City reaches out to nonprofit groups in re-examining funding program

Following the Maricopa city council’s decision to take another look at a program that awards funding to nonprofit groups, the city already has reached out to the dozen organizations that applied for city funds.

Grants Manager Mary Witkofski sent an email to the groups on Wednesday with questions related to a discussion held by council members at Tuesday’s meeting. 

One question asks whether the groups would accept partial funding.

It’s a question that was brought up by Councilwoman Peggy Chapados, who spurred the discussion to re-examine the city’s nonprofit funding method. 

“One question that we don’t ask in this program is ‘can you survive with partial funding?’” Chapados said at Tuesday’s meeting. “Several of the recipients who didn’t make the top cut said ‘I’d be happy if I could hand out one scholarship or help one child,’ so I think a dialogue with the agencies that were applying is appropriate.” 

The program, which has been in place since fiscal year 2011-2012, awards funding to nonprofit groups based on a scoring matrix. Council members anonymously rank the organizations from one to the total number of applicants. If all seven council members rank an organization as one, that organization is awarded a score of seven.

The groups with the lowest scores are placed at the top of the funding list and are likely to receive city dollars. 

Last year, the city distributed $301,000 to various groups that applied. This year, the Budget, Finance and Operations Subcommittee recommended dropping that amount down to $200,000. 

Groups request specific amounts for certain programs or projects. Of the 13 applications, the top five fell within the $200,000 limit. Waste removal and recycling group Environmental Concerns Organization Inc. put in two applications that received scores within the top five. ECO’s total request amount came to $108,000 – more than half of the $200,000 limit. 

At Tuesday’s meeting, Chapados said she’d like to find a way to more equitably distribute dollars among the groups. The subcommittee will review the program. 

Leaders of some of the nonprofit groups said they are in support of the council’s decision to review the program and wouldn’t mind receiving an amount less than what they requested. 

“I’m very, very pleased that they’re going back to reconsider it,” said Desiree Truett, director of Rise and Shine Exceptional Services, an organization that provides special education services. 

Rise and Shine requested $50,000 for 10 scholarships for special needs students, but Truett said the group would be willing to take less to share funding with all the organizations. 

“If they called us with $300, we’d be thrilled,” Truett said. 

A similar view is shared with leaders at Against Abuse Inc., an organization that spreads awareness about family violence and provides counseling to abuse victims. The group requested $6,000 for a program that educates students about healthy relationships. The money would specifically be set aside for the program’s operation cost at Maricopa High School.

“We feel our program is very worthwhile,” said Mary Duarte, associate director of Against Abuse Inc. 

The group received funding last year and also received the best score among the 13 applications. The $6,000 request is lowest of all applications this year. 

Duarte said the organization respects the council’s decision to take another look at the program, and they are grateful that such a program exists. 

Duarte added the group tries not to rely on one funding source, and the group would “absolutely” take a smaller amount of funds than its original request. 

Expected End Ministries, a nonprofit group that partly serves prison inmates, also would be willing to accept a smaller amount. The group requested $63,000 for its Big Tent Event in October, a 10-day spiritual revival that will feature numerous speakers and is expected to draw thousands of people. Organization leaders have applied twice in the past three years without receiving any funds.