Executive director outlines CDBG guideline changes, new grant and loan proposals

The executive director reported that the corporation has engaged a new marketing agency (Workshop), completed a restrategy session in Saratoga and prepared a near-final 30-page strategic plan to be shared with the board.

On programmatic priorities, the executive director said the agency will hold public hearings to amend the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program guidelines. He said the current CDBG rules have made the program less attractive and that some restrictions were locally imposed; revising those restrictions is intended to lower local barriers while maintaining a low risk profile.

"So we're gonna slice out about a half million dollars over a $3,200,000 fund balance, I believe, we have right now," the executive director said, describing funds proposed for a new senior center project and kitchen improvements. (Another participant in the meeting later referred to a $5,000,000 fund balance.) The executive director said the remaining funds would be split between a rebranded loan product (a "quantum loan") and two to three industry-specific grant programs aimed at retail, hospitality and health care, with grant sizes "probably, maybe, each will be about up to $350,000." He said the new programs would lift some of the employee-restriction limits that had made prior offerings unattractive.

Staff also noted plans to implement a customer-relationship management system (PipeDrive) to collect input from website visitors and better track outreach analytics. The executive director said continuity with the new agency will be aided by retaining Mark Gustafson as the account lead.

The committee did not adopt final program rules in the transcript excerpt; the executive director signaled that public hearings and further board work will precede any formal changes.