Citywide grant strategy
Summary
The city has no dedicated grant writer, so it pays a consultant about $100,000 a year (plus $600,000 for landslide-specific work) to find and manage grants. It's paid off: $144.4 million awarded or selected since 2016, though Rancho Palos Verdes often loses out on grants reserved for disadvantaged communities.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 3
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 8, 2026.
Impact analysis
$700,000 budgeted this year for grant consultants, against $144.4 million in grants awarded or selected since 2016.
Residents get projects — roads, parks, landslide work — funded largely with outside money instead of local taxes.
The city's relative wealth makes it ineligible for grants targeted at disadvantaged communities, limiting some opportunities.
Mentions & discussions (3)
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - Oct 8, 2026
The city has pulled in about $140 million in grants since 2016 with consultant help, but committee members say there's no overall strategy — priorities lean heavily on landslide funding. They want administration to brief them and help position RPV to win more grants for parks, roads, and infrastructure.
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - Sep 10, 2026
The city has no dedicated grant writer, so it pays a consultant about $100,000 a year (plus $600,000 for landslide-specific work) to find and manage grants. It's paid off: $144.4 million awarded or selected since 2016, though Rancho Palos Verdes often loses out on grants reserved for disadvantaged communities.
Infrastructure Management Advisory Committee (IMAC) - Special Meeting - Jan 21, 2026
Member Radke raised concerns that Rancho Palos Verdes isn't getting its share of South Bay Council of Governments grant money — one project worth $1.3 million versus $25-49 million for other cities. The committee agreed to raise whether the city should pursue stronger regional collaboration and joint grant applications with the other hill cities.
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