Guilford County government has just posted notice that it has begun seeking requests for funding from community non-profits and economic development organizations.
Each year, the county hands out money to organizations that are attempting to improve the quality of life for county residents or trying to bring jobs to the area.
In an effort to let the non-profits know what’s required to get a share of taxpayer money this year – as well as to familiarize the groups with the ins and outs of the application process – the county is holding an online information session in February.
Last year, Guilford County gave out a total of nearly $3 million to over 60 non-profits and economic development organizations such as the Dudley Panther Athletic Fund, the North Carolina Folk Festival, Triad Health Project and the Aaron T. Jones Jetblack Empowerment Foundation.
No one knows how much taxpayer money the commissioners will hand out this year when they adopt a budget in June, but they are usually very generous and, if you run a community-based organization, there’s no harm in asking.
Three different times this century, including last year, the commissioners and county staff have put a tremendous amount of time and effort into forming a set of logical, reasoned criteria for handing out the money. However, each time the commissioners have thrown the formula out the window at budget time.
Frankly, it’s just a matter of which groups can convince enough commissioners that their cause is a good one. It also helps a lot if the non-profit has a close association with a sitting commissioner.
Most groups that get the money offer services such as youth and community development or the promotion of the arts, education or job growth in the county.
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston said this week that non-profit organizations enhance the well-being of the county and “serve as the backbone of our local communities.”
Nonprofits looking to apply for taxpayer money from Guilford County must complete an application and send it to grants@guilfordcountync.gov by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1. Organizations can attend a virtual information session on Monday, Feb. 12, at 11 a.m. using Microsoft Teams to learn more about the application process.
Organizations that have primarily an economic development focus will be subject to a special review and approval process based on requirements listed in North Carolina General Statute 158-7.1 Unlike the funding of other non-profits, this process includes a public hearing before the board can approve an economic development award.
To register for the Microsoft Teams information seminar, go to the following link: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/4230e8f1-6c3d-44fc-a393-09cae5c6ca45@c39cb0d6-9cfd-4beb-9f90-ffafa488b485?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery
Have your EDI certification papers available.
This is crazy
How about no-profits, like the taxpayer? Charity begins at home, not by extortion.
Yes, the “Skip” groups is a pay to play group.
Skip says . . .”non-profit organizations enhance the well-being of the county and “serve as the backbone of our local communities.”
What he really means is the county is funding the salaries of people who create these “organizations” to ensure Skip keeps getting elected. It’s the same thing that kept people in office all over the country. The old “I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine”