GOEO trains Summit County advisory board on RCG, RCOG grants, eligibility and application tips

James, a presenter from the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, led a training for Summit County's county economic opportunity advisory board on how to find and apply for state grant programs and how the advisory board should function.

The session focused on two grant programs that CEO boards administer: the Rural County Grant (RCG), which James said totals $4.8 million statewide and provides about $200,000 annually to each of the 24 rural counties, and the Rural Communities Opportunity Grant (RCOG), a competitive award of up to $600,000 for larger, targeted projects. "The rural county grant is given to each of the 24 rural counties across the state; we have $4,800,000 in funding that equates to $200,000 annually to each rural county," James said.

Why it matters: the grants fund planning, business recruitment and expansion, workforce training and infrastructure improvements that can retain or attract employers in rural communities. Presenters emphasized that RCOG awards are competitive and require applicants to present detailed, budgeted projects rather than ideas in early planning.

Key details and examples

- Eligibility and governance: James reviewed statutory expectations for CEO boards under Utah code and the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act. Boards must consist of at least five voting members representing set sectors (county representative, municipal representative, workforce development, private sector and a public member), elect a chair and vice chair annually, and keep public meeting notices and records. The office asks for an attestation that the board advised the county legislative body on applications.

- Funding amounts and deadlines: James said RCG supplies approximately $200,000 per eligible rural county (total $4.8 million). RCOG awards can be up to $600,000 but are "highly competitive," he said. Annual reporting opens mid-May and closed July 31 in the cycle discussed.

- Match and subgrants: Many county-run subgrant programs require matching funds (commonly 50/50). Examples included façade or equipment grants to small businesses, workforce certification programs (CDL, contractor licensing) and a recovery-center employment program that used about $40,000 of a county RCG allocation to subsidize training.

- What qualifies as economic development: James read two scenarios to clarify the distinction between community development (broad resident benefits that are not RCG/RCOG priorities) and economic development (projects that directly spur business growth or employment), saying the latter more clearly fits the funds' purpose.

- Application process updates: A participant described an automated application-scoring system (called "amplify") that assigns points for job creation and sector weighting; three grant templates using that system were reported as ready for release the following week.

Local questions and examples

Board members asked whether infrastructure that ends up on private property can be funded; James said it has been done and the asset typically becomes the property owner's, but that projects tied to business growth are more likely to qualify. The group discussed a recent sawmill fire in Camas and whether rebuilding or retention could qualify for RCOG funds; presenters said retention and expansion projects could be eligible and that a relevant annexation by the city council had been approved and would proceed to the lieutenant governor's office for administrative processing.

A board member raised concern about seasonal labor: the county hires roughly 4,200 seasonal workers in winter, about half on J-1 visas, and asked whether RCG funds could be used for wage incentives or other immediate labor solutions. James said such measures could fit under workforce development but stressed the $200,000 per-county cap means local leaders must weigh priorities.

Resources and next steps

Presenters pointed attendees to the GOEO grants webpage, the county advisory board guide and a short success-stories video illustrating past RCOG recipients; GOEO staff offered to review draft applications but said they will not write grant proposals for counties. Board members were advised to ensure their CEO board meets statutory membership and reporting requirements before applying.

The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn and the board set the next meeting for Aug. 21.