Project Concern Fiscal year 2013 Funding ChangesProjecttonce rn
Connecting people to services
City of Dubuque
Mike Van Milligan
City Hall
Dubuque, IA 52001
April 24, 2012
Dear Mike,
As per our conversation, this letter is a synopsis of our upcoming 2012 -2013 fiscal year and the
changes that will take place within the agency. Project Concern exists on 8 federal grants, United
Way funding and various other means of revenue. Unfortunately, the grant portion of our
Childcare Resource and Referral revenue is projected to be eliminated which places the agency
in an extremely vulnerable position. Due to changes at the state level for DHS funding, PC will
no longer qualify to receive Empowerment and EPI funding for the Childcare Resource and
Referral Department. Because of this, the agency will dissolve the CCR &R Dept. and thus,
eliminate 4 positions. Part of both of those funding streams assisted the agency in personnel
expenses, rental fees, utilities and maintenance.. Through dissolving the dept., these line items
of coverage will now have to be fundraised.
In evaluating our situation, we collaborated with Loras College and applied for two Vista
positions which are both three year positions. We were awarded the grant and we have hired two
individuals who will start with the agency in June 2012. These positions will allow us to do some
much needed update work in the I &R department. The 211 system has not been updated since
2006 and only certified personnel are able to access the database and do the update. However,
prior to updating the database, initial contacts need to be made with all area agencies,
organization and some businesses to gather the most current information. This is what one Vista
position will do with other position working with the Shelter Plus Care program.
PC has also looked at its personnel and the decision was made to eliminate a part-time
Development Coordinator. At this point in time, we desperately need the monies used to cover
that position's salary and benefits. The person in the position understands and has agreed to
coordinate our fundraising events on a consultant basis, thus saving the agency money.
Project Concern serves the needs of over 39,000 individuals each year with only 13 staff.
Reducing that staff to 8 will have a great impact and outcome for our agency and the community
and surrounding area. It is anticipated that a regional office out of Waterloo will be the recipient
of the Empowerment funding and that they will hire the PC staff to perform the same duties as
they currently do for PC but instead will be an employee out of a Waterloo office. It is hoped
that the Waterloo office will rent office space from PC and that will bring in some revenue.
The agency Board has taken on the task of additional fundraising to bridge the funding gap left
after CCR &R dissolves. The Board is committed to the community and the agency and believes
that the agency serves a vital role in meeting unmet community needs. They also believe that
this is an opportunity to collaborate with other agencies and programs to expand and strengthen
both. As we discussed in our meeting, any opportunity to do this with City funded programs and
services is an opportunity to make Dubuque a better place to live.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Again, thank you for taking the
time to meet with me.
Sincerely.
Nancy Lewis
Executive Director