photo by: Chris Conde

Lawrence City Hall, 2018.

The majority of the social service organizations that applied for city funding for 2019 could receive more than they did this year, with some organizations potentially getting thousands more than they received in 2018.

Funding for social services next year is set to get an extra bump in part because the special alcohol fund collected more than anticipated, and the Lawrence City Commission directed the city to distribute the extra funds. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the commission will consider the 2019 funding recommendations from the Social Service Funding Advisory Board for both the special alcohol fund and the general fund. If approved, the city would contribute about $1.4 million total toward social service agencies for next year, which represents a $100,000 increase over 2018.

As part of the 2019 budget process, city staff presented the commission with initial spending recommendations in June from the Social Service Funding Advisory Board. Those recommendations left a significant balance in the special alcohol fund, and commissioners directed staff to spend the balance down. The change resulted in the allocation of an additional $37,000 for social service agencies from the special alcohol fund. The remaining represents an increase in funding from the general fund.

The board’s recommended allocation would provide a funding boost for more than half of the 26 agencies that applied for city funding. Ten of the agencies would receive the same amount as this year and three agencies would receive less.

Some of the recommended funding allocations that the commission will consider Tuesday are as follows, and tables with all the recommendations are available on the city’s website, lawrenceks.org.

• The board’s recommended allocations call for two agencies to receive several thousand dollars more than this year from the special alcohol and general funds. That includes $22,000 more for Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, for a total of $465,000, and $18,000 more for two programs at the substance abuse center DCCCA, for a total of $150,000.

• Funding is recommended for two agencies that did not receive money this year: $11,000 for the Douglas County Child Development Association and $30,000 for Elizabeth Ballard Community Services.

• The board’s recommended allocations call for four agencies to receive at least $1,000 more than this year. That includes $2,000 more for the Boys & Girls Club, for a total of $216,000, and $2,000 more for Douglas County CASA, for a total of $24,000. It’s recommended that The Shelter receive $1,500 more, for a total of $30,000, and that Housing and Credit Counseling receive $1,000 more, for a total of $18,000.

• The board’s recommended allocations call for 10 agencies to receive the same level of funding as this year, which includes three agencies that did not receive any funding in 2018. Allocations are flat for Communities in Schools of Mid-America, the Douglas County Dental Clinic and Just Food of Douglas County, among others.

• The board’s recommended allocations call for lower funding levels for three agencies. That includes $5,500 less for Heartland Medical Clinic, for a total of $86,000; $3,000 less for The Willow Domestic Violence Center, for a total of $20,000; and $7,500 less for the Lawrence Community Food Alliance, which is not allocated any funding for 2019.

Of the $1.4 million allocated for social services in 2019, $787,000 is from the special alcohol Fund and $615,000 is from the general fund. As part of the 2018 budget, the city allocated $764,500 from the special alcohol fund and $543,500 from the general fund, for a total of $1.3 million. The city’s alcohol fund receives a portion of the proceeds from the state liquor tax, and state law requires that the funds be spent to support social programs or services.

The City Commission will convene at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.

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