Unalaska’s non-profits may see bigger grants this year.

According to the city’s finance department, over a million dollars will be dedicated to community support program, a boost of about 35 percent over last year. That program provides grants to nine of the city’s non-profit groups. Organizations like Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence, the Museum of the Aleutians, Illiuliuk Family and Health Services, and Unalaska Community Broadcasting have all been top beneficiaries traditionally.

Last year, the city only had $790,000 budgeted for the program, a drop that resulted in passionate discussion over which non-profits most deserved aid.

Finance Director Tonya Miller says that the increase should give the city council more flexibility when considering non-profit funding requests this year.

“This year, it’s nice to see that the formula did yield a higher number,” says Miller.
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.
Miller says that right now, the city is on track to hit its revenue projection of $30 million for the current fiscal year. If the city meets that goal, funding for the community support program next year should remain at the same level.