Two organizations that bolster small businesses in the county are set to get more money to do what they do when the Jefferson County Commission meets in Bessemer on Thursday.

Central Alabama Redevelopment Alliance and Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama is each in line to receive $120,000 – up from $100,000 a year ago.

Jeff Traywick, economic development professional in the county manager’s office, said CARA and HICA “each well exceeded” what they were expected to do with the economic development funds they received in 2024.

CARA was projected to serve 75 small businesses and perform 10 one-on-one mentorships. The organization actually served 300 businesses while doing the 10 one-on-ones.

HICA served 134 residents and did 41 one-on-ones. It was projected to work with 50 residents and do 25 business one-on-ones.

While HICA and CARA were the primary focus of Tuesday’s discussion, commissioners Joe Knight and Lashunda Scales sought clarification of differences between those entities and Birmingham Business Resource Center, another entity that benefits small businesses that receive economic development funds.

In December 2024, the commission gave Innovation Depot and Birmingham Business Alliance $400,000 each and Birmingham Business Resource Center a total of $250,000. The BBRC total was reached after commissioners Lashunda Scales and Sheila Tyson chipped in $50,000 each from their district funds.

The commission had proposed giving BBRC just $150,000, but Scales and Tyson said they felt that was unfair.

Tuesday, Scales again lobbied for greater support for BBRC, which is based at Innovation Depot.

Traywick said CARA and HICA deal with more formative small businesses. BBRC, he said, deals with more established businesses that hope to grow out of Innovation Depot.

Scales questioned why BBRC only gets $30,000 more than what is proposed for the other two operations.

“I tell you this: I don’t care what race you are,” Scales said. “The county needs all tax dollars. I just want you to hear this from me, Jeff, in this setting for the record that when we have these organizations and we’re kind of appropriating money differently, then I want to make sure that one is not overlapping the other. And I want to make sure that our targeted intent is being accomplished.”

In other business Tuesday, commissioners moved to Thursday’s agenda a resolution allowing Probate Judge Yashiba Glenn Blanchard to apply for a Help America Vote Act grant to purchase a pair of vehicles to be used in election matters.

While commissioners placed the matter on the agenda, Scales cautioned that the grant comes with oversight from federal and state agencies.

The commission also is set to reallocate $55,000 of unused monies with the Emergency Management Agency’s personnel budget to its operational budget.

“Shelby County is discontinuing their siren use and they donated theirs to (Jefferson County) EMA,” Joe Knight said. “Some of them were like battery powered so they’re having to do some conversion to both … with a battery backup. But they’ll also be electronic.”