Manhattan Community Support Funds Advisory Board
Week of August 26, 2026
Community Support Funds Advisory Board members plan to lobby Manhattan City Commission over stagnant social services budget
Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan funding request sparks questions over school district subsidies
Be Able Inc. faces questions over staff credentials and funding
Pawnee Mental Health Services asked to differentiate prevention vs. treatment services
Community Support Funds Advisory Board members plan to lobby Manhattan City Commission over stagnant social services budget
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Community Support Funds Advisory Board members expressed concern that the city's annual social services funding pool has remained flat at $557,500 for the past two years, effectively losing about $40,000 in purchasing power due to a regional 3.5 percent inflation rate. Members noted that underfunded social services ultimately increase the public burden on local police, hospitals and schools. Because the city's budget will be finalized on Sept. 15, the Community Support Funds Advisory Board discussed plans to directly contact Manhattan city commissioners and advocate for an increased social services allocation before the final vote.
Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan funding request sparks questions over school district subsidies
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan's application drew scrutiny after Community Support Funds Advisory Board members noted a $165,101 budget excess and a $225,000 line item for membership dues. The board seeks clarification on whether the figures are a typographical error or related to a recent school board intervention. Members noted that the organization's monthly fees recently spiked to $175, but the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education subsidized the cost down to $50 per month with a $924,177 infusion, leaving the board questioning the current state of the agency's budget.
Be Able Inc. faces questions over staff credentials and funding
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Local nonprofit Be Able Inc. will be asked to clarify staff credentials and funding requests during its upcoming interview. The Community Support Funds Advisory Board requested specific information regarding the professional credentials of the organization's addiction case management staff. Additionally, members sought to better understand the organization's staffing model, specifically how its funding requests for new leadership positions align with its current reliance on volunteer services.
Pawnee Mental Health Services asked to differentiate prevention vs. treatment services
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Community Support Funds Advisory Board requested clarification from Pawnee Mental Health Services regarding its Special Alcohol fund application, which requests $94,000 for prevention and $6,000 for treatment. Members noted that much of the programming outlined in the application appeared to resemble treatment rather than prevention. Pawnee will be asked to define how it differentiates the two categories and justify the heavy financial emphasis on prevention.
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