FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2008

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced the creation of the Local Government Services and Regional Collaboration Grant Program, designed to encourage new forms of collaboration among Ohio’s many governmental jurisdictions. The program was established in the 2008-2009 Ohio Biennial Budget and provides $1 million in grants to local governments interested in examining the possibility of combining and/or collaborating on its services with other local governments.

"Governor Strickland and I consistently have emphasized the need to improve and enhance collaboration and regional economic development - and we have been incorporating a collaborative strategy into the work we do each day. With thousands of local government jurisdictions in Ohio, there are untapped opportunities for forming partnerships to benefit Ohio's communities and citizens," said Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "There is much to be gained through partnerships - including stronger, more competitive regional economies - so we must think creatively about how we can pool our resources and adopt a forward-thinking and innovative approach to deliver services more efficiently."

Eligible applicants for the program are counties, municipal corporations, or townships. Competitive grant awards will be used solely for the cost of conducting a feasibility study addressing whether, and in what manner, services may be combined. Applicants will propose the feasibility study designed to combine and/or collaborate on its services with those of at least two other counties, municipal corporations, or townships; or any combination of at least two other counties, municipal corporations, or townships. Examples of local government services could include economic development, health and human services, police and fire protection, 9‑1‑1 emergency service, public safety communications, refuse collection, snow removal, road repair, parks and recreation, and public utilities such as water and sewer services.

Study proposals that demonstrate similar needs in other communities and potential for replication by other local governments may be scored more favorably than proposals that do not suggest broad potential impact. The Ohio Department of Development may also take into account geographic diversity and subject matter variation to encourage broad study of collaboration opportunities.

The program is designed to reward collaborations with more participants by increasing the State's share of the grant. Grant amounts will range from $30,000, or 50 percent of the total cost of the feasibility study, to $80,000, or 100% of the total cost of the feasibility study - depending on the number of counties, municipal corporations, or townships partnering for a study.

The Local Government Services and Regional Collaboration Grant Program will be administered through the Community Development Division within the Ohio Department of Development. The application deadline is July 29 and awards will be announced in September.

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Media contacts: Melissa Vince at (614) 466-6619 or Kelly Schlissberg at (614) 466-4133