Carson City nonprofits approved for grants; Supervisor White says money should be 'given back' to federal government
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Thu, 11/18/2021 - 11:55am
The Carson City Board of Supervisors voted to appropriate $209,586 in grant funds of the approved $1.3 million to five local nonprofits.
However, Carson City Supervisor Maurice White argued the money should be "given back" to the federal government instead of being dispersed to local non-profits because it is "an extension of critical race theory."
Grants were approved for the following:
— The Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada will receive $48,298
— Advocates to End Domestic Violence will receive $96,000
— The Nevada Humane Society will receive $7,200
— Nevada Rural Counties RSVP will receive $35,288
— St. Vincent de Paul Society will receive $22,800.
However, the remaining eight applicants who submitted grant requests did not qualify for funding based on a scoring system created by the ARWG, comprised of community residents, a subject matter expert and a city representative.
Those include FISH, Nevada Humane Society, Ron Wood Family Resource Center, Carson City Community Counseling Center, and the Lighthouse Lodge Project. Two applications submitted by Advocates to End Domestic Violence and Nevada Health Centers have been placed on hold.
Night off the Streets applied for grant funding through Partnership Carson City, but it was not recommended due to the “pass through of funds (being) too complex.” They were told they should apply for future grant funds once it is able to meet its non-profit requirements.
However, Mayor Lori Bagwell stated that NOTS would need to go through a separate department and receive a special use permit in order to receive any funding, regardless if they already had a building for a shelter in place.
Supervisor Stan Jones stated he felt the process was being made too difficult for the nonprofits.
“I think the NOTS program is a viable program, and does wonderful things for the community, things that if they didn’t do (the city) would have to,” said Jones. “These people are doing a wonderful job for us; the churches are burned out, and yet we’re trying to create obstacles. We should work with them.”
Mayor Bagwell stated the NOTS program could not be given funds because they need to go through a different department and receive a special use permit.
“I understand that,” said Jones. “But we should be helping them through that process.”
Supervisor White stated he believed the grant funding is a “further extension of critical race theory” and he would rather have the grant funds sent back to the federal government and “tell them no.”
“As this American Recovery Plan Act has evolved it becomes more and more evident this is a further extension of the critical race theory,” said White. “As far as I’m concerned, we should just be sending this money back to the federal government and telling them no. I will not be participating in programs that further critical race theory, and I won’t support this agenda item.”
It’s anticipated to do more than one round of funding decisions, as happened with the previous $800,000 of COVID grant money, and that the non-profits who were denied this round should reapply for the next round, in addition to any further non-profits who wish to apply for portions of the grant funding.
