Summer is most definitely upon us (despite a recent Saturday here where the high didn’t even reach 60). Kids are out of school, and it’s vacation month. And I want to say, Staci Nelson and our team of grant specialists have earned one heck of a vacation. In addition to assisting our project managers with ROAR community projects, they have worked with the associate development organizations (ADOs) in Okanogan, Lincoln, Adams, Whitman and Spokane counties these past few months – hours upon hours of project meetings, funding research and proposal writing.
Monday (June 30) marked the end of the contract period, and this group produced some impressive results, especially given the upheaval with federal grant programs and a lean state budget. They:
- Supported the development and submission of 19 applications on behalf of nonprofits, municipalities and special districts
- Submitted proposals for infrastructure planning, downtown revitalization, wastewater systems, cybersecurity, youth and elderly services and recreation
- Requested total funding across all applications for more than $8.2 million dollars.
We have the most talented, capable people working on behalf of PRWA. They are smart, funny, dedicated professionals who truly care about helping rural communities. I am humbled they choose to spend their talent helping PRWA. I am grateful for their “let’s do this!” attitude. And I am so happy to call them friends. Here’s to the grant team at PRWA – Staci, Amelia, Annalisa, Payton, and Lisa – for a job very well done!
I’ll be going on vacation myself shortly, so my next note at the end of the month will no doubt be a firecracker, exploding with all kinds of news 😉
Take care, and have a spectacular and safe Fourth of July!
Jody
