Albemarle supervisors approve new nonprofit funding rules; arts funding timeline to be piloted

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on July 15 approved a package of changes intended to make county nonprofit funding more transparent and better aligned with the county's human services priorities. The board voted to update eligibility thresholds, adopt a funding matrix that ties county awards to program tiers and agency budget size, and permit a simpler application for requests under $25,000.

Assistant Chief Financial Officer Andy Bowman and county human services staff told the board the changes are meant to direct a larger share of county funds to direct-service programs for the most vulnerable residents while preserving funding for other priorities. “We would start in tier 1 — direct services for vulnerable residents — and then move to tier 2 and tier 3 as funding allows,” Bowman said during the presentation. (Andy Bowman)

The board approved an updated audit threshold that mirrors federal guidance, raising the size at which agencies must submit an annual financial audit to $1,000,000. The board also directed staff to move four programs into a separate Office of Management & Budget review where there are multi‑government agreements or contractual relationships.

Supervisors debated the trade-offs. Some members said shifting the human services funding process later in the year — an option presented by staff that would appropriate a lump sum during the budget and allocate awards afterward — could streamline spring budget work. Others said that approach risked reducing transparency and removing voters' ability to see how the money would be sliced during the budget process.

The board reached a compromise: it adopted the eligibility, funding-matrix, and application simplification measures and asked staff to pilot the alternate program timing for arts and cultural funding only this year. The arts pilot packages would appropriate a lump sum and allow staff to award those dollars later, giving the board time to evaluate results before any change to human services funding timing.

The board approved the staff recommendations by roll-call votes. Supervisors said they expect staff to phase in changes where needed and provide data on the plan’s effects as the new cycles run.