To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Trish Muller, CPA, Finance Director
Title
Discussion/Direction of the Public Safety Commission’s Recommendations for the 2027 Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Program, Eleven Applications
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Program (PSMRGP) funded by the Philip S. Miller Trust Fund aims to support social and human services in Castle Rock. Eligibility requirements state that the organization holds 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) status, has been operating for a minimum of five years, and the funding request must include at least one of the provisions for the necessities of life: water, energy, food and/or shelter assistance. A cap of five individual grants shall be awarded annually. In 2023, Town Council increased the budgeted amount for this program to $45,000.
Eleven qualified organizations applied for the 2027 Philip S. Miller Resource Grant with a total of $113,000 in requested funds. The Public Safety Commission (PSC) reviewed the annual applications and is recommending the following award amounts:
|
Applicant |
Requested |
|
Aging Resources of Douglas County |
$10,000 |
|
American Legion Harry C. Miller Post 1187 |
$7,000 |
|
Catholic Charities of Central Colorado - CR Office |
$9,000 |
|
Castle Rock Community Inter Church Task Force DBA Help & Hope Center |
$20,000 |
|
Christ’s Episcopal Church Backpack Ministry |
$5,000 |
|
Ember Center |
$15,000 |
|
Faith Luteran Church Food Pantry |
$5,000 |
|
New Hope Presbyterian Church |
$7,000 |
|
Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Castle Rock |
$15,000 |
|
TESSA |
$20,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$113,000 |
Staff presents the Public Safety Commission’s recommendations for Council’s approval.
Discussion
The Public Safety Commission reviewed the applications (Attachment A) at its October 2 meeting. Representatives from each non-profit organization attended the PSC meeting to give a short presentation on their organization and the purpose of the funding request. The Commission discussed the merits of each application, reviewed the budgets presented for each project, and referred to the history of granted amounts (Attachment B).
Aging Resources of Douglas County requested $10,000. The grant would be used to support fuel, vehicle maintenance, and our transportation database, ensuring that older adults and wheelchair users have reliable access to grocery stores, food pantries, and other food resources.
American Legion Harry C. Miller Post 1187 requested $7,000. Funds would primarily be used to assist homeless/low-income veterans and current service members in meeting their needs for food, shelter, clothing, and utilities (such as water and energy).
Catholic Charities of Central Colorado has requested $9,000. Funds would be used for direct emergency utility assistance to households served through their Castle Rock office who are facing utility disconnection, including water and energy.
Castle Rock Community Inter Church Task Force DBA Help & Hope Center requested $20,000. Funds will support the Food Pantry program, helping offset the costs associated with procuring, transporting, storing, and distributing nutritious food.
Christ’s Episcopal Church Backpack Ministry requested $5,000. The grant will be used to purchase food and stock a small pantry used to provide weekend meals to students in need at Castle Rock Elementary School throughout the school year.
Ember Center requested $15,000. Funding would be used to help 100 nights of safe emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Faith Lutheran Church Food Pantry requested $5,000. All grant funds would be used to purchase food for their food shelves.
New Hope Presbyterian Church requested $7,000. Funding will be used in totality and exclusively to provide financial support to recipients of the Deacon Benevolence outreach program; specifically for rental assistance.
Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Castle Rock requested $15,000. Funding will assist with temporary housing (motel), rental, utility assistance of gas, water and/or electricity and food items for our bimonthly food pantry.
TESSA requested $20,000. Grant funds will support the direct costs of operating the 35-bed Douglas County Safehouse Program throughout 2027.
Based on these considerations, the Commission has made the following recommendations:
|
Applicant |
Requested |
PSC Recommends |
|
Aging Resources of Douglas County |
$10,000 |
$0 |
|
American Legion Harry C. Miller Post 1187 |
$7,000 |
$5,000 |
|
Catholic Charities of Central Colorado - CR Office |
$9,000 |
$0 |
|
Castle Rock Community Inter Church Task Force DBA Help & Hope Center |
$20,000 |
$15,000 |
|
Christ’s Episcopal Church Backpack Ministry |
$5,000 |
$0 |
|
Ember Center |
$15,000 |
$0 |
|
Faith Luteran Church Food Pantry |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
|
New Hope Presbyterian Church |
$7,000 |
$5,000 |
|
Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Castle Rock |
$15,000 |
$0 |
|
TESSA |
$20,000 |
$15,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$113,000 |
$45,000 |
Budget Considerations
The 2028 Budget includes $45,000 in the Philip S. Miller Fund for the 2027 Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Program.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council approve the Public Safety Commission’s recommendations for the 2027 Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Program.
Proposed Motion
I move to approve the Public Safety Commission’s recommendations and award the 2026 Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Program monies as follows:
|
American Legion Harry C. Miller Post 1187 |
$5,000 |
|
Castle Rock Community Inter Church Task Force DBA Help & Hope Center |
$15,000 |
|
Faith Luteran Church Food Pantry |
$5,000 |
|
New Hope Presbyterian Church |
$5,000 |
|
TESSA |
$15,000 |
Alternative Motions
I move to approve the Public Safety Commission’s recommendations for the 2027 Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Program, with the following conditions: (list conditions).
I move to continue this item to the Town Council meeting on _____ date to allow additional time to (list information needed).
Attachments
Attachment A: 2026 Applications
Attachment B: Five-Year History of Granted Amounts
Attachment C: Philip S. Miller Resource Grant Overview.