Two Greenbelt City Council worksessions with city Recognition Groups took place on Wednesday, May 14 and Monday, May 19. Representatives of a total of 18 (nine per session) groups attended in order to discuss their group’s request for in-kind or financial support for fiscal year 2026 (FY 2026) with council, City Manager Josué Salmerón and City Treasurer Bertha Gaymon. City Recreation Director Greg Varda, at the May 14 session, and Arts Supervisor Nicole DeWald, at the May 19 session, also participated as the Recreation Department is responsible for administration of the community groups᾽ requests for support, which involves an evaluation committee and grant review panel. Requests for funding this year exceeded $150,000.
Recognition Groups are, according to city policy, organizations that “enhance the range of cultural, athletic, recreational, civic, service and social opportunities available to Greenbelt residents.” They must be not-for-profit and may not be a religious or political organization.
During the worksessions, the groups were frequently praised by council for their significant contributions to the life of the city. While this budget year is “difficult,” as Mayor Emmett Jordan noted, both he and the Recreation Department representatives stressed that the work done by the many volunteers of the recognition groups has saved the city “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Basic Recognition Group Certification allows a group limited free use of Recreation Department facilities. Certification must be renewed annually. Once certified, eligible Recognition Groups may apply for a specific project grant or for an operating grant. Up to $5,000 in city matching funds may be granted for a discrete, time-limited project, or higher amounts of city matching funds may be applied to programming or operational expenses. There are additional requirements for each type of grant. All grant applications are reviewed by a Grant Review Panel that provides the city manager and council their findings and recommendations concerning eligibility or funding level.
The purposes of the worksessions were to provide council with the findings of the panel and to allow for council discussion of the groups’ requests and plans for the year. In the discussions, council questioned many groups about their efforts to reach and recruit in all parts of the city.
Renewing Certification
The Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society (CHEARS) request was presented by Carolyn Lambright-Davis, the group’s convener. She explained the group’s request for in-kind services as it plans to continue its work on the Great Food Transition Project through demonstrations of meals that promote health and climate justice. After a short discussion of the group’s plans for the year, Jordan called CHEARS “resourceful.”
Greenbelt Concert Band requested in-kind services such as storage and performance spaces. Greenbelt Black History and Culture Committee requested access to meeting rooms and use of sound equipment for its programs; Greenbelt Labor Day Festival Committee requested the use of city facilities and Public Works support for the annual festival; and the Greenbelt Farmers Market requested city support for the set-up of the market and use of city electricity. All groups were deemed eligible for certification by the Recreation Department.
Project Grants
The Greenbelt Business Alliance, represented by Mona Reza, noted the success of the awards dinner and gala in FY 2025 and requested a grant to hold another. Council discussed with Reza the group’s plans for nurturing business opportunities in Greenbelt. Greenbelt Access Television, Inc. (GATe) proposed to increase educational opportunities in Greenbelt, particularly at Springhill Lake Elementary School. Frank Gervasi and other representatives explained how the project grant will allow the group to partner with the county school system and a tutoring company to provide literacy services at Springhill Lake Elementary. Julie Winters, speaking for the Friends of the New Deal Café Arts, requested funding for the group’s support for free music festivals to be held in Roosevelt Center. All groups were deemed eligible for a project grant by the Recreation Department.
Operating Grants
Five groups involved with youth sports requested operating grants: Babe Ruth Baseball; Greenbelt Municipal Swim Team; Greenbelt Soccer Alliance, Inc.; Greenbelt Youth Baseball Little League; and Boys and Girls Club. Council was particularly interested in how the swim team was coping with the inconvenience caused by the closure of the indoor pool, and whether the soccer organization had received enough donations to replace the equipment that had been stolen in October 2024 (see the November 7, 2024, News Review).
Greenbelt Community Orchestra, The SPACE Free Art for All, Greenbelt Makerspace Cooperative and the Greenbelt Arts Center also presented their plans for the use of funds they might receive in an operating grant.
The operating fund request by Greenbelt Refugee Aid Committee (GRACE), represented in the worksession by Frank Gervasi, president, and Joyce Campbell, secretary, received several questions from council concerning their plans for FY 2026. Noting the current inability to bring refugees to the U.S., GRACE plans to provide direct aid to people in conflict areas. Councilmembers stated their desire that funds remain in Greenbelt, and Varda reported that their request for an operating grant had already been reduced.
The city manager’s memorandum states that the proposed FY 2026 budget for Recognition Group grants is $120,400 and that grant requests total $153,375. It notes that “as always, decisions rest with the city council.”
