Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s review of Neighborhood Development Fund grants is complete and seven organizations have been called out for not being able to document how they spent taxpayer dollars. Fischer made a point to review nearly 200 local organizations last year after it was determined the city was not keeping track of how they were spending the NDF grants. Those organizations stand to loose any future grants including any written into the 2012 fiscal year budget.
“These organizations may quickly come into compliance by either providing receipts or reimbursing government for the dollars which they could not document," said Fischer in a press release.The LIFE Institute, which helps troubled youth, is on the delinquent list, but CEO Eddie Woods said the organization was approached by then-councilwoman Judy Green who then used it to run her own program.Woods said Green never provided the necessary paperwork to document how she was spending the grant funding.“By virtue of being the physical agent, everything came back on us," he said.Woods said that’s the only time in the LIFE Institute’s 25-year history they’ve used city funds and he said he believes he's been excused by the city for the amount owed.Other organizations include Derby City Baseball, First Congregational Methodist Church, Family Healing Inc., New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, Women of Vision and Purpose, and 100 Black Men of Louisville.The grant reviews include those provided in fiscal years 2010 and 2011. City officials say a review of 2012 fiscal year grants will begin soon.From the same release:
Agencies which receive Neighborhood Development Grants must report their spending every quarter in order to receive their quarterly checks. The city is implementing a training class to help non-profits better report their spending to the city. “Providing evidence of how the grant was spent is simply good business practice,” said Steve Rowland, director of the Office of Management and Budget.
