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Grants division reports $8.5M secured over two years; warns some federal reimbursements paused
Summary
Jamie Tennis of the Grants Division briefed the committee on the division's two-year results, including $8.5 million secured, $22 million pending, and concern that recent federal executive actions could pause reimbursements for several awards tied to IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Jamie Tennis, manager of Rapid City's Grants Division, told the Public Works Committee on Feb. 11 that the division has expanded to three people and that it has brought new outside funding to the city over the past two years.
Tennis said, “Last year, we submitted 25 grants requesting $84,000,000. We were awarded $3,700,000 and we have another $22,000,000 in grants that are pending.” She summarized two-year results as $8,500,000 the division has brought in to date. Tennis said roughly 42% of submitted opportunities are state grants, about half are federal, and foundations make up most of the remaining pool.
Tennis listed recent awards and pending proposals supporting infrastructure, downtown railroad safety planning, sewer work, a regional booster pump station, EMS equipment and training, energy-efficiency upgrades and a brownfield cleanup. She said federal grants are reimbursed after work is performed and cautioned that recent federal executive actions have put some reimbursements on hold.
"There are two grants that we currently have that we have done the work that we are awaiting reimbursements that have been paused and are questionable of what's going to happen with those funds," Tennis said, identifying a sustainability grant and an energy-efficiency grant for the street maintenance facility. She said another set of grants tied to IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act could be affected; staff estimated roughly $9,000,000 across 11 grants may fall under the federal review.
Committee members asked about Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding levels and the city's options to bolster small-local programs. Tennis and Daniel Ainsley (finance/interim public works director) explained CDBG allocations are driven by HUD formulas and regulatory costs (NEPA, prevailing wages) and that the city is exploring combined local tools, including a planned TIF in Robbinsdale, to increase impact in targeted neighborhoods.
The committee moved and approved an acknowledgement of Tennis' presentation. Tennis said the division will continue pursuing federal, state and foundation opportunities and will monitor federal policy changes affecting reimbursement schedules.
