Non-profit organizations around Southwest Michigan continue to face funding uncertainty as Congress grapples with a new budget and a freeze from the Trump administration remains in limbo.
The administration in January announced a sweeping freeze on the disbursement of federal grants and loans, prompting a flurry of court complaints and fear among charities that receive those dollars. Among them is the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, which has provided food and utility assistance, help finding a home, and crisis response in the area since 1982.
Agency Director Kim Smith Oldham tells us federal Community Services Block Grants are the backbone of the organization’s budget.
“A lot of our budget is federal dollars,” Smith Oldham said. “So we have supportive housing, our homeless shelter, our food commodity programs, which we distribute 54,000 boxes a year to the tri-county area. We’re Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren. All of those are federally funded.”
Smith Oldham says with questions still remaining about what will happen with those grants, the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency doesn’t know whether it will be able to continue helping thousands of people next year. She says the agency gives a hand up to those in a tough spot.
“If someone is working and they’re just getting by and their car breaks down and they have to put money into their car, we’re here to be able to assist them with a utility bill or with food.”
Smith Oldham says the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, and other community action agencies, have received funding through a continuing resolution for more than 20 years. Now that’s up in the air. She notes all of those federal dollars come with strict accounting standards, and the agency goes through several audits per year. That’s something about federal funding many people don’t understand.
Smith Oldham says many in the non-profit community in Southwest Michigan are in the same boat right now. They’re hoping supporters will let their members of Congress know about their concerns.
