San Rafael, CA – With greater transparency in mind, the County of Marin is formalizing the way it provides financial support to local nonprofits that provide countywide services.
The County will debut its Nonprofit Community Partners program when the application period opens for the first time on December 1. Staff from the County Administrator’s Office (CAO) will review applications and receive feedback from the Marin County Board of Supervisors as part of the Budget Workshop in March. Final CAO recommendations will be presented to the Board in June as part of the adoption of the final annual County budget for 2020-2021.
County Administrator Matthew Hymel said the Nonprofit Community Partners program is meant to support community partners that benefit the community but do not fit neatly into the budget of a single County department. The Nonprofit Community Partners allotments will be $10,000 to $40,000, awarded once a year as part of the County’s annual budget process. Consistent with prior year spending levels, $700,000 has been allocated to support this annual program.
The application process will be similar to the existing Community Service Fund program, although the Community Service Fund allocations are awarded twice a year and for smaller amounts ($1,000-$10,000). Applicants for both programs must prove that services will be delivered in Marin, for the benefit of Marin residents, and offered to all residents regardless of race, ethnic background, religion, or any other limiting factors.
“The County values its nonprofit partners and our community benefit greatly from their efforts,” Hymel said. “For many years, the County has supported worthy programs, and this simply makes our decision-making process more open and transparent.”
Applications for Nonprofit Community Partners program may be submitted online starting December 1 and will be accepted through February 15. Application guidelines and criteria are on the CAO’s website.