LOCAL PROGRAMS RECOMMENDED TO GET FUNDING; T.O. CITY COUNCIL SET TO VOTE.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Daily News Staff Writer

The City Council on Tuesday will consider doling out $220,300 in grants to 22 nonprofit organizations serving predominantly low-income residents.

The money will come from two pots of money: $120,300 from the federal Community Development Block Grant program and $100,000 from the city's own Social Services Endowment Fund.

``All of the programs that applied were worthwhile and served a good need in the community,'' said Doug Brown, chairman of the city's 18-member Public-Social Services Funding Committee, which reviewed the applications and recommended the size of the awards. ``The money requests outstripped the money that was available.

``We tried to come down on the side of the programs that really meet a vital need and really delivered service to people in need.''

Conejo Valley Senior Concerns, a private nonprofit agency, may receive $33,000 - the largest allocation - for three of its programs including Meals on Wheels, which delivers hot food to senior citizens unable to cook for themselves. Senior Concerns had requested a total of $50,000.

``The CDBG grants are a staple of our grant support,'' said Lynn Engelbert, associate executive director of Senior Concerns. ``It looks as if the city is looking to increase this year what we've received in the past, and if that does hold true we are even more grateful than in the past because we really depend on these funds.

``We never turn anyone away because of inability to pay for service, so this really helps us in the daily cost of all our programs. We are happy and most appreciative.''

Conejo Free Clinic with $13,000 and Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association with $6,000 were the only other two organizations that could receive more CDBG money this year compared with last year.

The committee recommended full CDBG funding for:

Catholic Charities: $15,000.

Food Share: $8,000.

Interface Court-Appointed Special Advocate for Children: $7,000.

Lutheran Social Services: $15,000.

Ventura County Senior Nutrition: $11,000.

The committee also recommended that several local groups providing services to residents of all incomes be funded at the same or a greater level than last year from the city's endowment fund.

If those recommendations prevail, the Conejo Valley YMCA would get $4,000 for scholarships for lower-income youths; Conejo Youth Employment Service would receive $14,000 and Many Mansions would be granted $18,000.

A few new groups that submitted applications for money this year include the Conejo Recreation and Park District, which would be allocated $5,000, and the Conejo Valley Crisis Pregnancy Center, which would be given $3,000.

The committee rejected funding requests from two applicants. Conejo Recreation and Park District had requested funding to help pay the salary of two youth outreach employees. And the Thousand Oaks Telecommunity Center wanted to fund a Senior Network program, which offers computer training. Both were turned down by the committee.

Brown said in his six years on the committee, he has seen a steady drop in federal funding for the CDBG program, but said the city was fortunate it has been able to increase its endowment fund to offset the loss.