In an open-house setting Wednesday at Salt Lake County's government center, dozens of community services leaders made their case for the cash, known as "block grants." Out of that $22 million, Salt Lake County's share would be $3 million; Salt Lake City would get $4 million.

For many, protecting the grants may make the difference between saving or shuttering operations across the Salt Lake Valley.

"If we lose the funding, a lot of these programs would cease to exist," said Michael Gallegos, the county's community-resources division director.

Fear stems from a recent Bush administration review that deemed the Community Development Block Grant program ineffective. Now, as Congress debates the 2006 budget, some members are maneuvering to reinstate the allotment.

Such a reinstatement could happen by September, representatives for Sen. Bob Bennett, and Reps. Chris Cannon and Rob Bishop told the group.

But despite that reassurance, participants still worry.

"You only get so much money from the public" through private contributions, explained Lynn Feveryear, who manages community revitalization and affordable housing for Salt Lake County - programs dependent on the federal largess.

Forty groups attended Wednesday's function to lobby staff members from Utah's local delegation. Their message: the money is vital, and better spent locally - not spent from Washington.

Habitat for Humanity representatives for instance, worry that spending cuts will force higher mortgages, leaving more people on the street.

Rosemary Kappes, executive director for the housing authority of Salt Lake City, says that last year 450 families statewide were stripped of rental assistance. She says the latest threat to repeal federal funding is the worst she's seen since the Reagan administration. And she doesn't expect it will end soon.

"There is a great big, green monster in the room that nobody is talking about, and that's the federal deficit and the war," Kappes told the assembly. If both continue, "then darn it, raise our taxes. We just can't do this to our homeless and our poor."

Community-services advocates estimate the homeless and elderly would be hardest hit, should the funding dry up. Still, plenty of affordable-housing ventures may also be endangered.

All of it bothers Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini, who has long dedicated her time and influence to aid the downtrodden. She and Murray Mayor Dan Snarr insist energizing forces in the cities goes a long way in securing federal funding.

"There are mayors out there who are speaking up," said Seghini, who thanked Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon for organizing the forum.

djensen@sltrib.com