Council debates proposal to fund local nonprofits, considers caps and committee oversight

Council discussed a staff concept to provide city budget support to local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, with Mayor Bagany and several council members weighing in. The mayor said any funding would likely come from the general fund and be budgeted for 2027; council members asked whether awards would be limited to Reynoldsburg‑based nonprofits and whether there should be a hard annual cap. "Is this something that council feels moving forward is something that they want to do?" the mayor asked.

Members recommended a cap and suggested forming an ad hoc committee to review applications with a rubric to ensure fairness. One councilmember proposed an initial illustrative cap ("$15,000 or whatever") as a discussion anchor for program design; the city attorney said staff would draft legislation and eligibility language for the budget season. No final program or appropriation was approved at the meeting.