By KALIN KROHE
Panhandle Post
Keep Alliance Beautiful (KAB) was recently declined for funding by the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET). This funding, which KAB had been receiving on an annual basis for over a decade, has been used to help keep the organization operational.
KAB was expecting $95,342 in funding from NET this year.
KAB was founded in 1982. The organization's goal is to encourage people to "reduce, reuse, and recycle every day to improve and beautify their community environment."
"The past 10 years we received complete full funding for what we asked for," KAB Executive Director Kathy Worley said during an interview on KCOW Radio. "We have our narrative down, we tweak it every year for the different projects that we're doing, and that sort of thing and the amount of money that we're asking for. But really, it's been the same thing. The differences are, the director of NET is is no longer there. They have a new director appointed; they have five new board members on their board. And so that is something that is significantly different for us. And not only did they not fund Keep Alliance Beautiful, there were several that didn't get funding either. They left $7 to $10 million on the table that they want to roll over for next year...with no answering of, what do you intend to do with that $10 million? "
Worley traveled to Lincoln to attend the NET public hearing and asked them why KAB failed in their application process.
"You do count on that money, our resources are limited, you know, in what we can qualify for," Worley said. "NET has always been a great fit for us and they've just championed everything we do. They've come out here to visit our recycling center, they've come to our office, they've come to our important meetings, someone is always represented and like I said, we've been absolutely championed by NET in the past for what we're doing out here."
The question remains: How will KAB move forward without this funding?
"We're looking into other grant opportunities and fundraising ideas, Worley said. "We have deadline dates to meet. We have to then, therefore wait. We're trying to leave no stone unturned right now. We applied for this grant [NET] in November, I believe, of last year...to find out, right now, that we're not going to be getting it. We were hopeful. And I went again, as I said to the to NET's hearing to be heard, but I was not heard. I really was the only one who came and showed up to speak on behalf of those who didn't get funded. I think that people are afraid of hurting their chances for being funded in the future. They [NET] don't even do you the courtesy of looking at you, they're really skilled at looking off and not at you, and not answering any questions. It was not a pleasant experience, but I don't regret that I went."
Worley said KAB will also be asking the community for monetary donations.
"We're going to start a GoFundMe page and a GiveSendGo page," Worley said. "Those are both reputable sites. And we want to be accountable for all the dollars that are given to us, as we have been with the trust."
Worley said the recycling operation in Alliance is small, but they reach many people throughout the Panhandle and beyond.
KAB employees 11 people.
"We have people coming from Grant County, Sioux County and Dawes County," Worley said. "We had somebody come from Colorado with recycling. We're reaching a lot of people. A lot of people from those areas are bringing their recycling to Alliance."
Worley said KAB will keep providing services and keep moving forward.
"We're just in a period of being uncomfortable, so we will find solutions," Worley said. "It's our every intent to keep services going as they are and improve them."