Volusia County advisory panel adopts standardized 2026 ECHO score sheet for grant reviews

The Volusia County ECHO Advisory Committee on Tuesday adopted a standardized 2026 project-evaluation score sheet that staff will use to rank grants and aid applications for the countyE2s ECHO program.

Daniel Marsh, the ECHO manager, told members the score sheet has four sections worth 25 points each and 12 individual criteria. "The score sheet gets recommended to county council," Marsh said, explaining that the panel will drop the high and low scores before averaging the remainder and that the recommended funding threshold is 80 points.

Marsh emphasized a new requirement that reviewers provide a written comment for every criterion because "comments are public record," and he described the allowed scoring values for each criterion: a limited set of discrete scores (exceeding/meeting/below expectations mapped to 10/8/6 or 5/4/3). He said staff had provided a companion document to applicants and evaluators outlining examples and page references to help find application material tied to each criterion.

Committee members pressed staff on what a successful marketing plan looks like; Marsh and resource stewardship staff said the companion document contains prior examples and a checklist (permanent and temporary signage, print materials, press outreach and specific strategies for reaching underserved populations) and that staff will share prior exemplars with applicants.

Staff said applications will be posted after the cycle closes today at 3 p.m.; technical review will follow and applicants can resubmit edits by July 16. The committee is scheduled to receive application packets the first week of August, conduct site tours Aug. 12E213 (individual driving), and hold the grant review panel and final scoring Aug. 27.

Teresa Brooks, a frequent applicant representative, opened the public-participation period by praising the switch to the online application and staff support: "I think that everybody is going to thoroughly like the new online process," she said.

The committee did not alter the threshold or scoring math during the presentation; staff will send the finalized score sheet to applicants and proceed with the summer schedule.