Finance co-chair says nonprofits could see cuts

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George SmithState Rep. Melanie George Smith, D-Bear, has cautioned that  nonprofits c could see  cuts as the state budget moves toward approval.

Smith sent a letter to members of the Delaware Alliance  for  Non Profit Advancement (DANA) this week. George Smith is the co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee of the General Assembly.

The following is the text of the letter:

I  would first like to thank you and your organizations for the many contributions you make to the state and its residents.  As co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee, I constantly hear from constituents and colleagues about the positive impact that your work has on our communities.

I know that this year’s budget picture has caused some concern in the nonprofit sector, especially in the area of how the Grant-in-Aid bill might be affected.  During the budget mark-up process, the committee worked to close an $83 million budget shortfall.  Following Monday’s DEFAC, it is likely that additional cuts could be necessary and may affect the Grant-in-Aid allocation for Fiscal Year 2017.

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While I am opposed to across-the-board cuts, the Joint Finance Committee will need to make further difficult decisions in order to achieve a constitutionally mandated balanced budget by the end of June.

As far as the process moving forward is concerned, everything on your end is the same as it has been in other years.  You should continue to reach out to legislators on the Joint Finance Committee, especially the two legislators assigned to review your organization’s application, and speak with them about the merits of continuing to contribute funding to your nonprofit through Grant-in-Aid.  The funding recommendations from those legislators to the entire committee are due next Thursday, June 23rd, and the committee is currently scheduled to hold its Grant-in-Aid meeting and vote on Tuesday, June 28th, at 12:30pm.

Once again, thank you for the work you do for the citizens of Delaware. If I can be of any assistance in answering any questions you have, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

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