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Council questions Grant Wright performance after administration says $47M applied and $5.4M awarded
Summary
Grants staff recommended renewing Grant Wright's contract for application coordination and compliance; the administration said Grant Wright submitted $47 million in applications in 2026 and the city has $5.4 million awarded to date, prompting requests for competitive-vs-preordained award breakdowns and past performance metrics.
Vivian Webb, head of the grants office, asked the municipal council to authorize a first-year renewal for Grant Wright Management Corp. and outlined the firm's role in application filing and compliance oversight. Webb said Grant Wright filed about $47 million in grant applications in 2026 to date and reported the city has $5.4 million in grant awards recovered or secured so far this year.
Council members pressed for clarity. "How much of that $5.4 million was competitive versus predetermined or recurring awards?" one councilor asked. Webb said much of the early-year awards were predetermined and that competitive awards historically varied; she offered to provide a breakdown of competitive wins versus predetermined pass-through funds and a ratio of awards-to-applications for Grant Wright and past contractors.
Webb and others defended the consultant on compliance grounds. She said Grant Wright's compliance work helped the city avoid losing reimbursements and even recover funds from FEMA, citing prior recoveries and reimbursements for the fire department. Webb also noted the firm spends roughly 25 to 30 hours per week working directly with city staff.
Council members requested an executive summary and budget for future grant approvals, plus metric reports showing Grant Wright's competitive success rate and a comparison to prior vendors. The council also sought an explanation of what portion of grant applications were for preexisting, formulaic awards versus competitive solicitations. Webb agreed to provide the requested data ahead of the next meeting.
No vote on the contract renewal occurred during the caucus; staff said follow-up documents would be supplied for council review.
