The story of the TIGER Grant Application

By Anne Seifert

Our shareholders asked the City to support our application for Federal funding. We need more cooperation from our City to assist our community

For us it presents an opportunity to receive a great deal of money with a relatively small investment. To put this in perspective, for every dollar we would receive from this grant we need spend only twenty cents.

The minimum grant amount any agency may apply for is $12.5 M -- so to receive $10 M, a "match" is needed of $2.5M. For those of us used to twenty dollar bills, these dollar amounts are mind boggling.

Our homeowner management body, the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF), first became aware of this (Department of Transportation) D.O.T. TIGER grant opportunity in 2011 as a result of our ad hoc Westminster Property Development Committee. The focus then was on the area bordering Westminster Avenue where the uncovered drainage ditch exits and is partly owned by the Trust and partly owned by the City of Seal Beach. To gain that land use would require reconfiguring the ditch with an underground and covered pipe. In 2011, our Seal Beach City Council denied our request for the City to be the "applicant" on the proposal, and to help match funds.

It was our understanding that these TIGER funds would not again be available, but then a very short notice was given on April 22, 2013 that Congress had decided to authorize more funding for the program. A small committee of shareholders went into action to put together a proposal to submit to the GRF Finance Committee to allow us to move forward. Orange County Flood Control provided technical input. Our community's request was to D.O.T. for funds to cover the Federal Storm Channel and solve many of our health and safety issues. We did receive approval from the GRF Finance Committee and then from the GRF Board of Directors to proceed with the application. But because the way the application process is structured, we needed City support. The application must be submitted by a government agency.

On May 29 the City Council voted 3-2 for us to proceed, to get the application submitted by the June 3rd deadline. However, this journey was not without obstacles. The proposal itself was already prepared and 99% complete, missing only the City's two paragraphs to be inserted on environmental reviews and adherence to Federal Wage Rate Certification. The plan was that I would meet with City staff to add the final touches.

When I arrived that Friday morning, May 31, it was clear that we needed to insert all the hyper-links identified in our proposal (a task requiring website connection). Unfortunately, the City website could not provide these links and instead our own ITS Dept. provided the assistance. Had we not been able to accomplish this task ourselves we would have been unable to submit the application-- that is how crucial that one item was.

We were then informed that the City would not submit the application because OC Flood Control District had an "objection". Since we had been discussing our proposal with OCFCD for at least two years in a cooperative spirit, we wondered why. Thanks to action by shareholders and further discussion, we received in writing that OCFCD had some concerns, but no objection to the project. So, on Saturday June 1st, I had my first opportunity to actually work on the grant application content with City staff. We reviewed it page by page. However, the application was delayed until Monday June 3rd, the deadline day, for a final review.

I checked that Monday to make sure that we could quickly submit the application. We were now within hours of the deadline. The City did not have the proper "authorization" to submit. I rushed to City Hall to get this matter resolved as quickly as possible and it was.

Finally this application was submitted just before deadline. The City removed itself as partner (but maintained its status as applicant) and removed any reference to their $500,000 contribution. (While this contribution was discussed at the May 29 City Council meeting, it was not included in the motion).

This is a highly competitive grant with agencies across the country competing for limited funds. We have I believe a 5% chance to get anything at all. But the lessons learned have been invaluable. If we are to be a community which interacts with the City of Seal Beach we need to make our presence known. I will remain forever proud of our shareholders who attended the meetings.

We need a representative who will lead the way, and speak for our community in City Hall!