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Nonprofits urge council to preserve civic-support funding as council questions process
Summary
Staff proposed level funding for most civic-support grants but flagged a $104,500 general-fund contribution in FY26 and added one new recipient. Several nonprofit leaders described reliance on these operating dollars; councilors criticized staff review practices and called for a trust or independent oversight of allocations.
Finance staff presented civic-support requests totaling $388,230 and proposed flat funding of most awards in the FY26 budget, with a $104,500 general-fund impact after accounting for other sources. The presentation noted past Discover Newport and ARPA funds have been spent, reducing outside funding available for civic support.
"Our fiscal year 20 26 requested Civic Support amounts to $388,000. Our proposed budget is at $268,000," Jim Nolan (speaker 5) said, and staff noted the proposed package included $18,000 for the Quintinac Island Planning Commission (AIPC).
During public comment, nonprofit leaders described how civic-support dollars sustain operating staff and services. Carmela Geer (speaker 12), executive director of the Edward Kinghouse Senior Center, said her organization serves about 30% of the city's seniors and that without funding she would likely have to cut staff. "Without this funding, I'm cutting staff," Geer said. Rebecca Gomez (speaker 14) of Connexion Latino urged recognition of the Latino community's contributions and described the group's translation and navigator work in schools. Chris Gross (speaker 11) urged the council to consider using civic funds to foster collaboration among nonprofits.
Several councilors expressed frustration with the staff review process. One councilor (speaker 3) said applicants had completed lengthy applications only to see staff broadly "level fund" requests and recommended a more robust review and possible creation of a trust with independent oversight. Staff said application materials, financial statements and cover letters were available for council review and that administration would consider council directives on oversight going forward.
Why it matters: Civic-support awards are a relatively small part of the budget but fund organizations that provide essential services — from senior programs to food security and youth development. Councilors signaled they may seek structural reforms to application review and oversight before final allocations are adopted.
What's next: Council asked staff for more detailed funding schematics, trust-account balances, and a proposed oversight framework ahead of final budget action.
