GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Most human service agencies in Garfield County will see a 30 percent reduction in county funding for next year, due to a downturn in county sales tax revenue, which funds the programs.

“This was an extremely difficult grant cycle because of the limited amount of available funds,” the Human Services Grant Committee stated in a memo to Garfield County commissioners at their Aug. 17 meeting.

Funding this year for the various agencies is expected to come in more than revenues from the county sales tax used to the fund the annual human service agency grants. Revenues from the tax are expected to decline by 30 percent next year.

Still, commissioners were able to approve $504,529 in funding for 35 different agencies and programs providing a variety of services to Garfield County citizens. Requests for funding topped $989,000.

The county put aside another $109,000 for contingency funding throughout the year.

“It was mentioned that because we have so much less to give this year … it would be good to have educational meetings to inform agencies of other options for funding,” according to the grant committee.

Because funding for agencies has been reduced on several fronts, committee member Jane McCollor said a meeting is being planned for next month inviting human service agencies from Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties, called “Surviving the Winter.”

Agencies receiving funding, including the grant amount and amount requested in parentheses, included:

• Access Roaring Fork, $7,500 ($74,000)

• Advocate Safehouse, $30,500 ($40,000)

• Alpine Legal Services, $23,500 ($40,000)

• Boy Scouts of America, $4,000 ($12,000)

• Catholic Charities, $16,000 ($32,000)

• Childhelp River Bridge, $3,500 ($5,000)

• CMC Even Start, $6,000 ($7,000)

• CMC Literacy Outreach, $20,000 ($25,500)

• CMC Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, $10,000 ($22,000)

• Colorado West Counseling, $35,000 ($50,000)

• Colorado West Recovery, $28,000 ($40,000)

• Columbine Home Health, $23,500 ($35,000)

• Family Resource Centers, $7,000 ($10,000)

• Family Visitor Program, $34,000 ($50,000)

• Feed My Sheep, $25,000 ($30,000)

• Garfield County Housing Authority, $10,000 ($15,000)

• Girl Scouts, $3,500 ($3,500)

• Habitat for Humanity, $3,500 ($30,000)

• Hospice of the Valley, $10,000 ($50,000)

• Kids First, $13,000 ($20,000)

• LIFT-UP, $28,000 ($32,000)

• Mpower, $3,500 ($5,000)

• New Hopeful Heart, $1,000 ($7,000)

• Pathfinders, $3,500 ($12,000)

• Planned Parenthood, $5,000 ($5,000)

• Roaring Fork Valley Early Learning, $1,500 ($12,000)

• Rocky Mountain Head Start, $13,000 ($20,000)

• Salvation Army, $18,000 ($20,000)

• Senior Nutrition, $10,000 ($15,000)

• Senior Traveler, $35,000 ($65,000)

• Sopris Therapy, $16,500 ($25,000)

• Vet-Trans, $5,000 ($20,000)

• Yampah Teen Parent Program, $7,500 ($7,500)

• Youthentity, $3,500 ($15,000)

• YouthZone of Garfield County, $40,000 ($75,000)

Agencies making funding requests but not receiving grants for 2010 included Colorado West Psychiatric, Executive Service Corps, Mountain Regional Housing, and Mountain Valley Developmental Services (see related story, beginning on A1).

jstroud@postindependent.com