After another delay, Las Cruces non-profits must wait months for federal Covid-19 grant money

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - From art aficionados to filmmakers to woodworkers, you can find just about any type of creator at Cruces Creatives.

"It'd be hard to do this in my backyard!" said Hal Ruzal as he tinkered with a tandem bicycle. "We're almost ready for a test ride."

Like other non-profits in the city, the co-founders of Cruces Creatives must wait until the new year to learn if they are eligible for a Covid-19 grant, made available to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

“It is a tough time for non-profits, especially ones like ours that are based on engagement with the community and a lot of in-person work," said Patrick DeSimio, who co-founded the non-profit with Lea Wise-Surguy. "We’re training heavy. We’re class heavy.”

The city of Las Cruces received almost $24.8 million dollars in ARPA money, according to the city. Of that money, $10.4 million is intended to for community and economic development initiatives. The city invited non-profits to apply for funding.

Earlier this month, city councilors voted to table discussions on approval of the funding after an internal auditor found a lack of transparency and consistency in the grant approval process.

On Monday, lawmakers once again voted to table discussions until February 22, 2022 while the city waits on the auditor's report.

"We heard enough that there were concerns about the possibility of not following a process from start to finish," said Councilwoman Kasandra Gandara, who represents district one.

"Even though we do have a couple of years to allocate these funds, our community is struggling," said Councilwoman Johana Bencomo, who represents district four. "There are a lot of vulnerable folks in our community who could really benefit from the projects."

DeSimio's advice to lawmakers? "Don't let haste make waste."

“There really is a lot of need in our community and acting quickly is important too," DeSimio said.