by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
When the more than 80 public services agencies that had applied for funding through the City’s Public Service Grant program opened the letter dated May 22 and signed by Chief Administrative Officer Alan Mosley, the first sentence didn’t raise any red flags:
“Thank you for submitting an application for Public Service Grant Funding for Fiscal Year 2007-2008 (FY 07/08).”
The fourth paragraph delivered an overview of some programs Mosley said would have to be “severely reduced or eliminated” due to proposed statewide changes to Homestead Exemptions. The last sentence read, “Should Tallahassee’s actions require this level of budget reduction, I regret to inform you that the Public Service Grant program for FY 07/08 is another program we will be forced to eliminate.”
Rena Coughlin, executive director of the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, Inc., described the organization as “a Chamber of Commerce of sorts” for the nonprofit community.
“In the last few weeks we have become lobbyists. There are so many way to interpret what’s going on in Tallahassee. We’re trying to get a handle on the potential local consequences.
“We want to make sure people know the strategic role the nonprofit sector plays in quality-of-life and economic development,” she said.
Robert White, executive director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, agreed. The Cultural Council’s proposal for $5,065,000 in funding for FY 07/08 is the single-largest on the list and represents almost a third of the total funds requested. He said the 26 arts organizations the Cultural Council supports make a significant contribution to enhancing and preserving the quality of life in the community and further, the economic impact of the organization’s work pales in comparison to the investment.
He also said he believes the City should find a way to separate arts organizations from other nonprofits if it comes down to cutting the budget as severely as is being predicted.
“We generate hard-core dollars. We leverage the funds we get from the City to create an economic impact of more than $130 million a year.
“There is no challenge facing Jacksonville that doesn’t have an arts component whether it’s Downtown development or tourism or early literacy initiatives. The arts are without question one of the City’s most important community development tools,” said White.
Losing funding would mean losing momentum and White said that would be catastrophic. He compared the arts community to a garden and the budget crisis to a wildfire.
“If we are zeroed out of the budget next year, we may be zeroed out permanently. My guess is we could lose 25 percent of the agencies – and that’s conservative.
“It’s not like you can plant the seeds and reap the harvest in a few months. We’re more like a tree farm because we have been working to help support some of the groups for 30 years. Staff members could be scattered and never come together again. It could take at least five years to put it together again and decades before we could get back to where we are today.”
The business community is also stepping up to support some of the organizations that have historically been funded by the City. Elizabeth Hallock, Senior Regional Account Manager for UPS Capital Business Credit, wrote Council President Michael Corrigan a letter urging the City to preserve the Small Business Resource Network and the Small Business Development Center.
She pointed out the programs “help small businesses start, grow and prosper” and asked Corrigan to “seriously consider providing adequate funding for a program that generates more than four times the investment in economic development impact.”
Coughlin said she thinks one reason the City has focused on the Public Service Grant program as a line item on the budget that could be completely eliminated is that the program has deviated from its original intent.
Coughlin also supports the ordinance that has been introduced by City Council member Kevin Hyde to reform the way the City awards tax dollars to nonprofit organizations.
“We’re not buying the argument that Public Service Grants are the first place to make cuts in the budget, but the Public Service Grant pool of funds has lost its bearing and become a catch-all. The process in place now has made it difficult to maintain the integrity of the program and there has been some abuse,” she said.
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. has applied for grants totaling more than $175,000 for its programs. Executive Director Skip Cramer said he also believes the organization should be considered separately when it comes to finding lines to obliterate from the budget.
“How to deal with it is a real conundrum. The Board hasn’t put priorities to it yet, but we believe the programs we provide should be considered core services and not Public Service Grants. While they are called ‘grants’ we are actually performing contract work for the City.”
Cramer did, however, have to admit it’s not going to be an easy battle.
“One of our board members said for the average citizen, it’s going to be the question ‘Do I want a policeman and a fireman on the corner or another report from JCCI?’ That’s some pretty tough competition.”
FY 06-07 Public Service Grants and FY 07-08 applications
|
Agency | Program | $ Funding 06-07 | $ Requested 07-08 | |
APEL Health Center, Inc. | APEL Health Services | 58,724 | 75,007 | |
Alzheimer’s Association | Caregivers Assistance Program | 16,967 | 25,700 | |
American Red Cross | Volunteer Lifesaving Corps | 9,803 | 12,000 | |
Angelwood, Inc. | Sideseddle Group Home | 7,164 | 10,600 | |
ARC Jacksonville | Guardianship & Prevention Services | 18,853 | 45,247 | |
ARC Jacksonville | Residential Services | 45,247 | 18,853 | |
Arlington Little League | Baseball and Softball | 8,295 | 9,900 | |
Beaches Council on Aging | Dial A Ride | 31,928 | 45,000 | |
Bob Hayes Inv. Track Meet, Inc. | Bob Hayes Inv. Track Meet | 125,000 | 150,000 | |
Bridge the Gap | Elderly and Handicapped care | 9,833 | 60,000 | |
Catholic Charities | Lawn Care Employment Program | 22,050 | 45,000 | |
Catholic Charities | Choose Life trust fund | 47,000 | 47,000 | |
Catholic Charities Bureau | New Hope Ex-offenders program | 0 | 28,000 | |
Cerebral Palsy of NE Fla. | Family Services | 28,807 | 35,249 | |
Character Counts! | Pursuing Victory with Honor | 34,200 | 34,200 | |
Clara White Mission, Inc. | Comprehensive Emergency Services | 71,895 | 85,052 | |
Compassionate Families, Inc. | Homicide Grief Recovery Program | 18,099 | 49,771 | |
Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville | Cultural Services Grant Program | 3,750,000 | 5,000,000 | |
Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville | Art in Public Places | 64,125 | 65,000 | |
daniel, Inc. | Project Prepare | 37,706 | 50,000 | |
Duval County 4-H Foundation | Build Stronger Communities | 40,000 | 45,000 | |
Duval County Public Schools | Truancy Centers | 128,250 | 358,850 | |
Edward Waters College | Schell-Sweet Community Resource Ctr. | 104,738 | 200,000 | |
Emergency Serv. & Homeless Coalition | Leadership to End Homelessness | 37,706 | 94,020 | |
Enterprise No. Fla. Corporation | Technology Enterprise Center | 75,000 | 200,000 | |
Family Foundations | Comprehensive Financial Literacy | 16,758 | 30,000 | |
Family Foundations | Marriage Preservation Program | 30,164 | 45,000 | |
Family Foundations | Financial Counseling | 0 | 45,000 | |
Family Nurturing Center | Parenting with Health Challenges | 0 | 29,718 | |
First Coast African-American Chamber | Minority Business Development | 150,082 | 200,000 | |
First Coast African-American Chamber | Workforce Development | 42,750 | 75,000 | |
Families First | Adult Community Service | 16,416 | 17,638 | |
FC No More Homeless Pets, Inc. | Spay & Neuter Program | 215,000 | 255,500 | |
Florida Comm. College at Jacksonville | Independent Living for Adult Blind | 42,984 | 44,612 | |
Fresh Ministries | Center for Urban Initiatives | 144,789 | 632,690 | |
Gateway Community Services | SAGES | 44,446 | 44,446 | |
Gateway Community Services | Alcohol Rehabilitation Trust Fund | 675,000 | 675,000 | |
Gateway Community Services | Family Ties | 0 | 121,200 | |
Greater Jacksonville Area USO | Support of Active Duty Military & Family | 25,467 | 40,000 | |
Greater Jacksonville Area USO | USO Welcome Center at JIA | 9,000 | 12,000 | |
Greenscape of Jacksonville, Inc. | Community Tree Planting | 66,150 | 75,000 | |
Grove House Supportive Services | Employment Services | 26,101 | 38,000 | |
Grove House Supportive Services | Living Services for Disabled Adults | 33,516 | 47,250 | |
Hart Felt Ministries, Inc. | Hart Felt Ministries | 23,085 | 35,000 | |
Hope Haven | Access to Success | 32,427 | 32,427 | |
Hope Haven | Job Opportunities Consortium | 10,935 | 10,935 | |
Housing Patnership of Jax, Inc. | Paint the Town Rehab Program | 41,467 | 80,000 | |
Hubbard House, Inc. | Emergency Services | 103,941 | 150,000 | |
I. M. Sulzbacher Center | Emergency Shelter Services | 104,310 | 124,311 | |
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. | Consumer Law Project | 22,623 | 44,355 | |
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. | Civil Legal Services | 229,140 | 296,800 | |
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. | Mental Health Advocacy | 38,475 | 54,635 | |
JASMYN | Safety Net | 8,978 | 30,000 | |
Jacksonville Chamber Foundation | Cornerstone Small Business | 250,000 | 250,000 | |
Jacksonville Chamber Foundation | Cornerstone Master Marketing | 500,000 | 500,000 | |
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. | Community Improvement Study | 49,416 | 49,416 | |
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. | Human Services Council | 47,760 | 47,760 | |
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. | JCCI Forward | 12,825 | 12,825 | |
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. | Quality of Life Project | 52,600 | 52,600 | |
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. | Race Relations Progress Report | 12,825 | 12,825 | |
Jacksonville Historical Society | Heritage Education Program | 37,706 | 50,000 | |
Jacksonville Historical Society | Photo Heritage Publication Project | 12,073 | 19,000 | |
Jacksonville Humane Society | Shelter, care & adoption of stray animals | 128,500 | 128,500 | |
Jacksonville Public Library Foundation | Much Ado About Books | 19,238 | 25,000 | |
Jacksonville Sister Cities Assoc. | International City Exchanges | 29,394 | 35,000 | |
Jacksonville Zoological Society | Operations | 1,670,000 | 1,670,000 | |
Jax Pride | Jax Pride Week | 0 | 24,000 | |
Jewish Community Alliance | Challenge Program | 4,355 | 5,200 | |
Justice Coalition, Inc. | Crime Victims Advocacy Program | 0 | 75,000 | |
L’Arche Harbor House | Community Living | 21,115 | 25,000 | |
Learn to Read, Inc. | Jacksonville Reads | 35,598 | 45,000 | |
Lutheran Social Services of NE FL. | Refugee Education Services | 15,836 | 23,102 | |
Lutheran Social Services of NE FL. | Representative Payee Program | 22,623 | 35,319 | |
Lutheran Social Services of NE FL. | Second Harvest Food Bank | 167,865 | 276,792 | |
MAD DADS Jacksonville | MAD DADS | 64,125 | 100,646 | |
Mission House | Case Management for the Homeless | 17,741 | 25,000 | |
Mountaintop Institute | Diversity Training | 64,125 | 75,000 | |
NAMI Jacksonville | Family to Family | 0 | 16,020 | |
NAMI Jacksonville | Peer to Peer | 0 | 24,407 | |
NAMI Jacksonville | NAMI Support Services | 0 | 36,250 | |
Nat. Assoc. of Minority Contractors | Construction Technical Assistance | 59,387 | 75,000 | |
North Florida School | Adult Student Transition | 15,836 | 19,000 | |
NE FL. Community Action Agency | Community Service Block Grant | 22,623 | 56,092 | |
NE FL. Community Action Agency | Temporary Emergency Food Assistance | 38,752 | 51,388 | |
NE FL. Healthy Start Coalition | The Azalea Project | 64,125 | 116,851 | |
ODI Independent Living Resource Ctr. | Deaf Consumer Program | 19,401 | 27,600 | |
ODI Independent Living Resource Ctr. | Deaf & Disability Victim Advocacy | 15,459 | 27,600 | |
ODI Independent Living Resource Ctr. | Temporary Loan Closet | 17,345 | 17,345 | |
One Jax | Diversity Needs Assessment Study | 15,082 | 15,000 | |
Operation New Hope | Ready4Work | 0 | 250,000 | |
Optimum Health & Wellbeing, Inc. | Wellness Center | 7,541 | 66,193 | |
Pine Castle, Inc. | Training, Education & Support Services | 99,543 | 104,837 | |
Presbyterian Social Ministries | Cold Night Shelter | 9,049 | 10,000 | |
Prisoners of Christ | Continuing Services | 12,150 | 23,400 | |
River Region Human Services | St. Johns Horizon House | 46,085 | 46,085 | |
Ronald McDonald House | Ronald McDonald House | 26,394 | 29,033 | |
Salvation Army | Local Disaster Services | 6,703 | 10,000 | |
Salvation Army | Meals for Homeless & Transients | 23,307 | 40,000 | |
Salvation Army | Senior Center/Emergency Food Pantry | 8,550 | 10,000 | |
Salvation Army | Senior Center/Telephone Reassurance | 4,190 | 10,000 | |
SBDC at UNF/SBRN | Small Business Resource Network | 19,607 | 31,234 | |
SBDC at UNF/SBRN | Community Development Program | 15,082 | 24,541 | |
SBDC at UNF/SBRN | SMART Business Growth Program | 17,100 | 111,550 | |
Speech & Hearing Center | Audiology Services | 55,050 | 75,000 | |
St. Mathew Baptist Church | Health & Dental Clinic | 52,920 | 60,000 | |
Suited for Success Jacksonville, Inc. | Suited for Success | 11,312 | 24,999 | |
Tides Center | Green Team Project | 18,853 | 40,000 | |
UF and Shands | Adolescent Sex Prevention | 0 | 71,260 | |
United Way of NE Florida | 211 (Shared database) | 18,853 | 18,853 | |
United Way of NE Florida | RealSense | 42,750 | 60,000 | |
Urban Jacksonville, Inc. | RAPPJAX | 18,212 | 18,212 | |
Volunteer Jacksonville | Managing Volunteers in Disasters | 33,935 | 67,000 | |
WE CARE Jacksonville, Inc. | WE CARE Jacksonville, Inc. | 61,837 | 89,393 | |
WJCT, Inc. | Radio Reading Services | 5,865 | 7,000 | |
Women’s Center of Jacksonville | Counseling Education Program | 23,754 | 69,900 | |
Women of Color Cultural Foundation, Inc. | Health Symposium | 0 | 34,703 | |
| Total | $11,412,630 | $15,846,685 | |
