Many nonprofit programs are already shutting down. Workers are leaving for better-paying jobs, and vulnerable people are losing access to the care they rely on. They say a budget that keeps funding at the same level as last year – called "flat funding" – won’t fix these problems.
Gian Carl Casa, President & CEO of the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance, alongside three leaders from several nonprofit organizations, spoke up for their needs.
“We don't even know what the cuts are going to be. But we do know that we have a human toll being taken here in Connecticut. We do know that spending on the people of Connecticut is also spending on the future. And we know that in the eighth year of surplus, one of the wealthiest states in the country has the ability to take on this challenge. And we ask all of our legislators and leaders to pick up that courage and to fight that battle.”
He said that now, in April, the situation is even worse. The economy is shaky, inflation is rising, and there may be cuts to federal social programs, though they don’t yet know the full impact. “What we do know is that the cost of running nonprofits is going up, and more people need help. So keeping funding flat is like cutting it.”
A recent survey of over 100 nonprofit providers showed that two-thirds have long waitlists, 80% can’t find or keep enough staff, 70% are already seeing more people needing services, 60% are operating with budget shortfalls, and over half have seen more violence or dangerous situations involving clients, largely due to lack of resources.
Without more funding, all of these issues will get worse. People still need addiction treatment, housing, and job training – and those needs won’t go away on their own. A flat budget won’t meet the needs of the more than 500,000 Connecticut residents who rely on these services.
“Right now in the state of Connecticut, it costs over $100,000 per person per year to incarcerate. For someone that comes to the welcome centers it's less than $10,000 per person,” said Beth Hines, Executive Director at Community Partners in Action. “If we help just five people a year, that saves the state of Connecticut $500,000.”
Heather Gates, President & CEO of Community Health Resources (CHR), said that mental health and substance use treatment services are also facing large funding challenges.
“It's well documented that the need for mental health and substance use services has increased since 2016. The pandemic exacerbated the crisis of staffing and demand, and I'm asking the state how many people need to die because they cannot get access to needed services before they are willing to act and do what is necessary,” she said.
State Representative Jillian Gilchrest is a Democratic on the Appropriation Committee.
She emphasized that the current budget falls short and fails to fully support the people of Connecticut and pointed out that the state’s nonprofits are under contract to deliver essential human services – serving individuals with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and people dealing with mental health and addiction challenges. The funding being requested, she noted, is not a luxury but a financial obligation the state owes. “It is fiscally irresponsible for Connecticut to continue to blindly pay off seven decades worth of pension debt and save billions of dollars at the expense of our people, not just individuals who need these services, but the folks who work at these programs.”
“Programs are closing. People can't get vital services. Connecticut's taxpayers deserve and want a state that invests in them. And so for the remainder of this legislative session, there are many of us who will be pushing to adjust the state budget to reflect the actual needs we have.” she said. “You can count on us.”
