Finance committee to send resolution for countywide study of grant funding risks

At a virtual meeting, the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates standing committee on finance voted unanimously to recommend that the full Assembly adopt Resolution 2025‑09, directing a study of grant funding for Cape Cod regional government programs.

The committee said the review is intended to map what grants fund, how they are structured and the budget risk if grant awards are disrupted. Delegate Preisel, who led drafting of the resolution, told the committee the item grew out of questions that arose during the Fiscal Year 2026 budget process and recent federal notices affecting grant awards. “We had at one point a notice of terminating all grants,” Preisel said, adding that the Office of Management and Budget later rescinded that notice and that the county subsequently learned in April that “all of a sudden no more grants for our AmeriCorps program.” Preisel also said the Department of Homeland Security recently notified the county it may lose a grant tied to the county’s status; the transcript identifies that DHS correspondence as a new source of uncertainty.

The resolution, as discussed, would have the finance committee gather information on county and regional grants, describe what each grant funds, identify timing and contingency risks, and deliver a report to the Assembly no later than September. Delegate O’Malley said the committee should prioritize programs “that are providing services that are in a very real day‑to‑day fashion, keeping people safe, keeping people healthy.” Delegate Wyman Colombo and Delegate Warner said a clearer inventory would be necessary before the Assembly could make recommendations or emergency allocations.

Christy Senatori, Executive Director of the Cape Cod Commission, told the committee the Commission does not hire employees to work solely on grants and that it manages staffing and reorganization internally to absorb grant‑funded work. “None of our employees are hired to work solely with grant‑funded projects,” Senatori said. She told the committee the Commission had not experienced grant rescissions to date and that it would reallocate capacity if funding changed.

Committee members discussed scope: several delegates said they want the committee to examine both county department grants and grants managed by the Cape Cod Commission, noting the two entities handle grants differently. Preisel said the committee intends to collect information already provided during the budget process, identify remaining gaps, and then pose follow‑up questions to administration and appropriate staff.

The committee voted on a motion to recommend Resolution 2025‑09 favorably to the full Assembly. A roll call recorded unanimous approval; the clerk summarized the result as unanimous. The motion was made and seconded on the record and the clerk called the roll. The committee did not adopt any ordinance or policy at the meeting; the next formal step is a vote by the full Assembly on the recommended resolution.

The study will aim to clarify which grants are critical, which fund long‑term projects or studies, what timing and reporting constraints exist, and how the county might prioritize services or prepare contingency plans if federal or other grant funds are reduced or terminated.