# Strategic Partnership Grants Committee Meeting | Oct. 1, 2026

**Body:** Buncombe County Government — Strategic Partnership Grants Committee
**Date:** October 1, 2026 1:01 PM EDT (2026-10-01T13:01:35-04:00)

**Link:** https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/3192

## Summary

**Strategic Partnership Grants Committee Meeting Recap**
**Date:** October 1, 2026
**Body:** Buncombe County Strategic Partnership Grants Committee

The Strategic Partnership Grants Committee convened on October 1, 2026, for a meeting held virtually with an in-person component at 200 College Room 310. The session focused on welcoming five new committee members—Salah Mania Merritt, Bing Owens, Sandy Futes, Christine Crespo, and Charlie Beck—and integrating Rachel Dudasik, who joined via phone following technical difficulties. Grants Manager Angela Johnson introduced herself to the group, establishing the staff support structure for the committee’s upcoming work. The primary agenda items included planning for a new networking event and reviewing updates for the Fiscal Year 2028 funding cycle, ensuring the committee was aligned with the county’s strategic goals and operational timelines.

A significant portion of the discussion centered on the upcoming FY28 funding cycle, with staff presenting several key adjustments based on the previous year’s process. The committee noted that while the focus on Tropical Storm Helene recovery remains, it is no longer a separate scoring category but is instead integrated into "Strategic Alignment." Staff clarified that grant options remain unchanged, with Option One capped at $10,000 and Option Two at $85,000; the $10,000 limit is continuing as a pilot for one additional year to assess nonprofit interest. Eligibility rules were also reviewed, confirming that the one-application-per-organization limit stands and that the two-year operational requirement for nonprofits remains waived due to Helene. The committee was informed that applications will open on January 4, 2027, with a submission deadline of February 12, 2027, and that committee scoring is scheduled for March 21, 2027.

During the discussion, committee members raised several questions regarding logistics and application clarity. Christine Crespo and Salah Mania Merritt inquired about the invitation process for the upcoming networking event, which staff confirmed is a new initiative replacing previous site visits. Mark Mickey asked about organizational capacity, prompting staff to note they are rewording application questions to better assess staff involvement. Charlie Beck highlighted inconsistencies in budget submissions from previous cycles, suggesting clearer instructions on providing complete budgets and indicators of other funding sources. In response, staff agreed to review the application instructions to address these concerns. Additionally, Rachel Dudasik asked when the cycle dates and requirements would be made public, to which staff responded that a press release and social media announcements are typically issued in December.

The committee also discussed the upcoming Fall Networking Event scheduled for November 5th at 200 College Street. Staff explained that this is the first event of its kind, designed to allow all funded organizations and committee members to interact in one location through brief presentations and open networking. Regarding the FY28 cycle, staff clarified that committee members will not participate in one-on-one grant consultations to avoid conflicts of interest, as their role is strictly limited to scoring. Staff emphasized the importance of maintaining process integrity by asking that organizations not contact committee members directly during the application period.

The only formal action taken during this meeting was the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting. A motion to approve the minutes was made by the acting chair and seconded, resulting in unanimous approval by the committee. No other votes or binding decisions were recorded. The meeting concluded with staff outlining follow-up actions, including sending an email to committee members regarding setup and breakdown assistance for the November 5th event, scheduling a virtual grant writing workshop for January, and bringing a draft application to the December meeting for further review.

## Video & Transcript

- Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LHr6X8FCYA
- Transcript: https://sunshinemeetings.org/transcript/2142/segments

## Sources

- [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LHr6X8FCYA)