Akron mayor's grants office credits $36M in 2024 awards, seeks coordinated grant policy

Emma Lieberth Osborne, the mayor’s policy and grant strategist, told council the mayor’s office consolidated grant functions to provide continuity from pre‑application through post‑award compliance and to increase the city’s competitiveness for state and federal funding.

Osborne said city departments brought in about $36,000,000 in state and federal grants in 2024. She cited $5,500,000 secured in the state capital budget for the Cascade Plaza project and $750,000 in demolition funds released early to assist an unnamed church site. She also said the city submitted congressional appropriations requests in 2024 and that some projects were advanced by the city’s congresswoman.

Osborne said moving grants into the mayor’s office has elevated the grant manager position and enabled a single, unified strategy across departments. “Having this position oversee the grant manager within the mayor’s office, we are providing a centralized support and attending meetings citywide and also make sure that we are showing up with one city perspective,” she said.

She said the administration and grant staff helped the Akron Fire Department with grant submissions — including AFG and FPNS applications — and noted $75,000 awarded for one AFG‑related item. Locally, she said the city obtained $57,000 from the Akron Community Foundation for a mayoral initiative and that the city served as local government manager for a United Way‑run Cities for Financial Empowerment award of $90,000 for a Small Business Boost program.

Osborne also said she wrote the city’s first grant‑policy document and that it is near completion; the administration delayed publication in early 2025 to monitor federal developments that have introduced uncertainty in grant administration. She said the policy will provide a “strict protocol” for grant applications and post‑award compliance.

Council members asked follow‑up questions about federal activity and outreach to members of Congress; Osborne said she was travelling to Washington, D.C., with a Greater Akron Chamber delegation and is working to maintain federal relationships. She said continued coordination across city departments helped secure awards in 2024 and positioned the city to pursue additional federal opportunities in 2025.

Osborne’s remarks did not include line‑item budget requests tied to those grants beyond noting personnel placements and the near‑final grant‑policy document.