Tuesday night’s City Council budget work session brought good news for Unalaska's non-profits. A $1,084,458 budget allocation for community support funding means there’s plenty to go around. That represents a 35 percent increase over last year and about $30,000 more than the combined total requested by non-profits.

Funding for the community support program is based on a formula that takes into account the city’s average revenue over the last five years. The idea behind the policy is that when the city’s treasury is in good shape, non-profits can expect to see increased financial assistance. The way the formula worked this year was that the new year added to the formula, Fiscal Year 2011, brought in $3 million dollars more for the city than Fiscal Year 2006, the old year that was dropped.

As a result, the 3-person committee that evaluated the applications recommended granting the requested funding in full, with the exception of a request by the Aleutian Pribilof Island Association for “indirect costs.” Assistant City Manager John Fulton explained during the meeting that the costs were not specifically tied to services provided in Unalaska and therefore not allowed under the funding guidelines. 

Only four non-profits requested funding increases over last year. Fulton said the Iliuliuk Clinic, Aleutian Pribilof Island Association, Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence and the Convention and Visitors Bureau all cited rising insurance costs as a reason for their additional financial need.

The organization Unalaska Senior Citizens also petitioned Council for a capital grant. According to a letter from USC director Robert Knapp, the organization’s wheelchair accessible van needs to be replaced. USC is asking the city for $44,000 to purchase a new, 9-seat van.

Final decisions about funding are up to Council. It will take up the issue, along with the rest of the operating budget, later this spring.