Lacey commissioners hear grant pitches from 29 nonprofits seeking $300,000 for housing, youth and health programs

The Lacey Human Services Commission on July 1 heard presentations from 15 nonprofit applicants and a schedule for the 2026 Human Services Grant cycle, with staff explaining a $300,000 pool and program priorities that include affordable housing, homelessness prevention, youth services and behavioral health.

Human Services Coordinator Michelle Chavez told the commission the city received 29 applications requesting about $858,012.12 and explained the maximum awards are $30,000 for service projects and $50,000 for capital projects. Chavez said staff will compile commissioner scores and return on Aug. 6 with the commission's recommendation for the City Council to consider in September. "Every year the city puts aside the 300,000 in general fund dollars to go to nonprofits in the community who are doing direct service to help people," Chavez said.

Presenters described a wide variety of services the city grant could support. Big Brothers Big Sisters proposed restoring a North Thurston site-based mentorship program and keeping a staff person focused on recruiting high-school mentors after loss of OSPI funding; a representative said the local program serves 300 youth across five counties, with 83 youth in Lacey, and that "we have over 100 children on our waitlist right now." Alley Cat Kitties requested $7,555 to support spay/neuter, vaccinations and a litter distribution for Maple Court residents. Ground Zero Outreach, led by an RN who works in encampments, urged funding for a retrofitted mobile medical unit that would provide private, climate-controlled nursing care and storage for supplies; the founder said, "This mobile medical unit would completely change that." Carrie of Alley Cat Kitties noted the group is volunteer-run and asked commissioners to prioritize core services if partial funding is available: "spay neuter is our core program but ... it's probably our litter program that is something that we learned from the residents they really needed."

Other notable proposals included requests from Rebuilding Together Thurston County for home repairs and ADA modifications for low-income homeowners; All Kids Win for weekend food bags serving middle and high school students; South Sound Dance Access to expand in-school dance programs aimed at improving student mental health; the Squally Foundation for mobile showers and hygiene services; a pilot from God's Land to provide small startup grants and supported employment for people exiting homelessness; a behavioral-health pilot from the Institute for Therapeutic Renewal focused on crisis intervention and veteran services; Habitat for Humanity and other groups seeking funds for home repairs to keep seniors and people with disabilities safe; and the Sterrett Foundation describing financial supports for participants in therapeutic courts. Representatives from Senior Services for South Sound and Community Youth Services described HomeShare and youth-shelter programs, respectively.

No formal awards were made at the meeting. Commissioners asked clarifying questions on program scale, sustainability and how partial awards would be prioritized. Staff reiterated the timeline: presentations over two days, a period for commissioners to review and score applications, staff compilation and an Aug. 6 commission meeting to form recommendations that will be taken to City Council in September for final action. The chair opened and closed the meeting with routine procedural items, including a roll call and a land acknowledgement recognizing the Treaty of Medicine Creek and local tribes.

The commission will not finalize awards until after scores are compiled and the council considers the recommendation. Staff materials include full application requests, proposed budgets and a rubric used by commissioners to evaluate proposals.