Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois has been more than a little concerned about either “DOGE” cuts or the One Big Beautiful Bill cutting a potentially large chunk of what they say is 85 percent of their budget…the part that comes from state and federal sources.

But, CEO Tiffany Mathis Posey tells the WTAX Morning Newswatch maybe things won’t be that bad after all.

“We have another cohort that we have still funded through (federal) ’21st Century’ (grant) funding,’ said Posey.  “That remains…they put a freeze on those funds, which we have subsequently heard in the last couple days that funding is going to be released, so we’ll be able to support those remaining five sites with that federal funding.”

21st Century is the name of a grant program for community learning centers.

Posey, though, is concerned about millions more dollars that may disappear, so the best she can do is work with community stakeholders, and hope that outside fundraising can pick up.

“The reality is in order for us to provide these quality, robust programs, we do have to tap into these large funding streams of support,” said Posey.  “It’s impossible to raise $3.2 million a year in our community.  That’s just not realistic.”

The Boys and Girls Clubs still does a number of annual fundraisers, and can also accept donations online, in both money and stock investments.  The next fundraiser for the agency is their annual “Great Futures Gala” October 20 in the LRS Hangar at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport.