New service should interest local governmental entities in need of funding...

In the company's 14-year history, SPI consultants have always worked with private sector firms, but now, with the new division, consultants will also work with governmental entities, nonprofits and regional coalitions in need of funding assistance.

The Community Resources Division will partner with cities, counties, public and higher education, economic development organizations, regional coalitions and other public entities throughout the state to help them capture untapped federal, state and private sector funding for special projects and economic initiatives. The goal will be to relieve some of the financial burden these entities are facing by helping them identify funding, develop a strategy to capture the funding and then overseeing the process from start to finish. John Breier, with more than 25 years in economic development work, will lead SPI's new division. He will be assisted by Rich Leidl from Washington, D.C. Leidl also has more than 25 years of experience in capturing grant funding for local governments.

The State of Texas has the authority to allocate more than $2.5 billion in competitive grant dollars for the current biennium. The federal government provides funding each year through grant funds, legislative earmarks and direct funding that often totals as much as $100 billion. Although this funding is available, many communities lack the resources or the expertise to compete for the funds. SPI offers to remedy that!

SPI's team of experienced former elected officials, city managers, economic development professionals, political strategists, researchers and grant experts in Austin and Washington, D.C., will help public entities capture their share of this funding. The SPI team will focus on each entity's unique priorities and then work through the entire process to secure funding from both state and federal sources.

For more information about this new service, click here.