SAN ANTONIO — Nearly 50 San Antonio nonprofit programs could lose $5.1 million in proposed city funding in 2028, a reduction city staff estimates could affect services for about 9,350 residents as the city addresses a projected two-year budget deficit of $157.7 million.
Nonprofit leaders and supporters gathered outside City Hall Wednesday to oppose the proposed cuts, saying reduced funding could force organizations to eliminate positions, scale back programs or turn away residents who rely on their services.
The programs, classified as “discretionary delegate agencies,” address needs including homelessness, domestic violence, career preparation, child care and emergency services. Organizations include the Boys & Girls Club and YWCA San Antonio.
City staff proposed the $5.1 million reduction through the Human Services Department budget. For 2027, the city plans to allocate $31.2 million to delegate agencies.
Cory McRae, advocacy chair for the Nonprofit Council, which represents more than 250 organizations, said some programs rely on city funding for their entire budgets. Other programs could lose between 40% and 60% of their city funding.
“This investment is helping us have stability, because it’s a two-year funding cycle,” McRae said.
City staff estimates that nearly 70% of the 9,350 residents affected by the proposed cuts live in City Council Districts 1 through 5.
Councilman Edward Mungia and Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, who represent two of those districts, attended Wednesday’s rally and said they would work to remove the proposed reduction before the council approves the 2027 budget Sept. 17.
“We cannot do that. That’s unacceptable,” Mungia said.
Kaur said enough council members oppose the reduction to prevent the cuts.
Nonprofit leaders said reducing services could shift costs to hospitals, law enforcement agencies and other organizations that would have to respond when residents lose access to preventive and support programs.
The rally came days after severe storms left more than 110,000 CPS Energy customers without power, including residents in some of San Antonio’s lower-income areas. CPS Energy completed restoration efforts Tuesday night.
Mungia said several nonprofits facing potential funding reductions also provided assistance to residents during the storm recovery.
Programs receiving city funding have supported child care, children’s emergency shelters, workplace mentoring and domestic violence prevention. The Alamo Area Rape Crisis Center also received funding for sexual assault crisis and advocacy services.
Jessica Knudsen, CEO of Clarity Child Guidance Center, said reduced support could increase demand for emergency services.
“When these supports disappear, the needs do not disappear,” Knudsen said. “And too often, they become a crisis.”
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones briefly addressed the rally and said she opposed reducing funding for services to residents in need. She also said demand for nonprofit services could increase as federal programs face potential reductions.
“What these folks do is only going to become more critical,” Jones said.
The proposed nonprofit reductions form part of broader efforts to address San Antonio’s projected budget shortfall. City Council is considering other measures, including the city’s first property tax increase in more than 30 years.
The council plans to approve the final 2027 budget Sept. 17.
