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Pinellas rethinks grant funding for nonprofits
Nonprofits will get one more year of funding as commissioners scrutinize social service spending for potential duplication.
Pinellas County Commissioners are reassessing which social services should be funded by county government and which could instead rely on state dollars or private fundraising. Commissioner Chris Latvala has proposed ending the county’s Social Action Funding program, which provides grants to nonprofits offering community services.
An advisory board recommended $1.7 million for 17 organizations for fiscal year 2027. County Administrator Barry Burton recommended reducing that to about $667,000 for seven existing programs while eliminating funding for proposed programs.
Latvala wants to go further.
Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala says nonprofits facing county funding cuts will get a one-year bridge as officials reconsider taxpayer support for social services. Photo provided.
“Our residents demand tax relief, so any way we can do that I think is prudent,” Latvala told the Catalyst. “A lot of the nonprofits do very good work, but a lot of them can get funding from the state or private fundraising. Property taxes shouldn’t have to do it.”
Pinellas County is considering a $5.14 billion fiscal year 2027 budget. The proposed General Fund would increase from $1.116 billion to $1.125 billion.
Latvala said existing Social Action Funding recipients would not lose county support immediately. Instead, the county would use reserves to fund them for one more year, giving organizations time to find alternative sources of revenue.
“We are not taking it to zero this year,” Latvala said. “We are doing a one year funding forum. We are using reserve funds. All the nonprofits get a year notice.”
Latvala raised the issue during the commission’s Sept. 3 budget work session, arguing that nonprofits could seek money through the Florida Legislature. He said he wants the county to get “out of the business of funding nonprofits” through the grant program and focus its budget on core services.
That would not necessarily end county contracts with nonprofits hired to provide specific services on the county’s behalf.
The commission’s Sept. 10 agenda, for example, included a five-year contract worth up to $7.26 million with 211 Tampa Bay Cares, doing business as First Contact, to administer emergency financial assistance for adults without minor children. Funding for the agreement is included in the proposed budget.
Commissioners also considered nearly $4 million in three-year agreements with St. Vincent de Paul CARES and 211 Tampa Bay Cares for rapid rehousing. Those programs provide housing navigation and case management for people experiencing homelessness and administer a direct-assistance funding pool.
Latvala said those contracts could face scrutiny this fall as commissioners examine whether the county is paying multiple organizations to provide similar services.
“Commissioner Scott and Eggers have brought up that we will be looking at those in the fall to see how many of those services are duplicated,” Latvala said. “If we have five or six programs attacking homelessness issues, then that’s something we have to look at. We don’t need a number of organizations doing the same thing.”
The Social Action Funding grants support programs serving seniors, children and other residents. Under Latvala’s proposal, existing recipients would have one final year of county funding before being expected to seek support elsewhere.
Jeanette Bulatowicz
September 15, 2026at3:49 pm
I hope all these programs and funding really help these ones we see everyday, struggling,pulling their few items along, sometimes crossing 34th street without looking or caring. Just passed by or overwhelmed by life maybe.
Hugh Hazeltine
September 13, 2026at2:01 pm
You can download or see the Pinellas Homeless Resource Guide at this URL:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c784173a9ab953d5ee017d5/t/69d50c8066502b3b951e43d8/1775570048052/108692+Homeless+Leadership_Guidebook_PROOF+with+links.pdf
Jay Hill
September 13, 2026at12:37 pm
Commissioner Scott said If we have five or six programs attacking homelessness issues, then that’s something we have to look at. We don’t need a number of organizations doing the same thing. Obviously you do obviously you need more!! CUtting the funding isn’t going to solve it that’s for sure.
I say 48 hours we make the commissioners go live in the streets and see what the need is go live like the people that you’re making decisions for.
Jay Hill
September 13, 2026at12:10 pm
This is a direct impact from amendment 3. Even before a yes vote is happening, governments across the state are slashing programs, slashing jobs, and this is a prime example of the what is to come if amendment three passes.
Most counties have a hiring freeze till after November. They are looking at what they want to fund and what they don’t. Homeless programs, abuse/sheltering programs, animal programs.
Counties aren’t going to have the money to try to take care of animals they’re going to start euthanizing because they just don’t have the funds to take care of the animals
JAMES GILLESPIE
September 12, 2026at7:07 pm
all the comments are worthy of answer and justification. i hope the commissioners can develop priorities addressing the great needs and likely to produce the best results by some measure.
Carl Lavender Jr
September 12, 2026at5:25 pm
The reassessment of non profit funding, conducted here in Pinellas is also happening nationwide. The over representation of non profits now depending on tax dollars for their existence is a complicated situation that volunteer Boards of Directors need to address. The next ten years will certainly see more mergers, consolidations and closures of non profits. Our School Board is facing a similar challenge that is forcing school building closures and consolidation. The season we all feared is here. The message to Boards of Directors is make smart choices.
S. Rose Smith-Hayes
September 12, 2026at5:12 pm
To whom do these agencies report to so that we know that the funds are well used??Too much money being given out without accountability?????Where can a taxpayer go to learn which nonprofits receive funds and how does one learn how the funds are being used???Would I read their reports, you damned right I would.
Glenn Elliot
September 12, 2026at5:12 am
What is the criteria the county commission is using to determine how much coverage (i.e. how many social service organizations) are needed to address a particular issue?
For example, in the case of homelessness, it could be that multiple agencies are necessary in order to address the problem. But without having a criteria to determine that it’s hard to know how many agencies are required and how much funding they need.