Non-Profit Assistance Program funds totaling $1.5 million were awarded to nine organizations by the Jamestown Local Development Corp. on Wednesday. Awards over $100,000 now need approval by the Jamestown City Council. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

After months of discussion, the Jamestown Local Development Corp. this week approved $1.5 million in funds to nine local nonprofit organizations. All but two of the awards now need approval by the Jamestown City Council because the amounts are over $100,000.

JLDC members had been considering ways to distribute the Non-Profit Assistance Program funds.

More than $2.75 million in assistance for a variety of projects was requested between nine organizations — the Robert H. Jackson Center, National Comedy Center, The Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Chautauqua Opportunities, St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Jamestown Center City Development Corp., Collaborative Children’s Solutions, the Jamestown Area YMCA and the YWCA of Jamestown.

The Non-Profit Assistance Program has been funded with $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act money.

On Wednesday JLDC members agreed, though not unanimously, to fully fund organizations that had requested less than $200,000 then cap all other requests at $200,000.

As a result, the YMCA, Jamestown Center City Development Corp., St. Luke’s, Robert H. Jackson Center and National Comedy Center were each awarded $200,000.

Further, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute was awarded $79,271; Collaborative Children’s Solutions was awarded $93,621; the YWCA of Jamestown was awarded $145,714; and Chautauqua Opportunities was awarded $181,393.

JLDC member Jeff Russell, also an At-Large member of the City Council, voted against awarding funds to the National Comedy Center and St. Lukes, though both requests received enough support to pass. Russell, who abstained from voting for YWCA funding due to personal reasons, did not comment further on his votes against the two organizations.

The Rev. Luke Fodor abstained from voting for St. Lukes funding while Tony Dolce, also president of the City Council, abstained from voting for YMCA funding.

The City Council’s next voting session is Monday. All awards, with the exceptions of RTPI and Collaborative Children’s Solutions, will need council approval. If a project is rejected, the funds will return to JLDC.

The National Comedy Center applied for $200,000 to help offset revenue losses of $2.3 million in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The Robert H. Jackson Center applied for $350,000 for the renovation of its Cappa Theater.

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute applied for $82,500 toward establishing a development director position.

Chautauqua Opportunities applied for $181,393 as part of a $3.78 million project to develop a 12-unit, 18-bed homeless shelter for single women.

Jamestown Center City Development Corp. — going by the Kids Zone at Northwest Arena — applied for $500,000 for its $4.8 million TheZone project.

St. Lukes applied for $200,000 for ongoing work to restore the facility’s bell tower.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions has requested $96,850 for programs to address childhood trauma, abuse and neglect.

The Jamestown Area YMCA applied for $1 million toward construction of a new facility.

The YWCA of Jamestown applied for $145,714 for a new program geared toward youth ages 14 to 19 “to empower healthy decision making and develop leadership skills and community advocacy.”