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Superintendent urges stepped‑up grant pursuit; board encourages pilot grant‑writing effort
Summary
Superintendent Brian proposed increasing the district's grant activity, including short‑term pilots to demonstrate return on investment and possible future hiring of a grant writer or contracting grant services. Board members and staff supported starting with tracking and applying for near‑term opportunities.
The Pecan School District superintendent asked trustees to support an effort to increase the district's grant revenue by systematically identifying opportunities, pursuing immediate grants through existing staff, and piloting a funded grant‑writing position or short‑term contract if initial results justify a permanent role.
Why it matters: District staff estimated the district had missed or under‑pursued sizable grants in recent years. Additional grant revenue could fund capital projects, safety and program expansions without adding general‑fund obligations.
Proposal and rationale: The superintendent highlighted existing internal capacity — citing an assistant principal who has written grant proposals for over a million dollars in awards — and proposed a two‑step approach: (1) increase near‑term grant applications using current staff and short‑term consultants to show results; (2) if the district demonstrates a reliable pipeline and ROI, consider funding a dedicated grant writer or program coordinator on a trial basis. Administrators suggested that a modest investment in notifications, a calendar of opportunities and one year of focused writing would likely yield a positive return.
Board reaction: Trustees generally supported the plan and recommended starting by contracting short‑term support or assigning a staff person to track calls for proposals and notify relevant principals and departments. Several trustees suggested using local nonprofit partners and the university system to identify opportunities and recommended exploring incentive structures for internal staff who produce funded grants.
Next steps: Administration will inventory immediate grant opportunities, divide tracking and application responsibilities among staff, and return to the board with a short proposal for a pilot contract or temporary position to centralize grant‑seeking duties if initial applications show promise.
