AGENDA ITEM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE*
title
Approve the Recommended Funding Plan for the Human Services Funding Program.
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RESPONSIBLE STAFF, TITLE, DEPARTMENT*
Sarah Osmer Viñas, Director, Affordable Housing and Community Connections (AHCC) Department
Ryan Campbell, Assistant Director, AHCC Department
Jackie Thomson, Community Connections Manager, AHCC Department
STAFF RECOMMENDATION*
Staff recommend that Council adopt the resolution, approving the recommended funding plan for the Human Services Funding Program for FY 2026.
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ACTION/DECISION POINTS*
Adopt the attached resolution approving the recommended funding plan for the Human Services Funding Program for FY 2026.
Note: It is possible that at least one council member will need to ask council to approve a motion to recuse them from acting on this resolution, as they may serve on one or more of these boards that would receive funds.
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT*
Town Council allocates annual funding for the Human Services Program through the budget process. Staff return to Council each year for approval of the recommended plan to distribute those funds to selected nonprofit agencies. Council approval is required to finalize the distribution of the $602,516 in Human Services funding for Fiscal Year 2026.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT*
• For FY26, staff made several updates to the Human Services application and process to simplify the process and further align with the Town’s racial equity and inclusion goals. Key updates included:
o Reducing the requirements for Agency Hearings (required for agencies requesting $10,000 or more instead of all agencies).
o Simplifying the Funding Award Types
o Establishing a higher minimum award amount ($10,000) and higher maximum award amount ($75,000) for the program. Previously the minimum/maximum for the Program was $5,000/$50,000.
o Staff reviewing and developing funding recommendations
o Further prioritizing Public Housing residents
• Late Applications were not considered
Overview of the Recommended Funding Plan
• Staff completed their evaluation of agencies for funding in May for FY26 using last year’s Program budget of $602,516.
• This was a competitive application process with the Town receiving 42 applications totaling $1,067,825.
• When reviewing the applications, staff used the following to inform the recommendation:
o Scoring Rubric <https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/departments-services/housing-and-community/funding/human-services-program> that was shared at the onset of the process
o ’Towns Results Framework <https://www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showpublisheddocument?id=44403> and ’Councils strategic goals <https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/mayor-and-council/town-strategic-goals-objectives>
o Programs providing core safety net services
• If the funding plan is adopted by Council, all the agencies recommended for funding will receive the full amount of their funding request compared to FY25 when 2% of applicants’ requests were fully funded. This allows for programs and services to be more fully implemented and deepens the impact of our Human Services Program.
• Highlights of the key programs and services that will be accomplished under the proposed funding plan are:
o Food Programs
o Domestic Violence Services
o Child Care Scholarship Program
o Workforce Development
o Resident Services Programs
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This recommendation allocates $602,516 to 17 Human Services Agencies.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
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