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Council approves 2024 cycle-1 rollover policy, declines UT Memphis 10-year endowment contract and launches community grant dashboards
Summary
The council agreed to allow limited rollovers of 2024 cycle-1 community grant funds delayed by contract execution, voted down a staff-proposed 10-year contract alternative from UT Memphis, and previewed new public dashboards and a predictive non-fatal overdose model to show grant allocations and spending.
The council addressed several community grant items: a request to allow unspent 2024 cycle-1 grant funds to roll forward because initial contracts experienced execution delays; a staff request to approve a 10-year payment alternative to a previously proposed UT Memphis endowment; and updates on fiscal monitoring and public dashboards to increase transparency.
Staff explained many cycle-1 grantees experienced delays in getting contracts executed; several grantees asked to carry unspent year-1 funds forward. After discussion the council approved a narrowly tailored rollover policy allowing carryover of funds that were delayed due to contract execution specifically for 2024 cycle-1 funds; members said the policy is not intended to be indefinite and would be revisited if necessary.
Separately, UT Memphis had originally sought a $3,000,000 award intended to create an endowment supporting faculty-led opioid education and workforce development. The council was told state law prohibits contracting for an endowment; UT Memphis proposed an alternative 10-year, $3,000,000 contract (annual payments). The council voted on that 10-year contract proposal and the motion failed (roll call: 5 yes, 6 no). Staff said they will follow up with UT Memphis about next steps and seek comptroller input if longer contract terms are proposed.
On monitoring and transparency, staff reported 106 fully executed community contracts and that the office had processed invoices and was developing faster invoice-denial identification to speed payments. Fiscal monitoring risk assessments had been completed for dozens of grantees, with the office scheduling site visits in early 2025 and prioritizing one-year grantees for first on-site monitoring. The council received a demonstration from SAS of county and community grant dashboards showing allocations, paid amounts and a forthcoming predictive model for fatal and non-fatal overdoses; staff said dashboards will be posted on the OAC website to improve public transparency.
Council members also approved a narrowly framed extension for counties affected by a named disaster declaration to submit semiannual reports and to have extra time to allocate and spend funds.
