Grants Program Launched

League assistance aims to help bolster cities’ resources

by Chris L. Holley II, Florida League of Cities

The Florida League of Cities has provided valuable grant information for years. State agencies gathered at conferences to share material on their respective programs and to speak one-on-one with members about qualification parameters and application time frames. Weekly League newsletters have included the latest information when new programs are announced or deadlines are extended. All very useful, but could more be done?

A 2017 survey conducted by the League’s Center for Municipal Research showed 84% of responding cities applied for a grant in the previous 12 months. When it came to submitting applications, only one-third had ever received grant writing or application training.

FLC Executive Director Jeannie Garner established grant assistance as one of her goals in 2020, and the League began research into where support would be most beneficial to its members. Conversations with mayors, managers, finance officers and grant coordinators led to the identification of three key areas:

▸ Researching/identifying available and qualifying grants

▸ Application writing and review

▸ Grant management and reporting.

The League considered different models, including hiring inhouse staff. However, upon reviewing available services in the private market, a clear industry leader was identified to partner with: eCivis. Entrusted by more than 1,000 state, local and tribal governments across the country, including 25 cities and 10 counties in Florida ranging from the City of Miami to the City of Pahokee, eCivis has always focused on providing grant support for local governments.

The grants program goal is to allow members of every size to access resources for little or no upfront costs.

Launched on June 14, the League’s new program allows each member to leverage the nation’s largest professionally curated database of grant opportunities, including federal, state and foundation grants, at no cost. This database includes over 9,000 tracked grants

frequently updated with new solicitation notifications and allows for faster review with a standardized format designed for easy-toread information access. Each member can customize its search to tag relevant grants and have them sent straight to their inbox.

Not only has research been made easier, but a vast pre-award suite will now be available at no cost. This pre-award suite includes built-in compliance with grant guidance and oversight from certified Grant Management Specialists at eCivis. Members can integrate project tasks with their email calendar to receive notifications of upcoming deadlines as well as track and report on pending grant awards. View previously awarded grants for direction on what strong grant applications look like within the eCivis system.

Does it sound like a lot to manage for a beginner to grants? Not a problem. ECivis has a dedicated Grant Coordinator to service Florida municipalities specifically. Training sessions will be rolled out as members sign up so everyone takes full advantage of what is available.

To help with grant writing, members can contact eCivis for a network of grant writers at pre-negotiated rates. Finally, substantially reduced pricing is available should a municipality be interested in the full post-award suite to manage and report on grants received as well as additional licenses.

Through this new partnership, every League member will have the tools to find, apply for and manage their grants easier than ever before. Go to flcities.com/grants to learn more about how you can sign up and see answers to frequently asked questions.

Chris L. Holley II is Manager, Research and Innovation at the Florida League of Cities and can be contacted at cholley@flcities.com.

WHAT IS ECIVIS?

ECivis is one of the most widely used grants management systems used today by Florida’s governments. Their grants management software assists local governments with identifying new funding for needed projects, overseeing applications and grants award management processes and administering crucial funding to the community, such as with the upcoming American Rescue Plan Act funding.

ECivis partners include:

▸ International City/County Management Association

▸ National Association of Counties

▸ National Grants Management Association.