House Bill 783 appropriates $100,000 in nonrecurring General Fund money for fiscal year 2025-2026 to the Office of State Budget and Management for a directed grant to Sidekicks Academy, Inc. The grant is intended to support the organization’s programming for marginalized students in Durham Public Schools, using martial arts, character development, and community support to create a safe and inclusive environment.
The bill specifies how the funds must be spent: $90,000 for student training attire, safety equipment, an intra-school Taekwondo tournament, digital advertising upkeep, and staff salary; and $10,000 for experiential education such as field trips to local Taekwondo tournaments, museums, and educational or sporting events on local college campuses. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB783 would create a one-time, directed grant from the General Fund and authorize the Office of State Budget and Management to distribute state funds to a named nonprofit organization. It does not amend broad regulatory statutes, but it does affect state appropriations law by earmarking public money for a specific community-based program in Durham and setting conditions on how the grant may be used.
No committee transcript or vote record is available, so there is no documented floor debate or recorded vote sentiment to assess. Based on the bill text, the measure appears supportive of youth development, school enrichment, and community-based services, with an emphasis on serving marginalized students.
Because there are no transcripts or votes, no specific objections are documented in the available record. Potential points of contention, if raised, would likely concern the use of state funds for a directed grant to a single private nonprofit, the inclusion of items such as staff salary and digital advertising, and whether the program should be funded through a targeted appropriation rather than a broader competitive grant process.