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Hope Mills commissioners debate how to sustain grant-writing support as billable hours near exhaustion
Summary
Commissioners expressed concern about exhausting the town's allocated billable hours with the League of Municipalities grant-consultant program and asked staff to return cost estimates for quarterly contracting or including a permanent position in next year's budget; staff said current contracted work has helped secure multiple grants, including a recent $500,000 award for Heritage Park phase 2.
Hope Mills commissioners on Jan. 5 discussed whether to continue a contract arrangement for grant-writing services or to hire in-house support after the town's allotted billable hours under a consultant program were nearly exhausted.
Town staff described the existing arrangement: the consultant (referred to as Ingred) works via a firm and a League of Municipalities program that initially provided 30,000 billable hours. Because the town continued to request work, the board has purchased additional blocks of billable hours; staff said the most recent block is being used largely for reporting on previously awarded grants. Staff reported significant grant outcomes from the arrangement, including a $500,000 award for Heritage Park phase 2 and multiple other grants.
Commissioners asked how the town would pay for future grant services and whether a quarterly contract or an in-house hire would be more cost effective. Staff noted the trade-offs: hiring a full-time, in-house grant writer would carry salary and benefits (staff estimated about $80,000 plus benefits) while a contract allows flexibility and remote work; some grants may allow using a portion of award funds to cover grant-writing costs.
Board members asked staff to compile cost scenarios and bring back budget figures for both an ongoing consultant arrangement (quarterly or block contracting) and the cost of a permanent hire, so the board can decide before allocated hours are exhausted.
Next steps: staff will return budget options for contracting or hiring and will include a proposed approach in upcoming budget workshops.
