As 2024 comes into focus, now is the time for regional municipalities to start making their submissions toward opportunistic grant programs.
This was the message from Amy Frogue during Monday’s monthly Pennyrile Area Development District meeting.
As PADD’s director for community & economic development, she recommended officials pay close attention to four specific funding mechanisms over the next six months:
— The Land & Water Conservation Fund, which helps develop and renovate public outdoor recreation facilities. It asks for a minimum of $25,000 and maximum of $250,000, is a 50/50 matching reimbursement and has a due date of May 31.
— Recreational Trails Program, which develops and/or maintains motorized and non-motorized recreational trails. It also asks for a minimum of $25,000 and maximum of $250,000, is an 80/20 matching reimbursement and is due May 31.
— Recycling/Household Hazardous Waste, which develops programs and infrastructure necessary for collection events. It’s a 75/25 matching reimbursement due by April 1.
— And Crumb Rubber, which promotes projects that use waste tires as special mulch for landscaping, poured-in-place surfacing, park benches and picnic tables. It’s a 75/25 matching reimbursement, also due April 1.
Other deadlines, she said, are quickly approaching.
Several opportunities for Community Development Block Grants will open during 2Q 2024.
In other PADD news:
— Jaime Peterson, CPA for Calhoun & Company, noted that an unmodified, clean audit was returned to PADD and its officials, following the testing of two major programs: the Aging cluster and the Economic Development cluster.
For the fiscal year ending June 2023:
*More than $19 million was generated in revenue: $7.5 million in federal funding, $9.3 million in state funding, and $2.1 million in other revenues. Of these monies, she said more than $13.9 million went to Aging grants, $3.9 million went to the West Kentucky Workforce Board, and more than $1.5 million was spread between several programs at $350,000 or less.
*Generated expenses, meanwhile, nearly equated $19 million, including $14.3 million in contracted services, $2.1 million in salaries, $1.1 million in employee benefits, and $1.3 million in various costs.
Thus, a break-even, slightly-positive effort in a not-for-profit scenario.
— Following Corey Elder’s announcement of his move from Congressman James Comer’s office to a new job in Frankfort, Austin Wetherington confirmed he will be splitting regional representation duties with District Director Sandy Simpson moving forward.
A graduate of St. Mary High School in Paducah, as well as the University of Pikeville, his responsibilities will now include Caldwell, Hopkins and Trigg counties, while Simpson adds Christian and Todd.
— Jill Collins, Pennyrile’s Area Agency on Independent Living Program, said more than 430 individuals had a Christmas provided by the “Forgotten Angels.”
Collins also noted that over the next few months, details will become clearer on west Kentucky’s involvement of the national expansion for the Veteran Directed Care Program.
Over the next several quarters, Collins said additional partnerships with medical centers from Lexington, Louisville, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia and Tennessee will be added to PADD’s veteran-assistance profile.
