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Council considers lower award limits for larger organizations to preserve funding for small groups
Summary
Some council members urged steeper reductions or lower percentage caps for higher‑budget organizations so the recognition program remains oriented toward smaller, community‑led groups rather than effectively subsidizing large organizations.
Several council members said the recognition program risks becoming an incubator for larger nonprofits unless the council sets steeper limits for high‑budget organizations. Council member Niesl proposed lowering percentage caps as an organization’s budget grows, suggesting tiers that would favor smaller groups.
Niesl said, "I actually wondered if the cap should be lower for the higher, income groups," arguing that the program should prioritize smaller groups that lack other revenue streams. Other members agreed that a dollar cap combined with percentage tiers would create space for a broader set of applicants. Some cautioned, however, that cutting large recipients abruptly could risk undermining organizations that rely on the city to provide core services.
Council members asked staff to model several scenarios showing how different caps would affect past awards and to return with recommended tiers and a proposed $25,000 hard cap as a possible compromise.
