Metro Council to consider restoring nonprofit’s funding

Local nonprofit Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs is hoping the Metro Council will on Wednesday restore $115,000 in funding that was stripped from the budget in December so it could be given to another nonprofit. The nonprofit is probably best known for putting on the International Tasting Fair and Cooking Competition each year. But Councilwoman Tara Wicker—who placed the item on Wednesday’s agenda—says the group does much more in the community and that’s why she wants the funding restored. “There’s a myriad of things they do when it comes to building international relationships to increase economic development opportunities, and to help the local international community feel welcome here in Baton Rouge,” Wicker says. “We don’t have an international department as many other municipalities have, and I think having that component in the community is very important.” The Metro Council voted in December to shift the center’s $115,000 allocation to the Louisiana Youth Leadership Institute. With an annual budget of about $150,000, Center for World Affairs President Monika Olivier has said the nonprofit is facing a “death blow” without the city-parish funding. Wicker says the $115,000 she wants the council to allocate to the nonprofit comes from “a leftover source of funding that the council administrator and the finance department identified. I think it was some lobbying dollars.” The council meets at 4 p.m. on the third floor of the Governmental Building, 222 St. Louis St. The public will have the chance to comment on the issue. See the complete agenda here. —Steve Sanoski