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Unity Council reports progress on recommendations and a growing grants pipeline
Summary
The city's equity office reported progress on recommendations from 2021 and 2023 Unity Council reports, highlighted grant activity, and outlined themes for a 2025 retrospective report.
Troy Williams, chief equity officer, briefed the City Council on May 27 about progress on Unity Council recommendations, recent outreach and grant activity and priorities for an upcoming 2025 report.
Williams said the office tracks two prior Unity Council reports. Of 57 recommendations in the 2021 report, staff said 40 were completed and 17 remain in progress. The 2023 report — which focused more broadly on disability, seniors and LGBTQ populations — showed nine completed recommendations and five in progress as of the meeting.
Williams described recent accomplishments across areas such as education and workforce, health, economic disparity, policing and housing. He noted several programs and partnerships: financial-education outreach in schools, expansion efforts for a Cooper Street health clinic and community health surveys, small-business training cohorts with Prosperity Bank, a small-business expo with the Arlington Chamber, and work with the grants office on capacity-building.
On grants and finance: Williams said the city has submitted roughly 47 grant applications in the recent period; staff reported about $600,000 awarded to date, with roughly $70 million in potential grant funding pending and only a limited number of denials. He said hiring of a grants officer has expanded capacity.
Policy environment and risks: Williams flagged state-level proposals that could affect local work — he said Senate Bill 689’s prospects had diminished at that point, but SB 2858 (preemption-related language) remained a concern. He also said the office is considering strategic adjustments to program names and missions to broaden supplier- and small-business support and to protect operations from changing state or federal rules.
Williams closed by listing themes the Unity Council will examine in its 2025 retrospective report, including transportation/accessibility, community leadership development, community safety (lighting, walkability and sidewalks) and housing affordability. "Our greatest strength, I think, was on display this weekend ... Our greatest strength is our diversity," Williams said in summary.
Council members praised the office’s work and suggested follow-ups, including focused attention to special-needs communities and continued connections between advisory councils and city web resources. No formal council action was taken; staff said they will prepare the 2025 Unity Council report this summer.
