Lago Vista committee reviews grant strategy; liaison says $1.5M identified but awards not yet secured

Committee members reviewed recent grant-writing work and next steps for resilience and community-center planning, and debated whether council should allocate seed matching funds to improve grant success chances.

Council liaison Norma told the committee, "We have not received anything as a result of her efforts as of yet," and described a learning curve between the city and the contractor. Staff summarized the grant writer’s upcoming deliverables: complete a USDA concept plan and draft budget, confirm eligibility for the Resilient Communities program, gather letters of support and compile cost estimates for a proposed community center and resilience-related features.

Norma said the city previously missed a $50,000 grant application because the council did not sign a required document in time. She also reported that the grant writer has identified about $1.5 million in potential funding opportunities that appear not to require local matching funds. Committee members questioned whether the city has money available to serve as matches when required and discussed the benefit of allocating seed money to increase the likelihood of award.

Members agreed staff should arrange a virtual presentation by the grant writer early in the next year to outline priorities and how multiple proposals could be coordinated. No formal action was taken; the committee recommended follow-up with the city manager and city attorney on procedural questions and possible council allocation of matching funds.