Nonprofits Are Being Required to Provide Hard Facts to Get Funding

The program was praised by the county's Job and Family Services Department for accomplishing a lot on a $140,000 annual budget. Still, the agency lost its funding June 30, a victim of state budget cutbacks.

Executive Director Rick Grahovac of Common Ground, the nonprofit that created First Step to help people with serious life challenges, said he's disappointed that the high-achieving program has been suspended. "I really felt it made a difference and had a big impact," he said.