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City staff proposes internal grants policy, centralized tracking as Delray Beach manages multiple grant streams
Summary
Presentation described current external grant processes and proposed an internal grants administration policy to centralize city-funded grants, improve transparency, and consider hiring or centralizing grant-writing support.
Janai Bowens, the city's education and external opportunities manager, presented an overview of Delray Beach's current external grants processes and raised options for creating a centralized internal grants administration policy.
Bowens said the city receives federal, state and local grant revenues distributed across departments (finance/ARPA/CARES, fire rescue equipment grants, HUD funding through Neighborhood and Community Services, Department of Environmental Protection funds for parks). She told the commission that city departments currently identify and apply for grants, working with lobbyists and finance for approval, and that multiyear internal grants to nonprofit partners are handled through specific departments (for example, the city manager's office currently manages education and cultural grants).
Why it matters: commissioners said the city lacks a single repository showing total dollars each nonprofit receives from city sources and external grants. Bowens recommended creating a transparent grant repository, a streamlined grants-management system across departments, a standing grants committee to set eligibility criteria, and outreach and technical-assistance programs (workshops and application assistance) so smaller nonprofits can compete for city-supported grant opportunities.
Staffing and funding: commissioners recommended considering a dedicated grant-writing resource or centralized grant coordination in the proposed fiscal 2025-26 budget. Staff noted some departments already perform grant writing and that the city receives significant HUD allocations that fund some administrative functions; Bowens provided a list of active internal grantees and an active grants total for the city manager's office and neighborhood services.
Commission direction: commissioners asked staff to return with specific policy options, a recommended repository/management platform, and budget implications for a centralized grants function; they also suggested outreach co-sponsored with the library so smaller nonprofits know available opportunities.
Ending: staff said they will return with options and potential budget requests during the upcoming budget process; commissioners signaled support for greater transparency, streamlined monitoring and possible centralized grant-writing capacity.
