Astoria Budget Committee Community Organization Subcommittee Meeting – March 11, 2026

The Astoria Budget Committee's Community Organization Subcommittee met on March 11, 2026, beginning at 5:32 PM and adjourning at 6:13 PM, to review community organization grant applications and make tentative funding recommendations. The subcommittee elected a chair, discussed approximately $100,000 in available grant funds against nine applications requesting more than $159,000, and approved a motion recommending awards totaling $100,000. Note: The agenda and transcript list the meeting date as March 10, 2026; this summary uses the provided meeting timestamp of 2026-03-11.

Call to Order, Roll Call, and Chair Election

• City Manager Spence conducted roll call. Present were Committee Members Davis, Hardy, Ramel, Fitzpatrick, Johnson, and Conklin.
• Tom Hardy, a citizen member, was elected subcommittee chair by voice vote with no opposition.
• The meeting was called to order at 5:32 PM and adjourned at 6:13 PM.

Discussion Items

• City Manager Spence provided an overview: the Community Organization Grant Program had roughly $100,000 to distribute, and nine applications were received with requests totaling over $159,000.
• Council-established priorities for the grants include mental health services, drug use and addiction treatment, permanent assets, leveraging funds as matching dollars, alignment with Astoria priorities, the organization's relationship with the community, the percentage of the organization's budget from city funding, and past grant performance.
• Spence cautioned that the City Council is considering a designated campsite, and if that project moves forward, this grant program could be a funding source that goes away.
• The committee discussed whether to favor smaller organizations with fewer funding sources or larger organizations serving broader populations. Members noted past practice has varied, with a tendency in recent years to help smaller organizations.
• Committee Member Conklin suggested fully funding several lower-request applicants with small year-over-year increases: the Wildlife Center of the North Coast, North Coast Food Web, Helping Hands, and El Centro Northwest. She also noted The Harbor's $50,000 request for building purchase was high and suggested reducing it.
• Chair Hardy expressed concerns about The Harbor, including its past property ownership, the director's residence in Portland, and the director's lack of presence locally. He also questioned whether the Wildlife Center and El Centro Northwest aligned with the council's funding priorities, while expressing support for arts programs.
• Mr. Spence noted that a separate $20,000 community resilience grant program with a one-for-one match could be another avenue for The Harbor.
• Members discussed the importance of Assistance League of Columbia Pacific, which buys clothing for low-income children, and Clatsop Community Action, which provides a broader swath of services. CCA's request covers two programs: the regional food bank and continuum care.
• The committee discussed allowing Clatsop Community Action flexibility to allocate its award between the regional food bank and continuum care programs rather than requiring a 50/50 split.
• The Harbor's building purchase was discussed as a permanent asset, but multiple members felt $50,000 was too large given the overall pool, and some suggested shifting funds from The Harbor to Clatsop Community Action.

Key Outcomes

• A motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously by voice vote to tentatively recommend the following community organization grant awards:
  • Assistance League of Columbia Pacific: $15,000
  • Astoria Visual Arts: $7,500
  • Clatsop Community Action: $27,700
  • Clatsop Community College Foundation: $15,000
  • El Centro Northwest: $3,000
  • The Harbor: $10,000
  • Helping Hands: $11,000
  • North Coast Food Web: $6,000
  • Wildlife Center of the North Coast: $4,800
• The total recommended awards equal $100,000.
• The recommendation is tentative and will be reviewed again by the full Budget Committee and City Council; council will hear it again before the final budget is adopted.