SOUTH BEND — Budget shortfalls for 4 local governments just got a little easier to manage, thanks to a major financial boost from Notre Dame. The donations add up to $5.5 million over the next 10 years, no strings attached.

Payments will be split between the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka, the Town of Roseland and St. Joseph County, with South Bend receiving approximately half of the total sum.

The contribution levels are outlined below, as provided by the University of Notre Dame:

Funding Levels Years 1-5

City of South Bend: $275,000
St. Joseph County: $170,000
City of Mishawaka: $50,000
Town of Roseland: $5,000

Funding Levels Years 6-10

City of South Bend: $330,000
St. Joseph County: $204,000
City of Mishawaka: $60,000
Town of Roseland: $6,000

10-Year Total

City of South Bend: $3,025,000
St. Joseph County: $1,870,000
City of Mishawaka: $550,000
Town of Roseland: $55,000
Cumulative Total: $5,500,000

Payments will begin within the next few weeks, according to a Notre Dame news release.

Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins called the donations a "long term commitment" that the university needed to respond to.

"We asked ourselves these kinds of questions," Jenkins said during a news conference to announce the donations. "What should Notre Dame be doing for the community in which our faculty and staff live and raise their families? How should we respond when a declining economy threatens to undermine the hospitable and welcoming community all of us have worked to build and support?"

"We asked ourselves, can we afford not to respond when a decline in our life would make it difficult for all of us to attract new residents and new businesses?" Jenkins asked.

Answering his own question, he continued.

"It was a simple decision," he said. "At this time of need, we need to help this community be as strong as strong as it possibly can. Because, if it's strong, we'll be strong."

That, Jenkins said, is the only reason for the "unrestricted" donations, which can be used for whatever local leaders see fit.

As for allegations that there could be "stipulations" attached to the money down the road?

"I don't have any worries about that sort of a situation at all," said St. Joseph County Council President Rafael Morton (D-South Bend).

"Number one, they didn't have to do it. But, more importantly in my humble opinion, there were no stipulations of how that money is to be used. They are leaving that up to our expertise. I just don't see the university having an ulterior motive to do such an extraordinary act. I just don't see that," Morton said.

"I think when Father Jenkins said no strings attached, he meant no strings attached," agreed Mishawaka Common Council President Ron Banicki (D).

While the money won't erase South Bend's projected $20 million budget shortfall next year, Mayor Steve Luecke (D) says it will help soften the blow.

"Half-a-million dollars means we'll be able to keep more firefighters and police officers on the force. It means we'll be able to fund some additional park programs that would have gone away," he said, cautioning that no final decisions have been made about where the money might be spent.

"We're in that budget process right now, and meeting with department heads. But, we're still looking at budget shortfalls of about $3 million for both police and fire, so there's a lot still left to do," Luecke said.

Financial challenges remain for Mishawaka, too, Banicki said.

"It's going to take 100 different things to get us where we need to be. So, this might be one step closer to that 100. But, in difficult times, every little bit helps," he said.

The hope now is that one "simple decision" will turn into something much more valuable.

"It's an investment," Jenkins said. "It's an investment in the community. We cannot afford not to do that."