Wheat Ridge council backs staff plan to streamline Community Partners Grant Program

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — The Wheat Ridge City Council on Jan. 6 signaled consensus for several staffing recommendations intended to shorten review time and better align nonprofit awards with the city budget for the Community Partners Grant Program (CPGP).

City staff presented a package of proposed changes including a two-part review that would fast-track smaller requests, a timeline shift to match the annual budget process, and disclosure rules for related or overlapping applicants. Staff said those changes were designed to reduce the workload on the volunteer review committee and better target awards to council priorities.

Cole, a staff member leading the presentation, told council that “staff is recommending implementing a 2 part review process that streamlines the evaluation of smaller grant requests, thereby allowing the committee more time to focus on larger grant requests.” The plan would classify requests as “smaller” (initially proposed up to $7,500–$10,000) that would be reviewed on paper and not routinely required to give presentations, and “larger” requests that would retain the current presentation step. Cole said the city would…