As we enter 2024, the TARCOG Economic Development and Planning (ED&P) staff are announcing a new process to create more competitive grant applications to fund needed projects in the region.

“Usually, our government leaders know what is needed but just need a way to fund it,” said Lee Terry, director of ED&P at TARCOG.

Planning ahead is critical to the process, Terry said. While grant application deadlines may be months away, the time to start work on applications is now.

“If there is any project you’d like to do or if you’re looking for assistance or funding in any way, let us know because we may be able to help identify potential funding sources,” Terry said. “But we have to start thinking about the projects we want to do and begin taking steps to get ready to apply now.”

He said TARCOG staff are a resource for general guidance and to help focus an idea into a viable project.

“We are here to assist with project development and to provide guidance through the process,” he added.

For example, on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grants, Terry and the TARCOG staff have identified five steps that members must complete before an application can be started:

1. If in need of assistance to develop ideas, contact the TARCOG planning staff at 256-716-2483.
2. Schedule a preliminary meeting with TARCOG to discuss ideas and project development.
3. Procure an architect or engineer for the project.
4. Have all preliminary engineering reports with cost estimates and design.
5. If providing a match, the funding source needs to be identified and set aside or committed, preferably by resolution.

2024 Highlights of Grant Opportunities for TARCOG Members

CDBG funded by ADECA. Applications are due in July.

• Competitive Fund – Typical activities include water/sewer extensions and rehab, housing rehab, neighborhood and downtown revitalization, and street and drainage improvements.

• County Fund – Up to $500,000. County governments are eligible.

• Large City Fund – Up to $500,000. Non-entitlement communities are eligible. 2020 Census population 3,001 or more

• Small City Fund – Up to $400,000. 2020 Census population 3,000 or less

• Community Enhancement Fund – Up to $400,000. Available to all eligible communities and typical activities include fire protection, senior citizen centers, community centers, boys’ and girls’ clubs, recreational facilities, etc.

• Planning Fund – Up to $40,000 max. Available to all eligible communities

• Economic Development Fund. For projects supporting the creation or retention of jobs. Applicants should have a commitment from the business to create or retain 15 or more jobs. Available to all eligible communities. A 20 percent match is required. Includes:

• ED Grants – Up to $400,000 max
• ED Incubator – Up to $400,000 max
• ED Loans – Up to $250,000 max
• ED Float Loans – Up to $10 million max

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Grant Opportunities from federal and state sources. Application deadlines are in June. Projects must promote in some way government, nonprofits or higher education.

Area Development Program

• Construction — Up to $500,000 for critical infrastructure like:
• Water/Sewer
• Transportation networks
• Broadband
• Other regional economic development
• Non-Construction — Up to $350,000 for business and workforce development like:
• Entrepreneurship
• Worker training and education
• Food systems
• Leadership
• Other human capital development

Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies – ARISE. Funded by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 that invests $1 trillion to fix our nation’s infrastructure while creating over two million jobs through 2031. Qualifying projects:

Large scale regional economic transformation, multi state collaboration, for business and industry. Up to $500,000 for planning and up to $10 million for implementation.

Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems Initiative — INSPIRE.

Substance use disorder crisis in Appalachia by creating or expanding recovery ecosystems that will to workforce entry or re-entry.

Partnership for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative — POWER. Targets federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations and coal related supply chain issues.

Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities — WORC Provide training and support activities to dislocated workers, new workforce entrants, incumbent workers, and individuals affected by substance use disorder.

INVESTMENT PRIORITIES

Building Appalachian Businesses. Investments in entrepreneurship and home-grown business development to help communities build sustainable, diverse economies.

Workforce Ecosystems. Expand and strengthen community systems including education, healthcare, housing and childcare.

Community Infrastructure. Access to reliable and affordable utilities and infrastructure

Regional Culture and Tourism. Preserving and investing in the Region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets to strengthen economic potential.

Leaders and Local Capacity. Investing in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges to strengthen the region’s economic prosperity.

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant

Application deadlines are in November. Grant funding for state recreation projects that conform to the goals outlined in the Alabama Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant – (JAG) Grant is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to states and units of local government. Due in August.

The grant is often used for law enforcement equipment needs but it can be used to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution, indigent defense, courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation, technology improvement, crime victim and witness initiatives, mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams, and implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives including, but not limited to, mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs.

Recreational Trails Program (RTP) The RTP was created in 1998 and is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The RTP provides grant assistance to State and Federal agencies and local units of government for the acquisition and/or development/improvement of recreational trails and trail related resources. Examples of eligible trail types include but are not limited to walking, jogging, cycling, skating, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, off-highway vehicle, and equestrian.

Lee said there are many other grant opportunities available with rolling deadlines, another reason why it’s important to connect with staff to discuss the options. For more information contact Lee at lee.terry@tarcog.usor 256-716-2483.

Happy new year to you and your families as we celebrate the first week of 2024!

Beyond the stress, hustle and bustle and family times of the holiday season, I hope you found some time be alone and reflect on your year behind and your year forward. What went well, where are you now and what do you want to change for the year upcoming? We encouraged our entire staff to this as we prepare for what we believe will be an epic year for TARCOG.

We had several big changes in 2023. The year began with us dealing with the aftermath of a flood near the end of 2022 which caused catastrophic damage at our longtime location on Research Drive. We moved to a temporary location in Research Park Office Center on Old Madison Pike and are busy working on plans for a new office building which will be located on Corporate Drive, near our old location. We hope to see construction begin by Summer/Fall of 2024.

Other significant changes involved our executive staff.

We said farewell to Rene Breland, Director of Aging Programs, who is enjoying retirement after 11 years with TARCOG. Picking up where Rene left off is Sheila Dessau-Ivey, who we welcomed to fill that role in May. She has been a great addition to our team and the TARCOG region.

Sara James stepped down as the Director of Economic Development and Planning in June, and we now have Lee Terry, former City of Decatur Planning Manager filling this important role. He brings a wealth of City and Transportation Planning to TARCOG, and we are excited about the future of our region.

Our Human Resource Manager, Brenson Parks, left the agency in August, and Teri Aldridge joined us in October to fill this position. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge that we are counting on with our employee recruitment needs as our agency continues to grow and provide more services to our communities in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties.

A new Communications Coordinator position was created recently to help TARCOG do a better job of sharing our story. That role is being filled by Wendy Reeves since late August. She is the former executive director of Partnership for a Drug-Free Community who has extensive public relations and journalism experience in our community. You’ll be seeing more stories about what we’re doing in this newsletter, on our website at www.tarcog.us, and through our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and coming soon, YouTube. So please be sure to follow us if you don’t already.

These new faces complete our executive team along with Gerald Carter, our director of Finance who has been with TARCOG going on 14 years, and Alexis Gunderson, my executive administrative assistant for 2 years. Together, we all lead our staff of 85 employees who are assisting our aging and disabled population and their caregivers and working to strengthen our five counties and 47 member governments through economic development and planning. We are fortunate to have a team made of men and women who care about what they do, and the people we serve.

In this month’s newsletter you’ll learn a little bit about a staff member who has made a significant impact on the TARCOG Region. Many of our member governments and partners have known Del Shafer from the 48 years he’s worked on getting grants and working on projects that have improved the quality of life in our part of North Alabama. He is a big part of TARCOG’s history, and we are thankful to have him remain a part of our team.

Speaking of history, there’s something else that’s significant in 2024 as it will be the 55th year since the Alabama State Legislature authorized creation of substate regional planning and development commissions. The TARCOG area, created in 1968, was already formed and functioning, but was officially designated an official substate district in 1969.

That’s just one of the reasons we’re reflecting on the past as we look to the future. So please, if you haven’t already, find time to gift yourself with rest and reflection, and enjoy this new year with a renewed spirit, mind and body; your body will thank you.

Wishing you a happy and bright 2024.

TARCOG Executive Director Michelle Gilliam Jordan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Thanks to the hundreds of generous sponsors for TARCOG’s 2023 Winter Wishes campaign, there’s three holiday-wrapped gift boxes sitting under a tree in the home of a 79-year-old TARCOG client who plans to open them on Christmas morning.

“She told me she put up the tree because she knew I was bringing a gift,” said Danasia Sowers, a case manager in the Medical Waiver Program. “She received three boxes … These are the only presents she will receive this year and she was so excited to get them.”

This was just one of 361 TARCOG clients who created a Winter Wish list that’s been fulfilled this year. An additional 70 clients under the age of 60 still have an unmet wish, said Melissa Brinkley, manager of the Medicaid Waiver Program. Monetary donations are currently being accepted to finish this year’s campaign, she added.

TARCOG’s Medicaid Waiver Program serves more than 800 clients of all ages in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties. The holiday campaign, which was previously called Santa for Seniors, started in 2002 as a simple gesture to pass on kindness and joy to those in need, Brinkley said. The campaign starts in early fall with the home and community-based care case managers collecting up to three wishes from clients, setting the expectation they will receive at least one item on their list. Then TARCOG partners with community sponsors to help brighten the lives of seniors during the holiday season. Every year, including this year, the campaign grows. This year the name was changed to TARCOG Winter Wishes because while TARCOG serves mostly seniors, it also has clients from every age groups.

Amber Millimaki, coordinator of this year’s TARCOG Winter Wishes, said there’s a lot of work that goes into the campaign from staff to collect the wish lists, the community sponsors who spend their time and money to buy and wrap the packages, as well as usually deliver them to the TARCOG office. Staff picks up some donated packages and shops for others as needed before case managers distribute gifts throughout the month of December as they make their monthly visits.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all of the sponsors because this would never happen without their support,” Millimaki said. “Christmas is my favorite time of the year and being a part of this brought so much joy to me. I am so happy I got to be involved.”

Case Manager Julie Staggs delivered the first of her client’s presents on Friday, Dec. 1 to a 74-year-old woman. It consisted of a bedside commode topped with a bow and two other gift bags.

“She just kept repeating ‘this is really, really, nice,” about the commode that she needed because it’s hard for her to get on and off of a regular toilet,” Julie said. “One of the other packages was a coffee pot that she and her husband were excited about, and she reserved one package to open later.”

Julie said she was glad to be able to deliver the items to the client because she really needed them. “She is so sweet and does not have a lot of help, hardly any at all, and she was really excited,” she added.

Case Manager Martina Hermes said she truly feels like Santa Claus after the first gifts she dropped off on Dec. 1. She smiled thinking of the 87-year-old woman who was waiting on her to arrive with her gifts.

“She was so thankful and happy,” Martina said. “She had asked for clothing items, and she didn’t open them while I was there, but she promised to let me know how they fit when she opened them up and tried them on.”

Another client was also appreciative, but he set his gifts aside to open later. Some don’t know what to say because they’re overwhelmed, the case managers said.

Most all the wishes came fulfilled in beautifully wrapped boxes and festive holiday gift bags. They included everything from pens and pencils to linens and cookware. Walkers, canes, adult incontinence and cleaning supplies, and even HVAC air filters were items requested.

“Many of sponsors go above and beyond and do even more than what was requested by adding extra unexpected items and notes to brighten their spirits,” Brinkley said. “Then there’s the care and thought that goes into the packages, sometimes our clients don’t want to open up the gifts because they are wrapped so pretty.”

Sheila Dessau-Ivey, director of TARCOG’s Area Agency on Aging, couldn’t say enough good things about the TARCOG Winter Wishes sponsors. She said new sponsors are added each year, but there are several who participate year after year by adopting multiple seniors and that is what make the campaign so successful. And that’s what brings smile after smile, like the one Danasia experienced with her client, with unopened gifts under her tree.

The client wanted to put them under the tree so she can open them on Christmas morning, Danasia said after dropping off the package during a visit on Monday, Dec. 4.

“A lot of my clients have no family or support and sometimes I am the only one who ever visits them and that means that the gift I take is the only one they will receive the whole entire year,” Danasia said. “For example, just now, I saw another client who normally doesn’t get out of bed, but today she got up because she said, ‘I just want to hug you and I love you so much,’ so seeing that reaction when their whole world just lights up, it just warms my heart.”

For more information or to make a contribution, contact Amber Millimaki at 256-684-6611, or amber.millimaki@tarcog.us

See more photos

Over in DeKalb County, a worn-out sewer system needs upgrades in Collinsville and Pine Ridge needs a plan to help manage growth. In Marshall County, a water-damaged Guntersville Senior Center needs extensive repairs.

All of these needs can be met now thanks to TARCOG helping each community through recent grant awards totaling more than $750,000, said Lee Terry, director of Economic Development and Planning.

Terry said TARCOG staff utilized the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to help the three communities. CDBG provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

Pine Ridge is looking to its future and received $40,000 to fully fund the creation of a

community wide comprehensive plan. Terry said the proposed comprehensive plan will establish goals and policy actions that will help the town manage growth, pursue improvements in quality of life, and identify and incorporate community assets.

He said the goals and policies will ensure that Pine Ridge is able to adapt to changing conditions while developing into a town that is resilient, attractive, and a safe place to live, both now and in the future.

In Collinsville, TARCOG was able to secure $400,000 in CDBG funding to help with a $460,000 sewer system upgrade.

Terry said each service line in the town will be excavated and replaced from the main line to the residence as required. Leaking manholes in the project area will be sealed with a waterproof cement-based coating and manhole tops will be raised to eliminate surface infiltration into the manhole.

One manhole in the system has been identified as substandard because of its square poured basin that historically has caused severe back-ups in the system, will be replaced entirely, Terry said.

The largest grant award for $312,013 was for the Guntersville Senior Center, which is looking at a total project cost of just under $2 million to repair and expand its services.

During freezing weather in December 2022, a water pipe burst flooding the center’s multi-purpose room and damaged other parts of the western side of the building. Terry said during efforts to clean up the flood damage, structural damage was discovered to the building’s support beams.

The structural needs addressed by the renovations will increase the longevity of the building, Terry said, while providing an opportunity for more visitors and activities.

Terry said TARCOG is proud of the work that went into securing these much needed funds for our partners and also added a special thank you and much deserved recognition of the time and effort put into the grant applications by the ED&P staff.