Funding cuts hit community nonprofits unevenly

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Some local nonprofit organizations are going to take it on the chin in fiscal 2002-2003, but others aren't too worried about state government budget cuts.|ret||ret||tab|

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Belt tightening|ret||ret||tab|

"We're feeling it right now" in the area of funding for mental retardation and those with de-velopmental disabilities, said Gene Barnes, executive director of the Association for Retarded Citizens.|ret||ret||tab|

Many nonprofits receive a combination of state and federal dollars, but there's a catch, Barnes said the federal dollars are granted as a match to state dollars, but if the state dollars aren't there, neither are the federal monies. |ret||ret||tab|

Barnes said that for those al-ready receiving services from ARC, the funding is in place, but those needing services have to wait. There are seven empty beds in ARC's group homes with people waiting to fill them.|ret||ret||tab|

He said the outlook is "bleak" for the next 12 months, and as the state budgeting de-bates start for the 2002-2003 fiscal year that begins July 1, it's going to get worse.|ret||ret||tab|

Barnes hopes to get through a raise for his staff, which is built into the budget he submitted, "but this year will be more of a challenge than last year. We'll tighten our belts" and do what needs to be done to get through it, Barnes said.|ret||ret||tab|

ARC was listed by SBJ as the fourth largest nonprofit in the city. It reaches into five counties Greene, Barry, Lawrence, Webster and Christian serves 400 people a day and has 88 people placed in jobs, he said. |ret||ret||tab|

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A complicated issue|ret||ret||tab|

Carl Rosenkranz said the funding issue is amazingly complicated, and he should know. He serves as executive director of the city's largest nonprofit, Ozarks Area Com-munity Action Corporation, which has an operating budget of more than $20 million. |ret||ret||tab|

But unlike ARC, his corporation isn't dependent on state funds. Most of OACAC's funds come from the federal government's Department of Health and Human Services. |ret||ret||tab|

The monies go to the state government, but by law 90 percent must be passed on to the programs the funds serve, Ro-sencranz said.|ret||ret||tab|

He keeps a close eye on both state and federal budgeting discussions, and the appropriation systems of both governments. Many OACAC programs are set up on different fiscal years which complicates planning, so the close watch is necessary. |ret||ret||tab|

The only funding reduction he foresees is in the state-funded Early Head Start (birth to 3 years) programs and perhaps the Foster Grandparent program. "We are anticipating possible reductions in funding July 1 (for those programs). There's a lot of concern on cuts in state services what effect that will have on other nonprofits" who may have to pick up the slack.|ret||ret||tab|

OACAC overall runs on an October to September fiscal year and most of its programs didn't get cut in fact some received funding increases, like Head Start for children older than 3, the low-income energy assistance program, and its contingency fund. |ret||ret||tab|

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Maintaining|ret||ret||tab|

Boys & Girls Town of Missouri has been left alone so far, said Ken Coleman, resident director. "This year we received the 2 percent increase that was recommended. I just can't be-lieve that we're not going to be affected (this next year)."|ret||ret||tab|

Boys & Girls Town's fiscal year runs from Feb. 1 to Jan. 30, Coleman said. He thinks if this year's funding grace from the governor is any indication, the program may not be cut, but it probably won't increase, either.|ret||ret||tab|

The agency's residential treatment programs for children who have emotional and behavioral problems resulting from abuse or neglect are only reimbursed at 60 percent of the actual cost, Coleman said. |ret||ret||tab|

The per diem is set each year as part of the federal Medicaid funding that the state has to give the program.|ret||ret||tab|

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Cutting back|ret||ret||tab|

A brand new organization in the area that was just getting its feet wet, Catholic Charities, now must scale back because of state funding cuts.|ret||ret||tab|

Jacquelynn Markusic, director of the Springfield office of the Kansas City Chapter of Catholic Charities, had big plans for expanding her agen-cy's programs.|ret||ret||tab|

Catholic Charities has most often been associated with ad-options and foster parenting, but Markusic's plan was to expand its services to include affordable housing for the poor.|ret||ret||tab|

The housing counseling program would help with emergency rent and mortgage payments, but also help people ac-cess low-interest loans. |ret||ret||tab|

Now, Markusic may relocate to the Warrensburg office to di-rect her newly developed programs for the Springfield-Cape Girardeau and Jefferson City dioceses, according to Mike Halterman, Catholic Charities chief executive officer. |ret||ret||tab|

Telephone calls to the Spring-field and Jefferson City offices will probably be forwarded to Markusic in Warrensburg, Hal-terman said, some staff may remain in the Springfield office.|ret||ret||tab|

The local office took it on the chin because state funding for its foster parent program is on hold. Markusic's office is still $50,000 short and that's with $25,000 that Bishop John Lie-brecht added from the Spring-field-Cape Girardeau Diocese, the bishop said. He added that Catholic Charities' services are needed, but the diocese has its own programs to fund. Usually, Catholic Charities, which isn't owned or operated by the church, doesn't receive church funding.|ret||ret||tab|

Halterman said his agency has lost close to $1 million be-cause of state budget cuts, but despite that, he wants to keep as many services going as possible, and that includes the ones Markusic and her team put together this year. |ret||ret||tab|

The local charity became a full member of the United Way this year, and when Halterman called John Rush, United Way president, to tell him the charity would have to pull out, Rush told him not to be too hasty. |ret||ret||tab|

"They want us to stay down here," Halterman said. United Way had budgeted $25,000 to the charity. |ret||ret||tab|

Markusic plans "to collaborate and coordinate with banks to provide affordable housing with low interest rates," something the local United Way organization thinks "is a great idea," she said. |ret||ret||tab|

In order to help people keep their homes once they get them, Markusic wanted to provide budget counseling, too.|ret||ret||tab|

Catholic Charities also re-cruits, assesses and trains foster and adoptive parents that's the program that has lost funding.[[In-content Ad]]