County and chamber collaborate to hire grant writer

The county commission is collaborating with the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce to garner funds to hire a grant writer and acquire funding for Island issues.

Commissioner Christine Todd said the county and the chamber are reaching out to individuals and organizations who collectively see the need to help each other out in raising money. 

The county and chamber will also collaborate with the Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative (MVNC) to identify nonprofits that could benefit from grant funds.

Commissioner John Cahill said he wants to cooperate with organizations like the Permanent Endowment Fund of Martha’s Vineyard, so the groups aren’t competing for funds in the same grant pool. “So we aren’t, let’s say, fishing in the same waters,” Cahill said. “But I also believe that the more poles you have in the water, the more fish you are going to be able to catch.”

Cahill said the funds are actually going to the Chamber Educational and Charitable Fund, which will serve as the fiscal agent for all grant applications and procedures.

The professional grant writer, Patricia Mitrokostas, has 25 years of experience in fundraising, strategic planning, and program development, and has worked extensively with the MVNC to find funds for Island organizations.

Chamber executive director Nancy Gardella said she thinks the initiative is a “brilliant collaboration” between folks who want to make sure no grant opportunities go to waste on-Island.

“The MVNC, the county, and the chamber are looking to step up and say, ‘We know that businesses are hurting, we know we can make a difference,’” Gardella said.

Gardella said that before Mitrokostas is hired, the chamber will be taking tax-deductible donations, and raise $50,000 over the next 90 days to pay for the hire.

Questions surrounding which entity will manage the grants, and who will be the officially licensed applicant (whether it’s the county, the chamber, or another collaborating organization), will be answered by an advisory board consisting of commissioners, the chamber, and members of Island nonprofits.

A press release issued by the county and the chamber states, “Doing this will be a catalyst to give Island organizations grant-funded opportunities for much-needed relief, and provide a good start to help raise the large amount of money needed for the Island to recover and come through COVID strong and healthy.”

Gerald Jones, chair of the MVNC, said having the county name involved with this initiative will help nonprofits and organizations get additional grant funding, “particularly when the county is partnering with other institutions they are serving.”

“There are some grants we are not going after right now that we should have gotten six months ago, we just didn’t have the wherewithal to go get them,” Jones said. “This is a big statement for the Island.”

Mitrokostas said she is excited to be part of the collaborative effort, and noted how difficult it is to get organizations from multiple sectors to the table to plan cooperatively. 

“I think this initiative speaks volumes to the many people and sectors that want to help the individuals, nonprofits, and businesses on the Island. Oftentimes these dollars are left behind,” Mitrokostas said.

Commissioner Leon Brathwaite said he is concerned about procurement laws, relating to the acquisition of services by governmental bodies.

He said the county should get a legal opinion on the procurement law if the county is going to be putting its name on grant applications.

But county manager Martina Thornton said if a grant is identified, the steering committee will come to the commissioners before the funds are pursued, so they can determine what procedures will take place. This would include any procurement issues related to possible requests for proposals (RFP) related to grant applications.

A motion of support made by commissioner Keith Chatinover was approved, with Brathwaite abstaining until he gets more information on how procurement laws might impact the effort.

County advocates for Islandwide meeting

After a discussion surrounding a potential strategic planning group that would organize and structure the commission’s future planning processes, the idea was brought up to call for an All-Island Selectmen meeting. 

Chatinover said he inquired weeks ago about a meeting to address COVID issues that are ongoing, but so far, he has heard no response from local officials.

Commission chair Tristan Israel said it is within their purview to request an All-Island Selectmen meeting, but Chatinover said he is concerned the idea will be dismissed by the towns.

“I don’t want to request one and then have them all be like, ‘No thanks.’ If the county has the prerogative to call for one, we should just do that now,” Chatinover said.

Todd said the Island “needs to put our finger on the pulse” of how the community is faring with COVID, and the impact it has had on healthcare, the local economy, and education.

“The fact that the All-Island Selectmen have not met about this is, well, it’s disappointing,” Todd said.

“Those are nicer words than I would have used,” Chatinover responded.

Instead of waiting for the possibility of Island towns approving the All-Island meeting, Chatinover suggested that the county hold a meeting of their own that can function as a platform for a collective discussion.

“What if we say we will set up the meeting, we will provide the agenda and the meeting link. It’s on our terms,” Chatinover said. “I understand it might cause political problems, but no one likes the county anyway. If [towns] don’t participate, it will look poorly on them because we are asking them to meet as leaders on this Island, and they aren’t doing it.”

He added that he doesn’t think the meeting should be too broadly defined, and should focus primarily on issues surrounding the Island’s response to COVID-19.

Commissioner Don Leopold said the county should try to understand the towns’ perspectives, and their reasoning for not wanting to meet. “They may well feel like it’s a great idea, or they might say, ‘You guys don’t get it, we are doing this type of work all the time.’ I would like to understand what it looks like through the eyes of the select boards before we get too directive,” Leopold said.

Israel said commissioners could come up with an agenda for the meeting, who would be invited, what it would be called, and an acceptable date, then convene again in two weeks to confirm the details.