MANKATO — As organizations statewide continue to monitor the Trump administration’s effort to freeze federal grants, local nonprofits such as the Committee Against Domestic Abuse — which receives 20% of its funding that way — are paying attention to what the decision could mean for them.
CADA, which supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence, said a freeze could have a significant impact on day-to-day operations depending on how long it would last.
That’s according to Executive Director Jason Mack, who said the organization is an important public safety service.
“In the short term, certainly we would be able to withstand some short-term challenges, so that’s the positive thing. I think it’s important for people to know that we’re still here. We’re still providing services,” he said.
“The bigger concern is if this becomes a long-term thing. Then we have to start looking at what types of services we can potentially reduce in what communities because we serve a nine-county area, so we provide a lot of services throughout the region. If you talk about 20% of our revenue suddenly being shut off, that has major impacts for our day-to-day operations. Again in the long term.”
President Donald Trump’s budget office on Wednesday rescinded the memo freezing spending on federal grants, fewer than two days after it sparked widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country, The Associated Press reported.
Partners for Housing Executive Director Trisha Anderson said when the freeze announcement was first made, she connected with her organization’s Housing and Urban Development representatives; the federal program provides rental assistance options.
“When we heard that it was possible yesterday at 5 p.m., I went into our HUD reimbursement program and it was locked out,” she said.
HUD grants are reimbursed monthly or quarterly depending on the grant, Anderson said, adding that they receive over $100,000 a year that goes toward rental assistance programs throughout Blue Earth and Nicollet counties.
Anderson said Partners for Housing is taking steps to ensure they can still meet the needs of the community. Some of their services include three shelters and seven rental properties that house individuals and families.
“If they are receiving Section 8 or rental assistance, rents are paid monthly and so with our tenants, nothing is going to change because we will not allow this to negatively impact their (residency). We will hold out and do all we can to work with them to ensure that when the funds are released that we will get all of their accounts up to date,” Anderson said.
“What this means for us for our clients throughout all of Blue Earth and Nicollet counties who work with other landlords, we are going to be working with the landlords to communicate the situation and work alongside them in our community to ensure that their (residencies) are not negatively impacted for their housing stability.”
Anderson said the organization is working with legislators and government officials to make sure their voice is heard on the situation.
“(We’re) advocating for the necessary funding to be released so that we can continue to do our work and serve our community and calling on the community to contact their U.S. representatives in Congress to ensure that these actions will not negatively impact our community,” she said.
Noelle Hawton, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities chief marketing and communications officer, said in a emailed statement to The Free Press that the federal decisions do not impact Title IV funds that are provided to individual students, such as federal Pell grants and direct loans.
“Work study and the GI bill also will not be affected. Minnesota State continues to work with our federal partners, national associations and members of Congress to navigate through the implications of this order and advocate for the ability of our students to continue towards their educational goals,” the statement said.
