After much public fervor, the Vancouver City Council agreed Monday to recommend funding Columbia Springs, the Watershed Alliance and two positions at the Children’s Justice Center for another year. However, councilors said the organizations will need to find alternative funding in the future. Initial plans to cut funding to the programs were part of efforts to close a $43 million budget deficit. The council recommended Columbia Springs, an environmental education nonprofit, receive $30,000 in 2025 after the organization feared a $50,000 cut in annual funding. The city will not renew the $30,000 for 2026, councilors decided. Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington, another environmental nonprofit, was supposed to lose all city funding, according to the recommended budget released a month ago. Now, the alliance may receive $100,000 — still $50,000 less than its previous annual contract.

Public Works Director Steve Worley said the city originally contracted with the Watershed Alliance for restoration work along Burnt Bridge Creek. However, Public Works may be able to create a new contract for work within the watershed. The new recommendations followed city council meetings attended by dozens of people who spoke in support of the two environmental nonprofits. “We talk about a lot of things up here on the dais. But really, when it comes right down to it, the only way we translate our values into action is through our budget. This is where we talk about where our priorities are,” Councilor Erik Paulsen said. Children’s Justice Center The council also recommended funding two positions — a victim advocate and forensic investigator — at the Children’s Justice Center, a social service agency that helps children and families through child abuse cases. However, the city will only commit to funding those positions in 2025 at $283,000.

The Children’s Justice Center will need to find other funding for those positions in 2026 and beyond. The city was already planning to commit about $800,000 in 2025 to the center, which receives funding from both Vancouver and Clark County. Councilor Sarah Fox said she met with staff from the center and explained the city’s hope that the Children’s Justice Center can find alternative funding in 2026. The center had requested $85,000 for that year. No other cities in Clark County fund the Children’s Justice Center, despite sending cases from their jurisdictions. Battle Ground, Camas, Ridgefield and Washougal sent a combined 134 cases to the Children’s Justice Center in 2023.

Paulsen said he’s supportive of funding the two positions, but other cities in the county need to step up and fund the shared organization. “We can’t have this same conversation a year from now. There are structural issues that must be resolved. Other partners need to bring themselves into the conversation,” he said. “I would hope that they would share our values and see the benefit of making this investment for the safety of our children.”

This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.