Heidi Rice Special to the Post Independent
The Garfield County Board of Commissioners received eight requests for third-quarter discretionary grants Monday, far lower than the previous quarter.
In May, the board considered 24 grant requests and awarded $67,000 in funding for the second quarter, which left just $60,000 for grants for the remaining two cycles.
The current funding requests total $28,500 for the third quarter funding round. That’s far lower than the previous two cycles.
The board already approved a $3,000 discretionary grant on July 1 for Grand Valley Days.
“This is out of sequence with our regular grants,” Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said of the July award.
Due to leadership changes, the Grand Valley Parks Association missed the second quarter funding round, and needed the grants in advance of their Aug. 16 event, the organization explained.
Five organizations are requesting the maximum grant amount of $5,000: The Western Slope Veterans Coalition, Mount Sopris Historical Society, National Finals Sheepdog Trials, which will be held at the Strang Ranch in September, Colorado Mission of Mercy and the Middle Colorado Watershed Council.
The historical society will present its request Aug 12, when the board will consider all of the funding requests at once.
The Western Slope Veterans Coalition, headquartered in Glenwood Springs, said it serves around 5 percent of the 7,500 men and women in the area who have served in the military.
WSVC provides information, legal services, housing and education resources, social outlets and more to local veterans.
The Middle Colorado Watershed Council requested the funds to design a display for the Rifle rest area.
“Our goal is to make it the premier river exhibition hall in Colorado, which is a tall order,” said Doug Winter of the Watershed Council.
GlenX, in association with the Aspen Foundation, asked for $2,500 for the Rifle Career Expo this fall, which is slated to bring 1,400 high school students from western Garfield County to meet with local employers and explore other post-graduate career options.
The 2019 expo will be held at the Garfield County Fairgrounds for the first time this year, which has enough seating for the entire group of students to come together at once.
Expo organizer Jayne Poss said GlenX also wants to expand an internship program. Last year, GlenX awarded one student a $1,000 stipend for an internship with a local business, and this year, Poss wants to offer the same program to one student from each high school in western Garfield County.
The Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra also requested for $2,500 from the county. This year, the RFYO has 71 students, most of them from Garfield County, enrolled in music programs.
And, the Glenwood Downtown Market put in a request for $2,500 in funding to match WIC benefits $20 a month per family. Market representatives will also present to the commissioners Aug. 12.
