Woodland Park DDA trims application requirements, sets deadlines for $5,000 microgrants

The Woodland Park Downtown Development Authority agreed to remove a requirement that applicants submit two contractor proposals for its microgrant program and instead will require an itemized estimate of costs, including materials and labor, the board said during its monthly meeting.

Josh, a city staff member who drafted the program documents, told the board the microgrant program is "intended to help stimulate the improvement and beautification of physical spaces, structures, buildings, exterior and interior, that are open to the public that are within the DDA's boundaries." He said the program’s materials in the packet are informational and that the city will accept applications once posted.

Board members debated whether requiring two written proposals for small projects (grants are limited to $5,000) would be burdensome for applicants in Woodland Park’s smaller market. "If the project is $5,000 or less, to come up with 2 proposals, there's probably not enough margin in there to warrant anybody making much of a proposal," said Al (board member). Several members agreed the two-proposal rule could exclude eligible applicants and slow projects.

After discussion, the board reached consensus to remove the two-proposal requirement and to request an itemized estimate (materials and labor) with the application. Josh said he would make that edit. The board also confirmed the program remains a reimbursement-based grant: applicants will be reimbursed for actual costs up to $5,000 after submitting receipts.

Staff and board members set application deadlines and a review timeline in the meeting. Josh and other staff said applications may be accepted as soon as the materials are posted in the DDA packet online; the initial submission deadline for applicants will be Friday, April 18 at 5 p.m., with a staff review period that could require applicants to supply missing items by Friday, May 2. The board indicated it would review complete applications at its May meeting (board members referenced May 5 and May 6 in different comments).

Board members asked the city to post the program materials prominently and to promote the program through social media and the chamber of commerce. Kristen Higginbotham (marketing) was identified as the staff member who would post social outreach; Nicole was identified as the person to help post materials to the DDA website.

Josh reminded the board that although each grant is capped at $5,000, the total microgrant program budget is $150,000, and staff will require itemized receipts on the back end to determine final reimbursements. He said the application is designed to allow staff to identify missing information quickly so applicants can meet the May 2 final documentation deadline.

Board members emphasized they wanted to review and approve awards as a full board rather than delegating approvals to staff or a subcommittee. Josh said the board’s final decision would be by majority vote.

The board instructed staff to remove the two-proposal requirement, require itemized cost estimates in applications (materials and labor), post the program materials online and on social channels, and accept applications beginning immediately upon posting with the April 18 initial deadline and May 2 final documentation deadline.