BACKGROUND:
For the first time, a city-wide Grants Analyst position was included in the adopted biennial budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/2024 and FY 2024/2025. In the fall of 2024, the city was successful in recruiting for this position and the Grants Analyst started with the city on November 27, 2023.
DISCUSSION:
In creating this position, staff identified eight (8) primary functions that the Grants Analyst would be responsible for:
•Identifying federal, state, county and corporate/private grant funding organizations
•Determining techniques and methods of researching grant opportunities •Participating or leading in preparing, developing/writing, and submitting grant proposals
•Securing and maintaining funding from external agencies •Establishing and maintaining contacts and partnerships with potential and existing funding sources
•Managing and monitoring complex grants and contracts with funding agencies, on-time and within budget
•Determining principles and practices of public agency grant funding •Establishing principles and practices of efficient and compliant grant administration – Tyler Munis Grant Manager/Master
Staff have since expanded upon these functions and created additional details in the attached Grant Management Functions list.
Separately, staff have developed an overall Grants Management process to preview with City Council. Attached is a comprehensive Grant Overview with four (4) accompanying flowcharts:
•Identifying Funding Opportunities
•Grant Application Submission
•Grant Administration
•Grant Closure
Finally, in starting/ramping up with this new position, various grant activities (see the attached list) have been initiated and/or accomplished in these first three (3) months with respect to:
•Completed Applications
•In-Progress Applications
•On-Going Grants with Assistance
•Grant Tracking
FISCAL IMPACT:
None at this time.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal C: FISCAL STABILITY and SUSTAINABILITY
Objective: Cathedral City has economically prospered by facilitating investment of private dollars in high quality development which benefits the community. We remain financially solvent by instituting prudent fiscal policies and transparent financial practices.