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Grant review board unanimously recommends EMS training program for state RCOG grant
Summary
The Grand County grant review body on May 7 unanimously recommended EMS's destination-education and training program as the county's competitive RCOG application, citing workforce scaling and "multiplier" benefits to local businesses.
The Grand County grant review group unanimously recommended EMS's destination-education and training program May 7 as the county's applicant for the state Rural County Opportunity Grant (RCOG).
The recommendation followed a focused discussion of which application would be strongest at the state competitive level and which would deliver the largest economic "multiplier" for the county.
"If I may motion, that we recommend EMS for the RCOG branch," Jasmine Duncan, a voting member, proposed during the meeting; Chris Wilson seconded the motion. Several members cited EMS's ability to scale programming and to generate hotel nights and restaurant sales as reasons to prioritize the project. Ashley Kornblatt of Western Spirit Cycling said the proposal "has a lot of multipliers" and would bring trainees who spend locally. Melody McCandless, Grand County commissioner, noted county leaders want projects that boost sales-tax revenue; she told members sales tax receipts were down about 12% for the last quarter compared with the prior year.
Board members and staff discussed eligibility rules and timelines: state officials have previously funded feasibility studies and other planning work in nearby counties, but projects funded through RCOG typically must be capable of being completed within the program's time frame and, for some awards, be located in Grand County. Board members also discussed whether the county should serve as the applicant on behalf of nonprofit or private partners and noted that would expose the county to enforcement or completion risk if a grantee could not finish a project.
The motion to recommend EMS passed without objection. Chair announced the recommendation will be forwarded to the county commission and staff from the governor's office offered to assist with the application. The board said it will finalize noncompetitive county subgrant (RCG) allocations at its regular May meeting.
The board conducted a separate straw poll during the session to prioritize RCG candidates; that informal poll will inform deliberations but formal funding decisions will occur at the May meeting.
What happens next: staff will prepare the RCOG application materials and transmit the board's recommendation to the county commission for formal approval and shepherding to the state grant process.
