AGENDA #2b
TO: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
FROM: Kay Johnson, Finance Director
SUBJECT: Town Contributions to Human Service Agencies
DATE: March 28, 2007
The purpose of this document is to provide a summary of direct and indirect contributions the Town makes to human services organizations.
The Town provides both direct and indirect contributions to human service agencies, arts organizations, affordable housing and economic development organizations. For background, see Attachment 1, which summarizes the cash contributions budgeted as Performance Agreements with Other Agencies and totals $821,900 for fiscal year 2006-07. However, the purpose of this working paper is to focus on the human service contribution.
The Town of Chapel Hill issues a request for proposals each year inviting human service agencies to apply for Town funds. The Human Services Advisory Board reviews each application and provides each agency with an opportunity to present their program proposal and respond to questions from the Board members. Following the review process, the Human Services Advisory Board formulates recommendations to the Town Council regarding which agencies to support and the amount of funding per agency. For fiscal year 2006-07 the Council approved allocations totaling $225,000 to 43 human service agencies. A performance agreement is developed for each agency and semi-annual reporting is required for agencies to receive their allocation. See Attachment 2 for the resolution showing the list of agencies that the Council budgeted to fund based on Human Service Advisory Board recommendations in 2006-07.
In addition to the Human Services Advisory Board process, the Town also provided support to four agencies for services to senior citizens in 2006-2007. Orange County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) began in 1973 as a program sponsored by the Town of Chapel Hill. The program was operated by the Human Services Department of the Town. Also in existence at the time were two other organizations with similar missions – the Chapel Hill Council on Aging and the Orange County Council on Aging. These two Councils merged to better coordinate services and to centralize funding sources. In 1981, Orange County adopted the RSVP program as part of the newly created Department on Aging. At that time the Town agreed to continue to support the program by providing a base level of funding to Orange County. Town support to RSVP in fiscal year 2006-07 was $12,300.
The Chapel Hill Senior Center is operated by the Orange County Department on Aging with support from the Town that is directed through the Parks and Recreation Department. In the early 1990s the Senior Center leased their current facility on Elliot Road. During this transition period the Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center successfully petitioned the Town for ongoing support to assist with payments for utilities and custodial services. Funding for the Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center in fiscal year 2006-07 totaled $30,000. The Council also allocated $46,700 for the Orange County Senior Center in 2006-07.
The Town has supported Joint Orange-Chatham Community Action (JOCCA) for years. Through 1995 JOCCA applied for funding through the Human Services Advisory Board process. In 1995, the Council unanimously approved a motion to review funding requests from JOCCA directly. According to minutes of the June 5, 1995 Council meeting, it was suggested that JOCCA was distinct from other organizations funded through Human Services, particularly because it was an intergovernmental agency. The meeting minutes indicate that the Council decided to have the Council’s liaison to JOCCA review their budget requests outside of the standard process. Funding for JOCCA in 2006-07 totaled $18,900.
The Town also provides in-kind support to several agencies through the use of Town facilities. The support includes use of buildings, maintenance and payment of utilities.
§ The Interfaith Council for Social Service uses a Town building at 100 W. Rosemary Street for the Community House-Community Kitchen program. (Note: the Interfaith Council was also allocated $7,500 by the Human Services Advisory Board in 2006-07.)
§ The Street Scene Teen Center, located in the basement of the Courthouse Building at 179 East Franklin Street, also uses Town space for programs for youth. The Parks and Recreation Department shares the use of space with Street Scene to provide additional programs.
§ The Housing Department has allocated an apartment space at Trinity Court for Chapel Hill Training Outreach Program to provide day care, after-school and other services.
The chart below includes the estimated value of these in-kind donations based on the square footage of the space provided.
Description |
Annual In-kind value |
|
IFC Homeless Shelter |
210,000 |
|
Court House - Post Office (Teen Center) |
50,000 |
|
Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project |
18,000 |
|
Totals |
$278,000 |
A chart summarizing the contributions in both cash and in-kind donations follows:
|
Human Services Advisory Board allocations |
$225,000 |
|
Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center |
30,000 |
|
Joint Orange-Chatham Community Action |
18,900 |
|
Orange County Senior Center |
46,700 |
|
Orange County Retired Senior Volunteer Program |
12,300 |
|
In-kind contributions |
278,000 |
|
TOTAL |
610,900 |
In past years other community agencies have sought and received direct funding from the Council. Often, this funding was designated by the Council as a one-time allocation and not guaranteed for succeeding years. At other times the Council has agreed to provide direct funding to organizations in order to provide support for a limited number of years for assistance with mortgage payment or other similar expenses. In a few such circumstances organizations have received both direct funding from the Council and funding through the Human Services Advisory Board allocation process.
1. Performance Agreements with Other Agencies, excerpt from 2006-07 Annual Budget page XI (p. 4).