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GREENSBORO — Efforts to save a High Point nonprofit could start a discussion on changing the oversight used by Guilford County when giving public funds to community groups.

Leaders at I Am Now, a High Point nonprofit for homeless young adults, say they have less than $500 and could fold at the end of this month.

The group is slated to receive $20,000 from Guilford County in the 2009-10 budget, but the county releases that money as a reimbursement only. The process is meant to ensure stewardship of public funds.

County Commissioner Bruce Davis of High Point said Tuesday that he may push the Board of Commissioners this week to end that regulation, which could save I Am Now.

“Now is the time to overrule or change that,” Davis said, “and this Thursday I will be getting that request to change the rule before the board.”

He added that the commissioners “inherited” the rule and that “we do audits and we do all kinds of things to make sure that money is used and appropriated correctly.”

Commissioners Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston said Tuesday that he had not heard from Davis about such a request. Alston said the county should be deliberate in any change to the oversight.

“I’d have to look at the pros and cons, and then ask the staff to look at pros and cons based on history,” he said.

Under county policy, applications from nonprofit groups seeking public money must include “tax-exempt documentation, current annual certified audit, management letter if applicable, and board member roster.”

I Am Now did not apply for funds in the 2009-10 budget but was added on the day that the budget passed.

In that same budget, several other groups were thought to have submitted incomplete applications based on a News & Record review of those applications. After that was reported, Guilford County released full applications for those other groups.

Forgoing the rules that govern how and when community groups receive money would sacrifice government oversight, according to some commissioners.

“(I Am Now) was one that didn’t even officially apply for money,” said Commissioner Paul Gibson. “No one even looked to see what these folks were about. We have no accountability for these dollars.”

Gibson was critical of the 2009-10 budget process and funding for community groups. Davis has been a longtime supporter of funding community groups and voted for the recently passed budget.

Commissioners gave community groups $537,917 in new or additional public funds this year.

Vice Chairman Steve Arnold made the point during county budget discussions this spring that funding nonprofits helped gather favor — and votes — from some commissioners.

“I don’t care if it’s $100 million or $2,” Gibson said. “These people may be doing some of the best work in the world, and I don’t have any way of measuring it.”

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com