Proposed task force would help nonprofits find grants

Alaska lawmakers are considering legislation that would create a task force to help nonprofit organizations and even communities figure out if they could cash in on the federal stimulus package.

Billions of dollars are available to organizations around the country through competitive grant processes or directly from federal agencies. That's separate from the money that's going directly to states through formula programs, like federal highway funds.

Fire departments, low income housing organizations, port officials wanting to expand and even communities wanting to build broadband infrastructure could be eligible for grant money - if local organizations are savvy enough to snap it up.

State legislators and the governor's office have been combing through the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law. But they are struggling just to figure out what the state has coming before the governor's April 3 deadline to request the money.

State Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, said there are many more deadlines for those grant applications.

"We are concerned that people won't know those dates. We are concerned they won't know what to go through to apply for those grants, or even that they are available," she said.

McGuire has sponsored legislation that would create a task force to help local communities and nonprofits to find grant opportunities.

The bill would require an assessment of the money available to Alaska and identify potential funding recipients. A draft plan would be due to the Legislature by May 1, with a final plan and report submitted no later than July 1.

The task force would include three members each from the state Senate and House, two representatives from the executive branch and one representative from the Alaska Municipal League.

Larry Persily, an aide to House Finance Committee co-Chairman Mike Hawker, has been asked to find out what the state can expect from the massive federal act. He said it's not surprising that people are still confused about the hundreds of available grant programs.

Many have been around for years with application and scoring and selection criteria in place, he said, but another two dozen are brand new.

"Think about 25 grant programs that never existed before and the pressure to get this money out the door," Persily said. "It's an overwhelming task to turn the economy around."

Persily said the concern is that agencies will be overloaded, grant processes rushed and frustrated applicants left wanting definitive answers.

Steve Ribuffo, deputy director of the Port of Anchorage, said the process has been chaotic so far.

The port plans to apply for $175 million in stimulus funds to pay for a portion of its $700 million expansion project. The grant would come from $1.5 billion in discretionary funds that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation is authorized to dole out.

"There are no firmly issued criteria for how to do that yet, nor is there any kind of application timeline yet," he said.

Ribuffo said the port is not eligible for funds that the state transportation department disburses through its regular formula program, but it will still compete against projects that are eligible.

"This is the only opportunity we have, and the vexing part is everyone else who already gets formula money is able to compete for this grant money as well," he said.

Still Ribuffo said the money would result in considerable savings for the port by speeding up the project and shaving some $60 million off the total cost by allowing them to order materials early and in bulk.

Rosemary Hagevig, executive director of Catholic Community Services in Juneau, said every organization her group is affiliated with - and there are many - have developed their own analyses of the bill.

"We're still trying to sort them all out," she said.

But she's hoping there will be money for Meals on Wheels for seniors and family and children's programs. Meanwhile, the Hospice and Home Health division will benefit from a delay written into the stimulus bill in implementing potentially burdensome new regulations.

"So it's not just money," Hagevig said. "It puts on hold a set of regulations that could change the economic viability of the program. So that gives us the better part of a year to figure it out."

Alaska's share of the total package is estimated at about $800 million but how much of that will come from grants is unclear.

McGuire's bill will have its first hearing on Thursday in the Senate State Affairs Committee.