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Grants division reports $8.5 million brought in over two years; pending federal funding may be paused
Summary
Jamie Tennis, manager of Rapid City’s grants division, told the Public Works Committee the division submitted 25 grant applications last year, brought in roughly $8.5 million over two years, and has $22 million pending — some of which could be affected by federal funding pauses.
Jamie Tennis, manager of the City of Rapid City grants division, presented the division’s annual report to the Public Works Committee on Tuesday, summarizing recent applications, awards, and risks to federal funding.
Tennis said the grants division has grown from a single position to a three‑person team and that, last year, the team submitted 25 grant applications requesting $84,000,000. She told the committee the city was awarded $3,700,000 in the past year and has about $22,000,000 pending. Over two years, Tennis said the grants division has brought in roughly $8,500,000 in outside revenue to support city priorities.
Tennis described the division’s work as more than writing proposals: it involves research, vetting, and partnering city priorities with funding opportunities, then managing grant reporting and reimbursements. She provided a breakdown by community benefit: about 40% of awards and applications went to infrastructure projects, 31% to public safety, and smaller shares to economic development, environment/beautification, housing and arts/culture.
Committee members asked whether recent federal executive actions could affect reimbursements. Tennis said two awarded grants for which the city has completed work and is awaiting reimbursement have been paused administratively as part of a federal review tied to actions concerning funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. She said those paused grants include a sustainability grant and an energy-efficiency grant for street maintenance facility improvements; about $9,000,000 of other pending awards are tied to that pot of funds and could be affected while federal agencies assess the programs.
Tennis explained how federal reimbursements work: the city does the work up front and then submits for reimbursement monthly or quarterly, so award announcements do not always match cash-on-hand timing. She said the grants division expects fewer federal opportunities in the short term and is monitoring state and foundation funding prospects.
Committee members thanked Tennis for the work; the committee asked staff to keep nonprofit partners informed about federal pauses that may affect reimbursements. The committee also moved to acknowledge the presentation.
Less-critical details: Tennis listed several awarded projects such as a downtown railroad safety planning study, sewer improvements on Sudewi Lane, and Shepherd Hills regional booster-pump station work; she noted airport and police department grants brought in additional funds that are not part of the grants division’s centralized totals.
