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Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance reports grant wins and project completions; warns of 2026 fiscal pressure
Summary
SBP reported it proposed 45 competitive grants in 2024 totaling roughly $106 million, secured 26 awards worth about $23 million (a 56% success rate), completed 20 PMO projects, and said structural budget gaps are expected to reappear by 2026 after temporary sales tax revenues subside.
Joe Lamers, director of the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance (SBP), briefed the committee on SBP’s 2024 results and the office’s role aligning strategic planning with budgeting and project management.
Lamers said SBP proposed 45 competitive grant applications in 2024 seeking about $106 million; as of the report the county had received 26 awards totaling about $23 million and had six proposals pending worth nearly $27 million. He credited the centralized grant development team with a high success rate and noted the office’s work since 2021 has helped the county secure about $136 million in grant revenue.
Lamers also described SBP’s project management office achievements, saying the PMO completed 20 operational projects in 2024, including work on records disposition, contract compliance, and a transition of child support services into the Department of Health and Human Services. He described a new policy strategy team and said staff helped with the county’s 2025–27 state budget priorities.
On capital and forecasting, Lamers said capital approvals declined as a share of requests because of funding constraints and large projects funded in recent budgets. He said the county’s five‑year forecast is projecting renewed budget gaps in 2026 after temporary sales‑tax‑related revenue eased pressure in prior years. Lamers said rising inflation and salary costs are contributing to the forecasted gap and that SBP will provide more detailed reports to the Finance Committee.
Why it matters: SBP’s grant and project successes boost county revenue and operations; its warning of structural budget pressure in 2026 is a flag for supervisors whose budget decisions will shape county services and staffing.
