Tazewell County board members discussed creating a grant administrator position or using grant software and outside partners to expand grant revenue and manage reporting; members said staffing shortages have forced the county to decline some federal grants.

Speakers described the grant administrator role as twofold: pursuing additional grant funding and managing existing grant reporting and compliance. One board member said grant software can help track reports and identify opportunities but that a dedicated administrator often does the hands-on work of applying and managing grants.

Speaker 1 said a grant administrator would “manage our current grants and be very useful in that realm, and then they would also help us go get more.” The group debated whether to hire a county employee for the role or contract with regional organizations that provide grant services.

A board member with prior experience administering grants said the county has used outside partners such as NCCI, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and similar regional entities to avoid adding payroll costs. They cautioned that external providers often serve many counties and that the county must secure the right skill set for its diverse functions.

Board members reported the county has declined at least one Justice Department grant because the sheriff's office lacked staff to meet the grant's reporting requirements. Speaker 8 said the county turned down the Department of Justice funding because “the sheriff would have to hire a person just to record and report all that information,” and the county lacked internal staff to handle the reporting burden.

No formal action to create a grant administrator position was taken in the recorded discussion. Participants suggested next steps include evaluating grant software, assessing external partner capacity, and drafting a job description if the board chooses to pursue a county position.