suicide. She told us that unsolicited.”
The board instructed staff to repost the application process and the July 30 deadline on the town website and to re‑notify groups on the current outreach list. Several selectmen asked the town attorney and finance director to research whether any specific organizations (for example, regional homeless shelter coalitions) are statutory or mandated recipients before future allocations.
Next step: The board will review applications submitted by July 30 at its August 5, 2026 meeting and decide how to distribute the remaining $9,790.
