Background Information

The grants life cycle includes grant seeking, the application process, post-award management, and closeout procedures.  The DGSP, County Commission, and County departments are involved throughout the cycle.

Grant Seeking

In collaboration with County departments, the DGSP conducts research to find possible grant opportunities that support department needs and priorities. Before seeking approval from the County Commission to begin a grant application process, the DGSP considers the County’s capacity to fulfill all grant requirements, staff time involved in the administration of the grant, conflicts of interest, and the grant’s contribution to Park County’s mission and goals.

Applying for a Grant

Once a grant opportunity has been identified, the DGSP meets with the department to discuss the competitiveness of an application submittal, conduct an in-depth review of the application materials, and identify programmatic implications.  Departments are required to develop a continuation plan that addresses strategies for sustaining grant funded programs should funding be reduced or terminated to avoid the absorption of costs to the County’s operating budget.

A formal decision on whether to pursue a grant opportunity is made by the County Commission during a regular public meeting.  If the Commission approves the grant opportunity, the DGSP begins the process of assembling the grant application.  Departmental staff support the process by providing the DGSP with necessary technical and operational expertise and knowledge about the program or project. 

The time commitment necessary to complete a competitive application can vary greatly.  During the application process, the DGSP attends project team meetings, reviews draft applications with departmental staff, assists with securing additional materials such as letters of support, memorandums of understanding, and letters of commitment to be included in the application; the Department also develops executive summaries, budgets, logic models and other commonly required application components.

Submission

Submittal of grant applications require prior review and approval from the DGSP and the County Commission.  This ensures that a program and application materials align with County priorities, meet document standards, have required funds and resources available, and have realistically evaluated a means of continuation after the grant period ends.

From the DGSP Standard Operating Policies & Procedures (“SOPP”):

1.  The DGSP will post an agenda item for discussion/decision of submittal (and applicable signature pages, resolutions, funding commitments, etc.) of the grant application at an upcoming County Commission meeting.
2. The County Commission authorizes application submission and the County Commission Chair and/or the Director of DGSP signs the required (including – but not limited to – signature pages, resolutions, funding commitments, etc.).
3. The DGSP submits the application following the guidelines required by the funding agency – generally through an electronic portal format. 
4. The DGSP uploads all application materials to the “Applications in Progress” folder on the Park County DGSP file folder system.
5. Upon receipt of notification that a grant will be awarded, the documentation is filed and post-award procedures take place.

Post-Award Grant Management

Once grant funding has been awarded, project implementation and management begins.  The award is brought before the County Commission and a formal decision is made on acceptance.  The DGSP works with the Finance Department on how to manage revenue and expenses related to the grant funded project or program.  The DGSP ensures the required contracting documentation is sent to the funding agency.

In some circumstances, Park County partners with outside organizations such as local non-profits or water or sewer district authorities and serves as the lead applicant in the grant process.  The County assumes responsibilities for the grant and requires a Cooperation Agreement, a document outlining each organization’s role in fulfilling requirements, with the partner organization. Typically, these organizations must pay a grants administration fee to the County.

All departments that receive grant funding must work with the DGSP to develop a Grant Implementation Plan.  This plan identifies goals and objectives, the project timeline, milestone events, anticipated expenditures, roles and responsibilities, and conditions. Departments assume responsibility for meeting the financial and implementation requirements for every grant.

Grant documentation must be kept a minimum of five years (sometimes longer) past the official close of the grant. 

Types of Grants

Foundation Grants:  Local, state, and national foundations exist to contribute monies from their endowments to programs of specific interest to their founders or board of directors and/or to benefit specific locations or populations. They make decisions following their own by-laws.  As such, requests for funding from foundations should reflect the unique priorities of each organization.

Corporate Grants:  Corporate philanthropies are private funders who are endowed by corporations, and in some cases even receive a designated percentage of profits each year to contribute. They too make funding decisions based on their own by-laws, which often dovetail with the sector in which the associated corporation operates. Usually, a corporation’s website will detail its grant-making priorities and application guidelines.

County Grants: Some counties and their associated agencies offer a limited number of grant opportunities each year which are open to local municipalities. They are often competitive.

State Grants:  The State of Montana offers several competitive and discretionary grant opportunities for municipalities and jurisdictions through various agencies. These grants cover a wide variety of subject matter including environmental issues, public health, public safety, transportation funding, roads and bridges, communications, cybersecurity, economic development and historic preservation.

Federal Grants: The most time-consuming and competitive opportunities, federal grant applications are substantial undertakings that can require project teams working upwards of three months to successfully complete. These grants often provide very substantial funding for longer-term initiatives, pilot projects, equipment, infrastructure-related projects, etc. that may be too costly to otherwise fund.  These opportunities are often offered through relevant agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of Transportation, etc.

Impact of Grants in Park County

Park County consistently receives at least $2 million in grant funding each year.  In some years, there has been a spike in grant funding.  For example, this year, Park County received $14.5 million for the Shields River Road project. 

Grant funding is a major source of funding for repairing or replacing County bridges.  Current and upcoming projects include Canyon Creek Bridge, Hamilton Road Bridge, Bruffey Lane Bridge, West Boulder Bridge, Carbella Bridge, Rock Creek Bridge, and Horse Creek Bridge.  While grant funding is available for bridges, opportunities for grant funding for road maintenance are rare.

The Park County Crisis Diversion Program, Windrider Transit Program, and the Park County Victim/Witness Assistance Program are examples of programs that utilize grant funding.  Since November 2017, Windrider Transit has provided free fixed-route services to Park County residents.  The service provides transportation for people who do not have the means to or choose not to drive. Riders include elderly residents, people with disabilities, youth, and the general public.  Grant funding from the Montana Department of Transportation covers 55 percent of total operating, administrative, and maintenance costs per year.  The remaining 45 percent is locally funded through community partner donations.

Grant funding can also be used in economic and community development.  The Glassybaby Job Creation Project has contributed to the creation of 75 jobs.

Where to find more information

To learn more about the Department of Grants & Special Projects, visit: https://www.parkcounty.org/Government-Departments/Grants-Special-Projects/

FY25 BUDGET WORKSHOPS

The Commissioners will have four 2-hour sessions for FY25 Budget Workshops:

Thursday, June 13th - Community Room -  9:00 AM-11:00 AM  
Thursday, June 20th - Community Room -  9:00 AM-11:00 AM  
Wednesday, June 26th - Commissioner Chambers -  9:00 AM-11:00 AM    
Thursday, June 27th - Community Room -  9:00 AM-11:00 AM 

History of Public Health in Montana

Montana passed laws as early as 1864, which focused on public health and give the responsibility for public health to local jurisdictions.  In 1895, Montana’s laws outlined the establishment and duties of County Boards of Health to guard against contagious or infectious diseases. In 1901, the legislature established Montana’s first statewide Board of Health which among other things, made smallpox vaccine a requirement for public school attendance. Other health concerns of the time included Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, tuberculosis, food and drug safety, storm sewers, infant, maternal and child health, and sanitation in schools, at tourist facilities and on passenger trains.

Public Health in Park County

Today, the Park City-County Health Department, similar to all health departments in the state, operates under Montana’s public health laws which is found in the Montana Code Annotated.   State law requires counties and cities of a certain size to have health departments. Some of the purposes of public health found in State law are to monitor the health status and identify solutions; investigate and diagnose health problems; educate on health issues; and develop policies and programs to protect health and ensure safety.   A health department is also required by state law to ensure disease prevention and control, regulate smoking in public places, and inspect and permit retail food establishments, hotels, motels, wholesale food establishments and other licensed establishments.

The Park City-County Health Department consists of a director and administrator, one public health nurse who works in our rural schools, a disease intervention specialist who investigates cases of communicable disease in Park County, a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program coordinator, a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, and a Prevention Specialist.  The Health Department has two Sanitarian positions and several part-time employees working on social connection and community building in the schools and our elderly population. Vaccine clinics take place throughout the County including the schools, nursing home, group homes and assisted living facilities with the help of a volunteer staff.

Our local Board of Health meets quarterly to review policy, Department updates, and any public health concerns affecting Park County. The meetings are open to the public and take place on the second Tuesday of January, April, July, and October.

Funding for the Park County Health Department comes primarily from the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, supplemented by outside grant funding and some general fund contributions.

Reference: Public History-Public Health, July 14, 2021, State Historic Preservation Office

Where to find more information

To contact the Park County Health Department, call (406) 222-4145.

Click here to view the Park County Health Department webpage.