To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Michelle Halstead, Director, Commissioners’ Office
Prepared By:
prepared
Sara Overby, Management Analyst, Commissioners’ Office
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presenter
Presenter: Sara Overby, Management Analyst, Commissioners’ Office; Jill Flygare & Desari Read, LSI Consultants
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Subject:
title
1:00 PM *County Grants Initiative Framework and Implementation Plan
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this study session is to provide an update on the County Grants Initiative and seek feedback and approval of the proposed Grants Program Pilot Framework and Implementation Plan.
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Background and Discussion: As county funding has become more constrained, there has been an increased emphasis on strategically cultivating grant funding to support projects and programs. The County’s 2023 strategic plan identified increasing revenue as one of six strategic focus areas, with the objective to increase the County’s ability to secure grant funding.
The county’s current grant application process is decentralized with individual departments and elected offices researching and submitting applications individually following approval from the Board of County Commissioners. These applications are reviewed by the County Attorney and the Finance Department only to ensure the legal, reporting, and compliance requirements of the grant can be met and to determine if additional staffing, resources, or funding will be needed as a matching requirement or to perform the services of the grant.
LSI was hired in 2023 to follow a three-phase project scope: 1) complete a grant funding needs assessment and implementation plan, 2) develop grant funding research and support activities, and 3) provide grant application support.
Project Task 1: This year LSI held interviews with nine county offices and departments, conducted a study session with the board on April 1, 2024, and hosted a grants strategy workshop in May 2024 with 27 cross-departmental stakeholders to gather feedback and inform the implementation plan. LSI reviewed current County grant-related policies and procedures and identified opportunities to develop a coordinated and collaborative grant pilot program in a series of actionable steps over the next 1-5 years. The attached draft implementation plan highlights short-, mid-, and long-term actions in the Executive Summary (table attached) to achieve target goals. This plan was brought to the executive leadership team on August 28th and received support for its goal to maximize grant funding and determine how the County can collaboratively manage grant procurement in the future.
Project Task 2: LSI provided an example of proposed funding research and an opportunity pipeline (attached) to strategically pursue grants aligned with County activities and the Board’s strategic plan. LSI will continue to conduct ongoing research to identify and recommend potential grant opportunities.
Project Task 3: The County has leveraged LSI application support for two grants to date and identified two additional opportunities for potential support. LSI has additional capacity for grant writing assistance which is being communicated to department leaders.
During the study session, LSI will provide an update on these tasks as well as seek feedback and concurrence on the Recommended Action Items for the implementation of a 5-year Pilot Grants Program.
Fiscal Impact: A collaborative grant program could provide a positive fiscal impact in the near future by securing additional funding through grant submittals, consistent with the identified goals and objectives identified in the strategic plan.
Alternatives: N/A
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☐Provide essential and mandated service
☐Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: Staff is supportive of this proposed plan and prepared to advance these actions with LSI’s contractual support.
Concurrence: The Executive Team concurs with the approach and the plan for pursuing grant funding and identifying collaboration opportunities.