In northern Utah, though, public officials are turning to software to bring more efficiency to the process.
Cache County, with a population of about 140,000 people, has deployed grant management software from Euna Solutions. The offering, called Euna Grants, has centralized and streamlined a task that previously involved spreadsheets and ample paperwork, according to Alma Burgess, grants administrator for the county.
The tool enables the county’s workforce to conduct quicker digital searches and filtering of grants, then apply for funding via the platform. A dashboard helps officials track ongoing grants and make sure they don’t miss documentation when applying, and offers insight into potential compliance and audit issues.
The platform also unifies the county’s grant seeking and management. As Burgess put it, county departments would often do “their own thing,” which could lead to the county’s financial supervisors being unaware of grants that were sought, or even grants that had been won.
“We were in desperate need of a tool that would bring everyone on the same page,” he told Government Technology.
So far, Burgess said, the county has used Euna Grants to manage at least $25 million in federal funding spread over 73 projects that include playgrounds, theaters and sports facilities.
“To see sports facilities, playgrounds, and theaters come to life as a result of our grants is truly rewarding,” he said.
Full implementation of the grant management software with all county departments is ongoing, he said. The lessons Cache County officials have learned so far, though, include the importance of training — especially as grant management usually involves a variety of people responsible for different jobs.
The tool’s training videos and manuals have gone a long way toward smoothing the transition to this new process, Burgess said — and to overcoming inertia from people who think the best way to find grants is via word of mouth.
