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HomeMy Public PortalAboutGrant Development Manager - Finance DepartmentCity of Watertown, MA  ARPA Project Proposal Submitted by: Emily Monea Submitted on: May 25, 2023 Request Number: ARPA-19 Project Name: Grant Development Manager Proposal Type: City Department Finance Recommended Project Manager: Chief Financial Officer Project Summary: Create a Grants Development Manager position that will be responsible for development and submission of grant proposals and applications to external funders, including federal and state agencies and foundations. Amount of ARPA Funds Requested: $344,945 Minimum Funds Needed: $148,593 Matching funds available? No Other funds available? No Project Narrative: I will use the form to enter narrative Narrative description of the project: The City Manager is proposing to create a Grants Development Manager position that will be responsible for development and submission of grant proposals and applications to external funders, including federal and state agencies and foundations. The Grants Development Manager will identify and assess funding opportunities; collaborate with staff to develop projects and initiatives that align with the City’s mission and goals and that reflect a prudent use of staff time and municipal resources; and collaborate with staff to develop all narrative, budget, and supplemental components for grant proposals. The Grants Development Manager will provide assistance to municipal staff on any grant-related matters and advise staff on best practices for program activities, budget management, and outcomes/project measurement. This position will be especially beneficial to the City as the federal government fully implements the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which combined provide billions of dollars in competitive funding for local governments. Initially funding this position with ARPA dollars will allow the City to determine if a grants development position is a worthwhile strategy for identifying new revenue sources to support existing and/or new programs. If funded, this position will report to the Chief Financial Officer. Detailed Project Budget: Funding assumptions: $80,000/year salary; $20,000/year benefits; 2.5% increase per year; funded from 9/1/23 through 12/31/26. Salary only Salary + Benefits FY24 $66,593 $83,242 FY25 $82,000 $102,500 FY26 $84,050 $105,063 FY27 $43,312 $54,140 Total $275,956 $344,945 The minimum funds needed to make the project worth doing ($148,593) is equal to the salary only for FY24 and FY25, which would give the City sufficient time to determine if this position is a net benefit and worth funding on the operating budget. Timeline for the project: Post the job description for the position as soon as funding is approved; salary costs are ongoing after the position is filled; funding for the position will be transferred to the operating budget after ARPA funding is no longer available assuming the position is evaluated to be a net positive for the City. Resources required in addition to the ARPA funding: None Metrics for success of the project: The creation of the position should, at a minimum, generate enough new grant revenue to offset the cost of the position; beyond that, the position should generate new grant revenue to offset some or all of the cost of existing programs, to expand existing programs, and/or to launch new programs. Furthermore, the position will streamline and make more efficient the process of applying for grants, freeing up existing staff resources to focus on other work.  Outputs / outcomes: Amount of new grant revenue; number and impact of new grant-funded programs launched What will be the overall benefit? An effective Grants Development Manager will generate new revenue from external sources to allow for the development of new and/or expansion of existing programs that meet the needs and goals of the community.