Below is a projected idea to save Virginia State Government dollars as well as state jobs:

The idea is to creat a Governor's Grants Office to provide technical assistance to state agencies, to find, win, and manage federal grants and foundation propsals successfully. The Governor's Grants Office activies/goals are proposed to include:

• Coordinate state agency activity to identify and win competitive federal grants consistent with the policy goals of the Governor's Office.
• Review federal grant formulae at the time of Congressional reauthorization to ensure Virginia receives an optimized share of funding.
• Assist local governments and community-based organizations in identifying federal grant opportunities, as well as State or private foundation grants.
• Provide grant-writer training and technical assistance to state agency staff and other interested organizations.
• Assist small businesses in identifying federal procurement opportunities and assist individuals in identifying federal employment opportunities through technology resources.  (Projected goal, if time permits.)
• Measure and track federal funding data.

Further details include:

1)  With accountability to the Governor as well as offices in the Governor's office suite, a team of experienced grants writers (5-7) is hired.

2)  When new grants appear and during weekly grants writers staff meetings, grants are identified and grants writers assigned to the state agency (ies) to begin the grants process--data collection, research, narrative summary, budget and budget summary.  Grants writers will remain on-site at the designated agency's offices until the grant preparation/proposal is completed in draft format.

3)  The completed grant is analyzed for completeness and thoroughness by the grants writers and staff and submitted timely and prior to the deadline date.

4)  This grants writers team will have 501(c)(3) status enabling them to accept all federal and foundation monies as well as gifts and contributions.

5)  Every grants writers team member will be assigned a grant and benefiting state agency.  No agency(ies) will be exempt from the above grants process.

6)  As time permits, the grants writers team will also assist localities in writing homeland security grants and other appropriate locality funding sources.  Also as time permits, the grants writers team will assist small businesses in dientifying federal procurement opportunities and assist individuals in identifying federal employment opportunities through the use of technology.

7)  To be modeled after the successful Maryland Governor's Grants Office.

In summary, State benefits to include:

• Projected high percentage of the overall state budget, or $6.5 billion to Virginia state agencies, achieved through federal grants and contracts.
• Increased performance measurement and maximizing the receipt of federal funds.

Elaine Terretta-Benko

Grants-Writer, Supreme Court of Virginia

Founder and Co-Chair, Capitol Region Grant Collaboration Group

eterrettabenko@courts.state.va.us, 804-371-0083