Commenter:
Juan Nieves, Emergency Management Partners
VA Community Preparedness Fund
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this promising and much needed initiative by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Please see my comments below:
Will the Commonwealth provide grant-development support to communities with limited resources? Not having a grants manager or a technical writer may put these communities at a disadvantage. It is common knowledge that a professionally written application is typically ranked higher in competitive programs. Recommend having staff dedicated to providing technical writing support for small impoverished communities or allow reimbursement for costs related to consulting services.
Can the funds be used to match Federal grants? It should be clarified within the document.
“Plan and implement an education and outreach strategy for communities that have been traditionally underserved or particularly vulnerable to current and future flood risk to ensure residents understand opportunities for resources and support and allow for full discussion of options that respect community perspective while enhancing protection and resilience.”
Focus should remain on educating residents, as sometimes local officials are too overwhelmed to fully understand what the community really wants. Specially, during the ongoing COVID testing and vaccination efforts.
