Commissioner's office and LSI report grants pipeline: $27M requested in 2025, $13M won; $17M pending

County grant staff and LSI told the board their coordinated grants pilot has produced a sizable pipeline and capacity-building benefits for departments.

Sarah Overby and LSI representatives described a three-step approach: identify and vet grant opportunities against departmental priorities, hold strategizing conversations to craft fundable projects, and provide writing and submission support. Staff said that in 2025 they presented 140 potential grant opportunities and in the first half of 2026 had presented 97; the county submitted 51 applications in 2025 (winning about $13 million) and had submitted 38 so far in 2026 (with about $1 million awarded and roughly $17 million still pending decisions). The presenters emphasized the value of early director buy-in and cross-departmental coordination for successful applications.

"Effort spent is never wasted," Sarah Overby told commissioners, describing how application work helps clarify program design even when a particular request is declined. Commissioners and finance staff discussed integrating grant workflows with county financial systems, and finance staff said they are working on grant-management SAP modules and policy updates. Commissioners praised the program's early results and encouraged continuation of the LSI partnership while monitoring long-term staffing and management needs.

Provenance: presentation beginning at SEG 3724 and continuing to the meeting's end (SEG 4460).

Speakers quoted: Sarah Overby (commissioner's office), Julie Franklin and Bill Hoff (LSI).