Layton rolls out simplified online grant application and training to widen access

City staff demonstrated a redesigned online grant application and training process aimed at making city grants easier for small organizations to apply for and complete. The staff presentation emphasized a move from paper PDFs to a web form with more yes-or-no questions, a flowchart for eligibility and a supplemental upload area for proof of nonprofit status, mission statements and organizational charts.

The new budget form, introduced at the end of the last grant cycle, standardizes how applicants report expenses and completion data. Staff said requiring prior applicants to transfer their budgets into the new format improved the clarity of completion reports and made evaluations easier: “When we did that immediately... they were like ‘thank you this is what we need,’” a city staff presenter said during the demo.

Council members responded positively, saying the changes will reduce confusion for applicants who are not professional grant writers and make it more likely small volunteer groups will participate. Staff described three annual touchpoints planned around the application period — a completion-report workshop, a pre-application workshop and an online training — to gather feedback and further improve the process.

Why this matters: Council members framed the redesign as a step toward equity in city grantmaking by lowering technical barriers for smaller or volunteer-led organizations. Staff said the form also supports internal auditing, because the system flags missing fields before submission and provides a clearer trail for receipts and evaluation.

Next steps: Staff said they will continue running two or three feedback sessions per year and will keep refining the form based on applicant and council feedback. No formal action was required at the meeting; the presentation served to inform the council and public about the rollout and outreach plan.