Butler Downtown announced Wednesday that it cannot afford to keep the Main Street manager due to a loss of state funding.

Bob Dandoy, president of the nonprofit’s board, said the program will no longer have a paid manager, nor will it continue its facade grant program for downtown businesses.

Chelynne Curci-Lang had been the manager for three years. She was the only paid employee in the nonprofit.

Her position ended Wednesday.

The nonprofit had been receiving about $70,000 per year in grant money from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, but that five-year grant program concludes at the end of the year.

About $40,000 of that money was for the manager’s salary and $30,000 was for facade improvements on buildings, Dandoy said.

“Looking at our budget for next year, we just can’t sustain a full-time manager,” he said.

Dandoy said the program’s budget with a manager is a little more than $100,000 per year.

The group also receives about $10,000 annually from the city as well as some money through donations and fundraisers.

Butler Downtown will continue to operate as an affiliate of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.

Stan Kosciuszko, president of the chamber, said the chamber will pick up much of the administrative responsibilities for the nonprofit.

“It’s important we continue that so it can maintain its status of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,” Kosciuszko said.

Dandoy said volunteers will continue the nonprofit’s four Main Street Committees, as well as the West New Castle Street Plaza and other events next year.

“We are very committed to moving forward,” Dandoy said. “We want to continue revitalizing downtown businesses. We may look different, but our work will continue.”