The Tulare County Resource Management Agency’s (RMA) Grants team has been reaching new heights with funding and programs. Grants & Resources Manager Denise England said her team of five has brought in a total of $54 million in active grant funding in the last three years. Having an in-house Grants team is one way in which the RMA remains proactive about funding opportunities to improve the quality of life for Tulare County residents.
Denise has worked for the County of Tulare for 18 years, and she currently leads a strong team of grant writers and assistants, positioning her to continue making a great impact on the County. Throughout her career with the County of Tulare, she has held several roles, bringing more than $55 million in state and federal funding for disadvantaged community water solutions through innovative projects, a regional perspective, and leveraging relationships with non-governmental organizations, cities, and funding agencies. Now, Denise and her team are working in the upper watershed to establish a similar network of partners to address forest health challenges. Recently, Denise’s role expanded to include oversight of Flood Control and County-owned water and sewer systems at the RMA.
The Grants team is currently working on bringing in more funding for the County’s housing program, which is centered on affordable housing for County residents. This program helps residents purchase a new home or provides aid to help residents pay for emergency repairs to their current home. They are also working on more funding for transportation projects, such as through the Caltrans Active Transportation Program, which aids communities in building walking or biking projects, such as sidewalks or bike lanes. The team is also working to improve the quality of life for Tulare County mountain communities through collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service to address forest health concerns.
Recent wins for the Grants team include receiving the Federal PROTECT Grant, in which the grants team secured $5.7 million to raise Avenue 56, heading into Alpaugh and Allensworth, to a new height, protecting the road from being submerged in water during a flood, and designating Badger as Tulare County’s first Firewise community.
Questions? Please email Elva Parker at eparker@tularecounty.ca.gov.