CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Bradley County may need its own grant writer, according to some county commissioners.
Grants have become an important source of income in recent years. They have brought millions of dollars to local schools, such as the Small Learning Communities grant being shared by the city and county school systems. Teachers and administrators in those systems usually write grant applications.
Grants secured in 2010 also are funding projects as different as long-range growth study plans to infrastructure for new industries. Cleveland and Bradley County are considering a grant to fund a follow-up to the recently completed 2035 growth study.
"We have talked about a grant writer," Commissioner Howard Thompson said at a recent commission meeting. "I think they pay for themselves. I don't think it would cost us. We could work it where they have a percentage or something."
County Commission Chairman Louie Alford said it's an idea he and the commission's legislative assistant, Amy Moore, have been looking into. He said they have talked to "a couple of folks here in Bradley County who are professional grant writers."
"We haven't had any official word from the commission to look any deeper," he said.
Commissioner J. Adam Lowe said it's worth looking into, but he also said that the sagging economy is affecting the number and amount of state and federal grants.
"Even foundation grants, because of the function of the markets, have taken hits over the past two years," he said. "So it's not the best season for grants, but I'm optimistic it will recover."
Alford said he and Moore will continue to look at the issue and report to the commission in a few months.
Contact Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfreepress.com or 423-314-1029.