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Good morning,
Pima County provides hundreds of programs and services that residents rely on every day. While local tax dollars support much of that work, another important source of funding comes from grants. The department responsible for making sure those dollars are pursued, managed and spent accordingly is Pima County’s Grants Management & Innovation (GMI).
GMI serves as a central resource for County departments throughout the grant process, from identifying funding opportunities and developing competitive applications to managing awards, monitoring compliance and closing out grants.
In a recent episode of Inside Pima County with Rex Scott, GMI Director Ken Walker and Grant Development Division Manager Dorothee Harmon explained the scope of this work. At the time of the conversation, Pima County was managing 279 active grants supporting programs and services across the County.
And as Walker pointed out, grants are anything but “free money.” Each award comes with requirements governing how funds can be spent, programs operated and results reported. GMI helps County departments and community organizations receiving County grant funds successfully navigate those requirements. That includes 51 community-based organizations that served as grant subrecipients in Fiscal Year 2025-26. GMI works with these organizations to ensure compliance while also helping strengthen their ability to successfully manage grant funding in the future.
The impact of this work can be seen right here in District 1.
Following the 2020 Bighorn Fire, damage to the Catalina Mountains watershed altered debris flows and increased risks for residents and businesses in Oro Valley. That ultimately led to a FEMA grant to help raise levees along the Cañada del Oro.
Grant funding also supports organizations including Interfaith Community Services and IMPACT of Southern Arizona in Catalina. Another grant is helping fund the conversion of irrigation at Arthur Pack Regional Park's ball fields from groundwater to reclaimed water.
GMI also actively monitors federal and state funding opportunities and works with County departments to identify grants that align with community needs. Developing a competitive federal grant application can require 80 to 100 hours of dedicated work, making GMI's expertise an important resource for departments across Pima County.
Much of GMI's work happens behind the scenes, but the results are visible throughout our community; improved infrastructure, stronger community organizations, expanded services and additional resources brought into Pima County.
Most importantly, GMI helps ensure that when grant dollars come into our community, they are managed responsibly and put to work improving the quality of life for Pima County residents.
LINKS:
Rex
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