Post updated at 9:07 p.m. Tuesday, April 1:
The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, facing a budget shortfall that could rise to more than $1 million, has eliminated several positions, the organization announced Monday.
All current programs and services will continue as normal, however.
BGCLK provides programming for students before and after school in 12 locations, serving more than 1,300 youth each year, and it has relied on government funding to sustain its programming, according to their news release.
“This funding has allowed BGCLK to offer an inclusive program that all families can access, regardless of income level,” according to the release. “However, in 2023, the grant funding landscape began to shift, and continues to change.”
The organization is facing a budget shortfall of $650,000 this year, but further funding cuts could quickly bring that total to more than $1 million, according to the release. They had previously been able to avoid staff reductions by spending down reserve funds.
On Friday, “the Club began notifying employees affected by a necessary reduction in force, resulting in the elimination of seven positions and impacting more than 20 staff members,” according to the release.
Government funding is responsible for 63% of BGCLK’s revenue, and “more cuts are anticipated in the foreseeable future,” according to the release.
“In order to protect the long-term health of the Club, we are faced with making difficult decisions that affect people we value and care about,” CEO Laci Maltbie said in the release. “The children, families, and employees who are part of the BGCLK family are our priority and our commitment to them is unwavering.”
BGCLK board Treasurer Ryan Edwards said in the release that “While today’s actions do not completely resolve the Club’s operating deficit, they provide much-needed time to rally the community support that will be necessary to fully restore the Club’s long-term sustainability.”
In response to a follow-up question regarding upcoming fundraisers so the community can help, Maltbie said that “BGCLK continues to pursue additional sponsorship opportunities for key fundraising initiatives, including the Clubs’ summer and mental health programs and two youth events – Lights On! and Youth of the Year. Supporters are welcome to contact Chris Gomez, BGCLK’s Director of Development for more information at cgomez@bgclk.org. Our commitment to our Club members, their families, our dedicated staff, and the communities we serve is unwavering.”
She did not respond to a question seeking to clarify whether the government funding referenced was state or federal funding, or both.
Find more information about the club on its website, bgclk.org.
If our local journalism matters to you, please help us keep doing this work.
Don’t miss a beat … Click here to sign up for our email newsletters
Click here to learn more about our newsletters first
This post is by the Lawrence Times news team.
If you have news tips, questions, comments, concerns, compliments or corrections for our team, please reach out and let us know what’s on your mind. Email us at Hello@LawrenceKSTimes.com (don’t forget the KS!), or find more contact info and a quick contact form at LawrenceKSTimes.com/contact.
Follow us so you won’t miss the local news that matters most to you:
More coverage:
August Rudisell/Lawrence TimesBoys & Girls Club of Lawrence cuts some employees, facing potential $1M shortfall
Latest Lawrence news:
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
