Until two years ago, the Guilford County budget process – when it came to funding non-profits – went like this: The county manager, along with a staff committee, would review applications from non-profits and community-based organizations, such as festivals, arts organizations, museums and a host of others seeking county funding.
The county manager would then make recommendations, and the county commissioners would hold public work sessions to decide which groups would get taxpayer money and which ones wouldn’t.
A lot of county taxpayers don’t like seeing county government use their money for those purposes – especially in a tough economy like this one and at a time when both the City of Greensboro and Guilford County have imposed giant property tax hikes.
However, at least before 2024, the process was conducted out in the open. The decisions about which organizations would receive funding were often controversial because, in many cases, commissioners had clear ties to non-profits that ultimately received county money.
In the past, organizations with direct or indirect ties to commissioners have often been referred to by the media as “pet projects.”
Two years ago, however, for the first time, there were no recommendations. Instead, the board conducted the entire process in secret and, when the Board of Commissioners adopted its fiscal 2024-2025 budget, the list of taxpayer-funded non-profits was unveiled with no clue as to what, if any, thinking had gone into the process.
At the time, the Rhino Times referred to it as “like Moses coming down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments.”
This year, once again, like last year and the year before, the recommended budget contains no list of non-profits. It just sets aside nearly 1.8 million dollars to fund them.
Years ago, around the beginning of this century, the county manager recommended funding for non-profits based on specific ways those organizations met particular county needs or provided services that complemented county government. For instance, a non-profit working to reduce drug use might coordinate with the county’s health department, which was still a stand-alone department back then before it was joined with Human Services.
In recent years, however, it looks like there’s no rhyme or reason to how the money is doled out.
Instead of the detailed spreadsheet that had long been included in county managers’ recommended budgets listing organizations and the amounts they were recommended to receive, new County Manager Victor Isler’s recommended budget once again makes no recommendations at all.
One only has to look at the hodgepodge list of non-profit winners each year to know there’s no way it could have been assembled through some carefully reasoned process based on county priorities.
Many times this century, commissioners have instructed county staff to develop a rational, fair policy for funding non-profits. The Rhino Times has watched this same cycle repeat over and over again: The commissioners direct the county manager, budget director or another staff team to spend months creating thoughtful criteria for distributing taxpayer money.
A couple of years ago, when the county instructed then-Budget Director Toy Beeninga, now an deputy county manager, to develop a policy, the Rhino Times warned him not to put too much work into it because it would simply be thrown out the window at budget time.
Beeninga and his budget team worked hard and came up with an excellent policy. The Board of Commissioners adopted it unanimously in the spring.
Then June arrived.
The commissioners promptly tore the policy to shreds and gave money to whoever they wanted.
Every time they’ve gone through this exercise this century – at least a half-dozen times now – the board has ultimately thrown its shiny new policy out the window once budget season arrives.
Thankfully for county staff, the commissioners now seem to have realized they aren’t going to follow any policy they adopt, so they’ve stopped asking staff to spend months creating one.
Last year, Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston summed it up perfectly when he told the Rhino Times, “The policy is this: Whatever non-profits five commissioners say get money, do get money.”
In some cases, you can even tell almost instantly which commissioner wanted which organization funded because, every year when the list is adopted, multiple commissioners have to abstain from voting on funding for specific organizations due to conflicts of interest.
Some of the groups seeking funding do good work. Others, not so much. And with still others, it’s not entirely clear what they do.
But every year there’s absolutely no rhyme or reason as to which groups receive taxpayer money and which don’t – other than the fact that certain county commissioners have ties to some of them.
Alston has often used the funding process to help secure votes for the county budget from fellow commissioners, which is one reason you often see a wide assortment of organizations that few people have ever heard of receive taxpayer money.
The Rhino Times has repeatedly watched commissioners vote for budgets that include organizations that some commissioners literally know nothing about. Those groups receive thousands upon thousands of taxpayer dollars simply because another commissioner added them – whether they met any established county guidelines or not.
One especially notable non-profit did make it into the county’s just-adopted fiscal 2026-2027 budget: the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, which received $200,000. The museum was co-founded by, and has long been largely run by Alston, the chairman of the board.
Now it’s anybody’s guess which organizations will receive money this year, but it’s an easy guess that many will have close ties to commissioners, have commissioners serving on their boards of directors or simply have influential supporters with the right connections.
Regardless, to give you an idea of what’s likely coming to a commissioners meeting near you this summer this summer, here’s the list of organizations the board approved for funding last year a couple of months after adopting that budget…
A Simple Gesture – Greensboro — $15,000
A Special Blend — $7,500
Aaron T. Jones Jet-Black Empowerment Foundation — $45,000
Action Greensboro — $25,000
African American Atelier — $50,000
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Kappa Lambda) — $5,000
B Natural Academy of Music and the Arts — $5,000
BackPack Beginnings — $15,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont — $15,000
Black Child Development Institute of Greensboro — $10,000
Cambodian Association of NC — $4,000
Casa Azul — $10,000
Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina — $25,000
Combat Female Veterans Families United — $45,000
Commander Peace Academy — $20,000
Divine Healing and Restoration Ministries — $7,500
Drawers of Hope Resource Center — $15,000
D-Up Inc. — $15,000
Establishing Safe Cultures — $20,000
Family Room Foster Care Resource Center — $10,000
FASK — $20,000
Friends of John Coltrane — $25,000
Glenwood Together — $10,000
Greensboro ArtsHub — $3,000
Greensboro Business League — $45,000
Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Association — $3,000
Greensboro Housing Coalition — $10,000
Greensboro Parks Foundation — $5,000
Greensboro Sports Foundation — $25,000
Greensboro Urban Ministry — $40,000
Hayes-Taylor YMCA — $40,000
Heroes Center — $10,000
High Point Arts Council — $50,000
High Point Discovered — $10,000
High Point Schools Partnership — $5,000
Historic Jamestown Society — $15,000
HP Housing Authority — $15,000
I Am A Queen — $10,000
Jalloh’s Upright Services — $10,000
Junior Achievement of the Triad — $20,000
Kids Poetry Basketball — $10,000
Malachi House II — $35,000
Mega Mission Ministries — $20,000
Neighborhood Markets — $10,000
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church — $10,000
Next Level of the Triad — $45,000
North Carolina Folk Festival — $25,000
Out of the Garden Project — $20,000
Peacehaven Farm — $5,500
Piedmont Triad Film Commission — $15,000
Providence Educational and Community Services — $10,000
Puzzle Play — $40,000
Senior Resources of Guilford — $25,000
Southwest Renewal Foundation of High Point — $75,000
TCC Community Health Foundation — $15,000
The Arc of High Point — $7,500
The Black Suit Initiative — $25,000
The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro — $25,000
The Mind Group — $10,000
The Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship — $20,000
The Oaks Therapeutic Community — $12,000
The Sister Circle International — $45,000
The Success Hope Center — $25,000
Triad Black Faith Leaders & Black Farmers Network — $40,000
Triad Food Pantry — $50,000
Triad Health Project — $40,000
TSCF Food Network — $15,000
Turning Everything Around — $35,000
United Arts Council of Greensboro — $75,000
United Way of Greater Greensboro — $10,000
United Way of Greater High Point — $10,000
Urban Roots NC — $12,500
W.D. Mohammed Islamic Center — $7,500
Welfare Reform Liaison Project — $25,000
West End Ministries / Leslie’s House — $10,000
Women’s Foundation of North Carolina — $10,000
Yalik’s African American Art & Cultural Movement — $20,000
YMCA of High Point – Chavis Branch — $40,000
YWCA of High Point — $15,000
Youth Behavior Helper — $20,000
Youth Focus — $25,000
YWCA of Greensboro — $15,000
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Wow.
The Jet Black Empowerment Foundation was given nearly as much taxpayer money as the African American Atelier, which has no discernible purpose other than to gratify the ego of Alma Adams ($45.000 and $50.000 respectively).
And don’t even ask about “I am a Queen”….. ($10,000).
No wonder they’ve made their largesse opaque. In the Third world we call this what it is : corruption.
Shouldn’t this be illegal in some way. Maybe it’s time to investigate. I’d like to see the purpose, objectives and goals or all of these and where their outreach and focus is
I believe it would violate an oath of ethics.
Brad you have to have ethics in order to violate them
I have “A Simple Gesture” for this process along with the latest property tax increases.
locals live in a third world now.
There is rhyme & reason- liberal darlings & kickbacks for votes. That’s who gets the money.
There are a few recognizable names that actually do good deeds. At the same time, how many of my tax dollars end up doing the deeds for the end users, maybe one in ten? Consider that question rhetorical.
Wow! There are many “black” associated non-profits on the list. Such as: ‘Aaron T. Jones Jet-Black Empowerment Foundation — $45,000’ This “black empowerment” group doesn’t sound like it would benefit any “white” person or any other “race” except blacks. Then there is: ‘African American Atelier — $50,000’–I don’t think this helps “whites” or any other race. Or, ‘The Black Suit Initiative — $25,000″ So, far, $120k going to “black groups”, not including the $200k to the so called “International Civil Rights Center & Museum” in which Skip Alston benefits from! What about “white lives and “white groups?” Are they not important too? I didn’t check all the non-profits, but some of them sound rather suspicious such as: ‘Puzzle Play — $40,000’ or ‘I Am A Queen — $10,000’, another non profit which benefits only blacks. This board seems to be color blinded and very prejudicial AKA, racist toward whites and other races. The black demographic may not see it that way, but if you take a look at the non-profits which this board approved last year and the percentage of money which went toward the “black community”, you will notice the percentage to be much higher than those of other class demographics. Sorry, but the truth sometimes hurts. The tax payer, who may I remind the commissioners, PAY the bills! We have EVERY RIGHT to KNOW where OUR hard earned money is going! I honestly believe the “concerned TAX PAYER” in Guilford county, you know the individuals that ‘actually’ pay taxes, should request the state to come in and audit Guilford counties accounting books and where our money is going! This “hide and seek” tactic which “Skip” is the captain just smells of corruption. If this is the case, then the tax payer has a right to know about it and actions should be taken against the individuals benefiting from these tactics. As we are consistently told, race should NEVER be considered! You should practice what you preach.
Your only choice is to vote them out.
Just make me King of Guilford County.
u can’t because the next ‘slate’ put forward is financed by carefully concealed ‘donors’ (employers)
Lorie, just be thankful that The Sister Circle International ONLY received $45,000 instead of the $70,000 the year before! Then there’s the Southwest Renewal Foundation of High Point –while not necessarily black related–it appears to be a bunch of white liberals–you know the kind, smug ‘do gooders’ happily using YOUR tax dollars, and even though their website reports a $19.8 million grant from the state DOT, they’re still being awarded $75,000! Gotta wonder which Commissioner{s} are kissing-up to them and, most importantly, why? Can we say ‘Kickbacks’? Shhh…surely not, right?
It is Puzzle Play Farm. It is connected with A&T. I am Queen. What females strut and wrongly believe they are queens; Alana V. Allen is Executive Director. Allen is the founder and Nonprofit and Grant Consultant of Alana Knows Nonprofits Consulting, LLC. Allen is imbedded in nonprofits.
Don’t forget B Natural, Black Child Development, and the one that is a slap your knee funny, Alpha Phi Fraternity, a fraternity that is filled with primarily old Black men. The Black suit society is for young Black men.
I am opposed to any nonprofit, non-profit and any similar spelling of the name that rips off taxpayers. Blacks, including Skippy is not ashamed because at some point in history some Black person was a slave and they are now entitled.
Then there is Action Greensboro. This is an organization comprised of eight local charitable foundations. These nonprofits ply organizations for donations. In essence, they are double dipping, taking money as Action Greensboro and the Cemala Foundation.
Blacks and White liberals will not stop this practice of grabbing money wherever they can.
The taxpayers who are not involved with nonprofits are far greater in number. Email your Senator and House member in Raleigh about what Alston and the Commissioners are doing. Advise that the “nonprofits” chosen are not helping the community at large but are chosen selectively and represent only specific groups. Make noise until they get the message. Giving taxpayer money in a manner that is arbitrary and capricious to groups that the taxpayers did not agree to or vote on is contrary to legal authority.
When are the people going to wake up and get rid of Skip and his crony liberals? If it’s African American, Liberal they are for it and us that pay county tax just sti back and let it happen. Wake up Guilford County tax payers and flush these idiots…………
All the local pols have their hands in the till.
The government, especially during a time when we are all tightening our belts, should never be involved in charity work. But we have idiots in charge elected by idiots, so I’m just talking into the wind. Nothing is going to change.
Time for tar & feathers.
Ropes with knots.
i am motivated by this to request $ from COG for The Ancient Order of Hibernians to facilitate keeping ‘them’ ‘drunk’ & incapacitated
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But…. But….. You are discriminating against the Cambrian Brythonic Celts!
How dare you, Markle.
I deserve reparations.
Cheers!
Hic! Hic!
This is sad that we have no say in what non-profits (supposedly) are funded! It is the same in the local and country bid process for contracts as well. I have worked to get good candidates to run for our county offices, but they all agreed they need lots of funding to do so, and for people to show up and vote. This is a party that is funded with out-of-state, and probably out-of-the-country money. Praying for a way we can get the right people in charge of our hard-earned tax money! Can’t wait to see how our property taxes play out next year!
Way to really support those who help the homeless…..they fall way behind groups we’ve never heard of. And can all neighborhoods get $20,000? Nothing on the west side. East side sure gets a lot and without sounding bad, it seems there is a “trend” of who gets the money. Get rid of this. This is every year and new ones come up every year. Buying votes and getting benefits. This should be illegal. And Skip just smiles.
Skip is and always has been a racist. He doesn’t like White people. It’s not this budget year or last year. This list has been this way for at least 3 plus years
It’s vote buying and skips personal way for reparations. There are several of us on this forum who have talked about the black npo’s who most people have never heard of getting TAXPAYER dollars Voter apathy and ignorance especially with Republican voters are the reason we are even having this discussion
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I think you’re right, Reb. I make my living by observing people and I’ve noticed a lot about Melvin “Mugabe” Alston.
He’s never seen in public without wearing black.
His previous Corvette was “Triple Black” – black paint, black wheels, black interior.
Guess what color his new Corvette is.
In my 30+ years meeting thousands of people door-to-door, I’ve become wary of houses that possess only black cars. It invariably indicates that they have an inordinate identification with their race, and will be hostile to a white boy knocking in their door. Sorry, it’s just the truth.
By the way, the rest of the black homes are generally as open minded and receptive as the white homes, or anyone else. It’s the blacks whose race is so central to their identity that are toxic.
I would avoid Skip’s house if I were in his neighborhood. I know exactly what response I would get.
Been there, done that. Over and over again. That’s how I finally wised up.
Austin, Skip has 5-6 vehicles in his walled compound and I’ll bet you will never guess what color they are.
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Really?
Is every single one black??? If so, that tells me a lot about this man. He is so wrapped up in his race that he cannot bring himself even to buy a vehicle that’s not black.
For Melvin “Mugabe” Alston, everything – but everything – is about race.
I count at least 24 private groups that are predominantly or completely African American…where are the others…most of the rest are civic and associations you are supposed to support….sports commission, etc.
Stay on this RINO……all the signs of corruption,corruption, corruption. This is why you have to watch where your tax dollars go.
Non profits are organization established by people who want to start projects to help the community. I believe the city or county might give a new non profit a helping had for a couple of years. The organizers should spend their time fund raising if they want the organization to continue. The government agencies should not fund these groups continuely. The organization may have agendas that are not in the general public interest. Let’s see the city and county develop guidelines that forces the funding of non profits to become independent of local government after initial startup.
Not all nonprofits are started to help the community. The list includes mostly nonprofits that help one small group, as intended when established.
The list you provided is wonderful to see. Now we know better who is taking the taxpayers for granted and making us bend over again. Thanks for your research and publishing this list. Without it we would have never know who is taking advantage of us. The sad part, is under the current leadership it will continue.
I would like to know what these organizations actually do? What benefit do all the taxpayers get form these?
What for instance is the purpose of “I am a Queen”?
It is meant for a young Black girl to like herself, believe she is a queen.
KMac, just Google each one and tell us what you find.
Rather than pick these out, this is one I don’t like: United Way. If I want to give money to an inefficient public charity, I will make the decision, not our Socialist bureaucrats, autocrats, whatever, downtown.
I have relatives and friends in Greensboro, and I have heard from them. I was fortunate to get out of Blacksboro last year.
Our county and city governments should not be in the business of handing out our tax money to nonprofits of any sort. This all seems very racist to me. As someone said before me,color should not even matter but it would certainly seem like it does here in Guildford county. It sure seems like only one race dominates the give aways here of our money. What about other races like Asian, Spanish, and whites. ‘‘This whole mess seems very dirty to me. I to believe an audit is appropriate.
You might notice the NPO “Turning Everything Around” got $35,000. T.E.A.’s stated mission is “to provide strategic support and connections to resources that help clients achieve personal and professional goals, focusing on emotional, financial, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.” T.E,A. is dedicated to helping individuals and families move from barely surviving to actually thriving through strategic support, resources, and community engagement. The contribution from Guilford County represents about one-third of the NPO’s published budget, but the most interesting part is the Executive Director is Lisa McMillan, who is seeking the District 7 seat on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. After a recount was completed in the March 3, 2026 primary election, McMillan was certified as the winner of the Democratic primary by a small margin and she advanced to the November 3, 2026 general election for the District 7 seat on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. Speaking about her platform, she stated “it’s all about helping people access resources.” The question is, if elected, will McMillan continue to help herself to access resources?
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Good info. Thanks.
You’d make a good investigative journalist, Casey. We could use one.
Can you say vote buying? Can you say waste and corruption? If all these named and unknown ” non profits” can’t raise needed funds to operate, they probably are doing little or nothing positive for the citizens. It certainly appears fraud is rampant but some nice pay checks are going to someone on the dole at taxpayer expense.
Where and when are state auditors coming in to prosecute all the fraud and waste in Guilford County and Greensboro City governments?
When are the citizens going to wake up and vote the current financial rapists out of office?
Looks like a lot of “reparations” going on in the non profits.
Since Skip and the rest of the county commissioners like to hand out money why don’t they look at the racial percentages of who pays property tax and allot according. When you can’t tell from the name of the organization or the website WTH they do the grift is on. Non profits also need to present audits to see how much they spend on the charity and “administrative” costs. How much is salary to the leadership.
Concur about United Way.
Along with the Black-centric nonprofits on the list, there is Action Greensboro. This is an organization comprised of eight local charitable foundations. These nonprofits ply organizations for donations. In essence, they are double dipping, taking money as Action Greensboro and the Cemala Foundation.
The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
Plato
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Spot on.
Government and its administration attracts he kind of person who wants to control others. Normal, well adjusted people just want to live and let live, and so have no interest in government. It’s only the sociopaths and control freaks who crave the power of the state (and the good guys who feel compelled to oppose them).
Here is the “Tipline” website to report fraud and abuse to the NC State Auditor. It is an online form and they will keep your information anonymous. I have already completed and submitted a form expressing my concern about the fraud, abuse and the apparent racist managing of our tax money by this board. I would encourage ALL of you who are also concerned and would like to have the state come in and audit and investigate where all of our money is going. The more information the state receives on this matter, they more likely the “powers to be” will take is seriously. We all have to be one voice. Let it be heard!
https://www.auditor.nc.gov/tipline
Could accountability be the biggest fear of the corrupt and/or irresponsible leaders’ gifts and their recipients of these taxpayer funds? This might explain why there are so many grants for $50,000 or less? It is my understanding that NC State Law requires any organization receiving over $50,000 to account for the distribution of those funds? “Oh what a tangled web one weaves, that chooses to deceive”
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Ahh… thanks Jim.
It explains why Alma Adams’s vanity project got exactly $50,000 – and not a penny more.