One of those nonprofits affected is Sunnyvale Community Services.

On May 19, a crowd made up of those most affected by the cuts—elderly, low-income families, youth and the numerous employees who work for nonprofit agencies—formed outside the Santa Clara County building on W. Hedding Street to demonstrate their displeasure.

Through a show of numbers, protesters wanted county supervisors Don Gage and Jim Beall Jr. to know how badly trimming $10 million countywide from nonprofit services and $1 million from social services in Santa Clara County would hurt.

Adult day care, homework centers, child-abuse prevention and immigrant education are just a few of the services that could vanish when the cuts go into effect after July 1.

"This is greater than closing park bathrooms on weekends," said Patricia Gardner, executive director of the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits.

Sunnyvale Community Services is one of the programs on the county's chopping block. If the proposed cuts go through, the nonprofit will have lost 50.3 percent of its county funding in the past three years—from $54,000 in the 2002­03 fiscal year, to $40,686 this year, to $26,843 with the proposed cuts. Because Sunnyvale Community Services was one of three nonprofits that benefited from a special county fund this year, the pinch will be tough.

"All the money we get from the county is 'out the door' money—it goes to our clients to help them pay their PG&E and medical bills. We have to replace that," said Nancy Tivol, executive director of the Sunnyvale Community Services.

Tivol and her staff typically draft their budget based on funds they contractually receive or have a proven track record of getting, so they know not to overextend themselves, especially when they can't predict recessions that affect their services or their income.

"Eighty-four percent of our budget comes from corporations and the community. This year, that'll have to go up as the government money goes down," Tivol said. "Our staff is already lean and trim. We'll just have to do the maximum for fundraising."

Tivol also said rallying the county might prove useless as the county's money comes from the state, but Gardner described the protest as a way to send a message to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Balancing a budget with only cuts changes lives," she said.

But, like the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, she's not sure how to solve the dilemma. "I would not choose to just cut the programs that provide prevention and intervention," she said. "I'm not elected to make those decisions. I don't know. That's a hard place to go."

Gardner said there's still time for the supervisors to change the planned cuts. The board votes on June 3 on whether to implement the new, bare-bones budget.

After listening to the protesters during a meeting of the children, seniors, and families committee, Supervisor Don Gage said he was sympathetic. "While you're feeling bad, we're feeling worse," he said. "There aren't any more pots of money for us to look at."

Beall pointed out that the county is targeted for a disproportional amount of cuts compared to those of state agencies. "The governor's budget has a net reduction of 2,300 state employees out of 315,000. Our county will lose 1,400 employees and at least 300 more from nonprofits." He suggested lobbying lawmakers in Sacramento for a more equitable solution.

The full impact of the cuts won't be felt for several months after July 1. According to Gardner, "It'll take a while for staffs to be cut, for kids to go to a homework center and be denied. And then we have another round of cuts coming next year."

Staff writer Allison Rost contributed to this report.