A proposed Howard County bill would change how the county tracks and discloses grants to nonprofits, including by adding audits and reporting requirements. At a County Council hearing Tuesday, every nonprofit organization that testified opposed the measure as written, while expressing support for its transparency goal, according to CBS Baltimore.
The Grant Funding at Stake
Howard County’s approved FY 2027 operating budget included $15.2 million in Community Service Partnership grants for nonprofits, a 6.7 percent increase from the prior year, according to Howard County Government. The budget also included $83,000 for one-time needs of CSP grant recipients.
What the Bill Would Change
Council member Deb Jung introduced the legislation to increase transparency around how Howard County distributes grant money to nonprofits, according to CBS News. The proposal would create a public database with details of individual grants, add audits and reporting requirements for recipient organizations, and require a nonprofit to have existed for at least two years before qualifying for county funding.
At Tuesday’s public hearing, nonprofit representatives said they supported greater openness about public grant spending but objected to the bill’s proposed audit mandate, reporting rules and two-year eligibility threshold, the outlet reported. They warned that the requirements could affect the organizations’ community work.
The Price Tag for Small Nonprofits
Christy Page of Rebuilding Together Howard County, which uses county grant funding to help low-income families with critical home repairs, said the added audit requirements could cost her organization between $8,000 and $15,000 a year. She said that money could otherwise pay for a new heating system or a wheelchair ramp for a family in need, according to CBS Baltimore.
Nonprofits also questioned what information the proposed public database would disclose, raising concerns about privacy. Stu Kohn, of Scaggsville, said the additional grant-administration detail could ultimately benefit everyone involved. Residents who spoke at the hearing supported the bill overall, CBS Baltimore reported CBS Baltimore.
Sponsor Says Amendments Are Coming
Jung told the outlet that she has been part of the nonprofit community for more than 25 years and does not want the bill to create unnecessary hurdles for organizations. She said she reviewed similar grant policies from neighboring jurisdictions and recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association while drafting the legislation, according to CBS Baltimore.
Jung has committed to meeting separately with nonprofit organizations to hear their concerns and plans to draft amendments based on that feedback. The bill remains weeks away from a Council vote, leaving time for the sponsor and affected nonprofits to discuss possible changes before a final decision.
