Latest news with #MarvinLim
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gwinnett nonprofit loses federal grant aimed at preventing hate crimes
A Gwinnett County nonprofit focused on reducing hate crimes and building trust in diverse communities is now without federal funding after the U.S. Department of Justice canceled nearly 400 grants nationwide. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Lucky Shoals Community Association, led by State Rep. Marvin Lim (D-Norcross), had planned to use its $400,000 grant for school trainings and outreach programs in Latino and other diverse communities to help prevent crime through early intervention and neighborhood engagement. 'I think it's a huge setback for the community,' Lim said. In an April 22 email to Lim, the DOJ said the canceled grants 'no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities,' and funding will instead be redirected to law enforcement operations and efforts targeting violent crime. 'This grant would have helped us not only address hate crimes for certain populations, but also would have helped us build trust among neighborhoods,' Lim said. TRENDING STORIES: STORY 1 STORY 2 STORY 3 Gwinnett County Republican Party Chairman Justice Nwaigwe supports the DOJ's decision and said it shows fiscal responsibility. 'Debt is going up significantly,' he said. 'Something major has to be done to turn it around, and I think this is the right direction.' Nwaigwe believes the DOJ may be better equipped to manage its own spending. 'I think a lot of these nongovernmental organizations don't have a lot of audit as far as how they spend the money it's allocated towards them, and there's no real audit done on seeing where the funding truly goes,' he said. Lim said he was prepared for annual audits, had the funds not been terminated. His nonprofit is appealing the decision but is already scaling back programs. 'I hope for more transparency moving forward as we continue on these goals of making government more efficient,' he said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Drop in federal dollars could reduce funding for Gwinnett school support programs
Shrinking federal education dollars could cost Gwinnett County Public Schools millions in support for students most in need, according to the district's proposed FY2026 budget. Title I funding, which supports high-poverty schools and low performing students, is projected to fall by around $19 million. Programs for students learning English could lose nearly $5 million, two of some of the biggest potential decreases within the district's Special Revenue Fund, which mostly manages federal grant money. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'These aren't just wish list programs,' State Rep. Marvin Lim (D-Norcross) told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson. 'These are very important programs for all of our particularly underserved communities.' Lim and other advocates warn that a drop in funding could directly affect resources like teachers and curriculum designed to help immigrant and English-learning students stay on track. 'Sometimes they don't feel like they're part of the bigger school community,' said Santiago Marquez, CEO of the Latin American Association. 'That leads to more, you know, an increase in them dropping out.' TRENDING STORIES: 'On our doorstep:' Coweta County passes 180-day moratorium on data center proposals after 2 approved GA man sues NFL over Shedeur Sanders' drop to 5th round in NFL Draft Beloved Hall County teacher, coach dies after motorcycle crash on his way to school But Georgia House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration (R-Mulberry) said changes are necessary as the federal government faces long-term fiscal challenges. 'The federal government has an out of control spending problem,' Efstration said. 'There's $36.8 trillion in debt with no plan to fix it.' Gwinnett's proposed 2026 budget shows a $28.5 million drop in the Special Revenue Fund, also because pandemic relief money is gone and other federal funding is shrinking too. At a recent town hall, Gwinnett County Interim Superintendent Dr. Al Taylor downplayed the impact of federal funding uncertainty, noting it accounts for just 6% of the district's nearly $3 billion budget. 'Some of the executive orders might actually change some of our practices and functions,' Taylor said. 'Funding is not an area that we're concerned with.' Neither the proposed White House budget nor the district's plan is final, but Lim says the risk to vulnerable students is real. 'I'm certainly advocating for Gwinnett County Public Schools to make up that amount,' he said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
