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Traverse City expands grant-writing contract to chase state and foundation money as federal rollout falters
Summary
After hearing a yearlong review of federal Inflation Reduction Act opportunities and a presentation on grant process improvements, the commission voted Oct. 6 to amend the city's contract with LSI Business Development to expand its scope to pursue state and private foundation funding in addition to IRA/IJA grants.
Traverse City commissioners on Oct. 6 voted to broaden the scope of the city's contract with LSI Business Development, authorizing the mayor and interim clerk to execute an amendment that allows LSI to pursue state grants and private foundation money as well as federal IRA/IJA opportunities.
The decision followed a presentation from LSI representatives and city staff reviewing a year of work. Deputy City Manager Deb Allen said the firm helped set up an internal grant approval process, timelines and checklists and a pipeline to identify and prioritize opportunities. LSI Senior Engagement Lead Tanisha Wright told the commission the team had implemented an approval process "with approval templates" and a tracking sheet to manage opportunities and avoid last-minute rushes.
LSI's chief operating officer, Sam Beasley, described the federal landscape as "not just uncertain but...dynamic," noting that grants tied to the Inflation Reduction Act and similar programs can appear on short notice and may be subject to administrative changes or rescissions. Beasley recommended diversifying funding strategies: "It may make a lot of sense to diversify the areas in which we're looking to support your infrastructure," he said, arguing that state and foundation grants can be steadier targets than the federal roller coaster.
Staff and LSI also flagged timing pressures tied to the city's ARPA funding. Beasley and Deb Allen explained that ARPA-funded activity used to initiate grant applications must be executed by Dec. 2026 or unspent dollars may need to be returned.
Commissioners asked about LSI's ability to pursue nonfederal grants; LSI said the firm has experience with foundations and state programs, and staff said expanding the contract would explicitly authorize that work. Commissioner Jackie Anderson and others stressed the need to prioritize opportunities the city has a reasonable chance of winning and to maintain clear internal approvals.
The commission approved a motion authorizing the mayor and interim clerk to sign an amendment expanding LSI's scope to include private foundation and state funding opportunities, subject to city-manager and city-attorney approval of the contract language.
What happens next: staff said LSI will continue monthly pipeline reviews with department leads, submit grant applications as appropriate and return to the commission for any approvals or matching-fund decisions required by specific grants.
