Strategic Partnership Grants Committee Meeting | August 6, 2026

Strategic Partnership Grants Committee Meeting Recap Date: August 6, 2026 Body: Buncombe County Strategic Partnership Grants Committee

The Strategic Partnership Grants Committee convened on August 6, 2026, to address committee governance, recruitment challenges, and preparations for an upcoming presentation to the Board of Commissioners. Committee members Ray, Anna, Mark, Charlie, Dan, Dee Dee, and Angela, along with staff, attended the session. The meeting focused on finalizing officer elections, reviewing the status of grant cycle results, and determining the format for future engagement with current grantees.

Key Decisions and Votes The committee took three main actions during the meeting. First, a motion made by Charlie and seconded by Dee Dee to approve the minutes from the June 4 meeting carried unanimously. Second, the committee elected its officers for the upcoming term. A motion made by Charlie and seconded by Dee Dee approved a slate consisting of Ray as Chair, Anna as Vice Chair, and Mark as Secretary; this motion also passed unanimously. Finally, the committee decided on the format for fall engagement with grantees. A motion made by Charlie and seconded by Anna to forego traditional site visits in favor of exploring a "Fall Grantee Gathering" passed unanimously. This decision aims to save time and encourage networking among the 16 current grantees.

Discussion Highlights A significant portion of the discussion centered on the difficulties of recruiting new committee members. Staff reported that conflict-of-interest restrictions—specifically the rule that members cannot serve if affiliated with applying nonprofits—combined with the time commitment of monthly 1.5-hour meetings, have made recruitment challenging. Angela noted, "This committee I've said is tough is difficult to recruit for... One is the conflict of interest comes up a lot... If anyone's on the board or the staff or getting paid by one of those organizations that intends to apply, they're not eligible to serve." Members suggested potential outreach to the Center for Lifelong Learning and specific individuals, such as a retired portfolio manager and a former small-town mayor.

The committee also reviewed the results of the 2025 grant cycle, noting that 16 projects were approved from 76 applications, totaling $1 million. Charlie explained, "We started with 76 applications that represented the $4.65 million, our $1 million budget target allowed us basically to end up with 16 of those projects being successfully approved... we were able to get 21% of the submissions that covered 21.5% of the dollar requests." The discussion highlighted the impact of Hurricane Helene, with Charlie noting that improving food systems and addressing basic community needs remained high priorities. Additionally, staff announced a legal update to the PISCA Legal Services contract. Due to pending legislation (HB 171), the scope was generalized from immigration-specific services to general civil legal services for low-income individuals to ensure compliance. Rachel explained, "We have a current context where that bill specifically... makes it legal, diversity, equity, and inclusion in state and local government... Prioritizing a service to only be available to people based on national origin is problematic... So we genericized... Now, we did genericize and then by doing so, opened up to any low-income person in the community."

Community Input There were no public commenters present at this meeting. All input was provided by committee members and staff. Members offered feedback on the upcoming Board of Commissioners presentation, emphasizing the need to clearly communicate the even distribution of funds and the specific impact of Hurricane Helene priorities. Regarding the proposed Fall Grantee Gathering, members expressed concern that site visits are time-consuming and result in low participation. Dee Dee Stiles stated, "To me... you get to see everybody. And I like that better... It also gives them an opportunity to connect with each other."

Follow-ups and Next Steps Staff members Angela and Rachel agreed to several action items to support the committee’s current goals. They will send a one-page profile of the committee to Charlie Beck to assist in recruiting potential members, including the previously mentioned retired portfolio manager and former mayor. Staff will also follow up with Dan regarding a contact for the Center for Lifelong Learning to discuss recruitment opportunities. Additionally, staff will send the presentation slides to Mark for review before the scheduled August 18 presentation to the Board of Commissioners. Staff will continue to explore the details of the Fall Grantee Gathering, including format, date, and potential Commissioner attendance, with plans to report back at the September 3 meeting. Staff will also continue to report on how PISCA Legal Services utilizes funds under the newly generalized scope.

Impact on Residents These decisions directly affect how Buncombe County manages its Strategic Partnership Grants, which fund community projects. By shifting from individual site visits to a collective gathering, the committee aims to foster stronger connections among the 16 funded organizations, potentially leading to more collaborative community efforts. The generalization of legal services ensures that low-income residents, regardless of national origin, have access to civil legal assistance, aligning with new state legislation. The upcoming presentation to the Board of Commissioners on August 18 will provide further transparency on how the $1 million grant budget was allocated, particularly in supporting recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.