Saratoga County committee reviews economic development grants, reserve and application timing
February 04, 2026 | Saratoga County, New York
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Jason Kemper, director of planning and economic development for Saratoga County, told the county Economic Development Committee the department is administering 14 active economic development grants from 2025 and will circulate a draft application for committee review ahead of issuing the 2026 round. "There is about a 194,000 in reserve funds to be allocated, when the applications received," Kemper said, adding the 2026 budget did not include new program funding.
Kemper provided recent program totals: 15 projects in 2023 for $106,500; 18 projects in 2024 for $177,000; and 19 projects in 2025 for $190,000. He said awards historically ranged from about $7,100 to $10,000 per project and that municipalities must front project costs and request reimbursement with canceled checks included in the application paperwork. "So it's reimbursement basis," Kemper said.
Committee members pressed staff on authority and timing. A committee member asked whether allocation from the unreserved balance is discretionary; Kemper confirmed decisions about awards are made by this committee and do not require full-board approval. He described the typical schedule: applications are usually issued in March, due in June, and awarded in July; last year the application went out March 11 and awards were made in July.
Kemper noted that some prior-year projects remained incomplete and that the committee previously set completion requirements that could cause funds to roll off if projects were not finished. He said the roughly $194,000 reserve should cover prior-year award levels but that supervisors will decide during 2027 budget discussions whether to continue funding the program in future budgets.
Next steps: Kemper said he will send the draft application to the committee after the March economic development meeting and that the committee can decide whether to set a per-award cap in the application or keep previous levels and reduce awards later based on total applications received.
Kemper provided recent program totals: 15 projects in 2023 for $106,500; 18 projects in 2024 for $177,000; and 19 projects in 2025 for $190,000. He said awards historically ranged from about $7,100 to $10,000 per project and that municipalities must front project costs and request reimbursement with canceled checks included in the application paperwork. "So it's reimbursement basis," Kemper said.
Committee members pressed staff on authority and timing. A committee member asked whether allocation from the unreserved balance is discretionary; Kemper confirmed decisions about awards are made by this committee and do not require full-board approval. He described the typical schedule: applications are usually issued in March, due in June, and awarded in July; last year the application went out March 11 and awards were made in July.
Kemper noted that some prior-year projects remained incomplete and that the committee previously set completion requirements that could cause funds to roll off if projects were not finished. He said the roughly $194,000 reserve should cover prior-year award levels but that supervisors will decide during 2027 budget discussions whether to continue funding the program in future budgets.
Next steps: Kemper said he will send the draft application to the committee after the March economic development meeting and that the committee can decide whether to set a per-award cap in the application or keep previous levels and reduce awards later based on total applications received.
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