Two local non-profit organizations were the first to make presentations to the Carroll County Board of Supervisors this week about Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding. Stacy Venteicher, the Director of the RSVP program for Carroll County, says they are once again asking for $9,000 for RSVP and $1,000 for the Foster Grandparent Program; a level ask since 2006. She details other sources.
Venteicher says there were a lot of programs that either didn’t take place or were adapted due to the pandemic, but the RSVP pen pal program remained a huge success. They were creative and able to use Google classroom for virtual volunteering at schools. They wrote cards and letters, planted small pots of geraniums that were delivered to area care centers, volunteers worked on production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for local agencies and more.
Stacia Timmer, the Chief Operations Officer at the Elderbridge Agency on Aging, also asked the supervisors for support. She explains their scope and says they operate under the state Department of Aging.
During the pandemic, their services did not really change, but there was an increase of 2,000 home-delivered meals in Carroll County, something they saw in every county they serve. They also saw increases in direct services, which are subcontracted with St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Carroll County Home Health. Timmer says the total dollar amount of services provided last fiscal year was just over $469,000, compared to the prior year at $378,970. Last year, the agency asked for $3 per senior, a total of $14,538. They are now are asking for $3.05 per senior, for a total of $16,470 for the next fiscal year. The increased funding will partially be used as a match to receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. Supervisor, Rich Ruggles, says there are new guidelines now being implemented and they are unsure how this will impact non-profit funding. He says they are getting mixed messages. County Auditor, Kourtney Payer, explains the formation of agreements are more like memorandums of understanding in that the money the county is giving is not a donation, but really a payment for services being provided. The ruling itself has been there quite some time, she says, but the regulations are now being implemented throughout the state. Venteicher says in Carroll County and across Iowa, the loss of county funding would eliminate the match and federal grants would be gone. If it becomes a point where all she does is fundraising, Venteicher says, she would no longer be able to oversee the program. More details on how the county will work through this process will be made available in the future as the budgeting process continues.
