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Suamico grant specialist says 2025 yielded major awards, boosting village ROI
Summary
Ben Rogers told the village board that 2025 brought multiple competitive grants — including $32,000 for radios, a $200,000 park award and a FEMA AFG selection — producing an estimated $15.50 return for every dollar spent on the grants position in 2025.
Ben Rogers, Suamico’s shared village grant specialist, told the village board Monday that 2025 was “a great year,” listing a string of awards that he said substantially increased the program’s return on investment.
Rogers told the board the village received $32,000 from the Department of Military Affairs for five dual‑band radios for the Suamico Fire Department and about $22,500 in extrication equipment from Firehouse Subs. He said the village secured nearly $10,000 from local partners for water‑rescue equipment and was tentatively awarded more than $200,000 for the first phase of improvements at Calavera Springs Park to relocate soccer fields. Rogers also reported Howard‑Suamico Fire Department’s selection for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and a DNR forest‑fire prevention grant for wildland PPE.
“The ROI for Suamico was over $15.50 for every dollar spent on my position,” Rogers said, adding that cumulative ROI since his position began in 2022 is about $5.50 per dollar. He said the village’s application success rate rose to about 77% in 2025, up from historical averages.
Rogers outlined priorities for 2026, including a FEMA BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) application and the state municipal flood‑control grant (applications due in March) to address the Sunset Beach culvert; he also said staff applied again to the Department of Military Affairs for radios. He described active advocacy and letters backing a $1,000,000 HUD appropriations request for the Walker water‑tower project but warned the funding could be jeopardized by another continuing resolution in Congress.
Trustees asked whether the HUD funding would require low‑income housing; Rogers responded, “No.” Several trustees praised the grant work and urged staff to pursue next steps for the appropriations request and other 2026 grant opportunities.
The board did not take an action on the presentation itself; Rogers invited trustees to contact him after the meeting for additional background on the appropriations outreach and project history.
