FLAGSTAFF, Ariz – Communities like Flagstaff thrive when resources are allocated to initiatives that support their unique needs, and grant dollars play a vital role in this process. The City of Flagstaff currently has over 107 active state and federal grants, totaling a minimum of $203M in grant dollars over multiple years. In a given fiscal year, grants comprise approximately one fifth of the City’s total annual budget.
Grant dollars have a broad reach in the Flagstaff community. This year, the City is using grant dollars to construct post-wildfire flooding projects in our residential neighborhoods, conduct critical forest health treatments around our city, build better quality transportation networks, and provide our police officers with the equipment they need. Many of these projects are complex in nature, involving multi-year timelines and deploying skilled specialists and tradespeople. Disruptions or uncertainty around grant projects that have been approved and awarded can create a domino effect of delays and setbacks, leading to the completion of fewer important projects for our community.
In addition to allowing the City to solve unique challenges that we face here in Flagstaff, grant dollars also act as a powerful economic stimulus to create jobs and encourage investment in in our local economy. Numerous jobs in the Flagstaff area are funded in whole or in part by grant dollars, adding even more weight to the importance of stability and predictability in grant funding.
Mayor Becky Daggett said “while we’re relieved that it appears the federal funding freeze has been temporarily halted, I’d like to stress the critical importance this funding has in our community. It’s not an overstatement to say that the freeze would have a catastrophic impact on Flagstaff. Many of the city’s flood mitigation, transportation, and public safety projects are dependent upon this funding from our federal partners. Additionally, this funding freeze impacts local non-profit organizations we rely upon to provide basic services and our partners such as Coconino County and Northern Arizona University.”
The City will continue to monitor developments at the federal level and will communicate the impacts these actions have on City operations.
