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Home > The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services

The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services

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30-A MRSA, Chapter 231

Program Statement

Purpose of Fund

The State of Maine seeks to support municipalities, counties, and regional government subdivisions in developing joint ventures for delivering government services. The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services (Fund) is established to encourage and support intergovernmental cooperation in order to reduce property taxes. Municipalities, counties, and regional government subdivisions may apply for grants from the Fund for projects that reduce property taxes through:

  1. achieving cost savings and reducing municipal/county spending
  2. improving efficiencies in the delivery of local services
  3. improving the quality or quantity of the delivery of government services

The Fund also seeks to pilot projects that serve as models from which other regions in Maine may learn and follow, as well as to explore innovative projects and partnerships that will serve as models for the future.

Project Eligibility

An eligible project requires intergovernmental cooperation. Any project for which an applicant seeks a grant cannot be undertaken on a sole-applicant basis. Each project is required to have at least two eligible applicants. Eligible applicants include municipalities, counties, or regional government subdivisions. For the purposes of this grant program, a regional government subdivision cannot be both the Lead Applicant and a consultant for the same project at any point during the grant project process. Regional government subdivisions can serve in one or the other capacity, but not both.

To be eligible for a Cooperative Services Grant, applicants must enter cooperative agreements which include one of the following means:

  1. the execution of an interlocal agreement among the applicants that are party to the grant project;
  2. the execution of a memorandum of agreement among the applicants that are party to the grant project;
  3. the execution of a contract with one government entity as the service provider by other applicants that are party to the grant project.

To be eligible for a Planning Grant, applicants must enter cooperative agreements which include one of the following means:

  1. the execution of an interlocal agreement among the applicants that are party to the grant project;
  2. the execution of a memorandum of agreement among the applicants that are party to the grant project;
  3. the execution of a contract with one government entity as the service provider by other applicants that are party to the grant project;
  4. The submission of letters of endorsement or a documented agreement between the participating entities.

The Fund is available solely to finance a future project proposal. Expenses for prior efforts are not eligible for reimbursement. Projects will be reimbursed only for expenditures incurred throughout the course of the project. Any unused grant funds will be returned to the Department for use in future grant awards. Capital and otherwise budgeted expenses will not be eligible for grant awards for FY 2008.

Administration of the Fund

The Department of Administrative and Financial Services will be administering the grant program. Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in competitive grants will be available to communities to implement intergovernmental arrangements. Examples of eligible activities for which these funds may be used include, but are not limited to, efforts to consolidate buildings or services, execution and implementation of an interlocal agreement, tax base sharing arrangement, or another regional government mechanism for achieving collaboration, facilitation for establishing working relationships or for joint planning sessions and public awareness and outreach.

It is anticipated that a significant number of proposals will be submitted for consideration. It is the State's intent to make the grant funds benefit as many projects as possible, but it may not be possible to fund all the projects and they may not be funded at the full amount requested. The Review Panel reserves the right to make awards for an amount less than the total amount requested in an applicant's proposal.

Granting Awards from the Fund

Review Panel
A review panel shall review, prioritize, and award grants to applicants for cooperative and planning grants. The panel shall consist of the following members:

•  The Director of the Maine State Planning Office, or designee;

•  The Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, or designee;

•  A representative of the Department of Economic and Community Development, appointed by the Governor;

•  One (1) representative of a county or regional government subdivision recommended by a statewide organization representing county or regional service providers, appointed by the Governor;

•  Two (2) representatives of municipal government recommended by the Maine Municipal Association who have served or currently serve as municipal officers or chief administrative officials of municipalities. One shall represent rural communities with a population of less than 4,000 and one shall represent suburban communities with a population of 4,000 or more, both representatives will be appointed by the Governor; and

•  One representative of a service center community recommended by the Maine Service Centers Coalition or its successor organization, appointed by the Governor.

Criteria

In reviewing, prioritizing and granting awards, the review panel shall use the following criteria:

 

Criteria Max Points Awarded
1. Extent and quality of cooperation among the participating applicants 20
2. Estimated amount of property tax savings to the region over time as a percentage of the aggregate budgets of the participating eligible applicants 35
3. Degree/likelihood of success in implementing and sustaining the intergovernmental arrangement 15
4. Extent to which the project can be replicated by other regions in future cooperative endeavors 30

 

Qualifying actions
Applicants for cooperative grants must demonstrate significant savings in the cost of delivering local and regional governmental services, including, but not limited to, the following qualifying actions:

  • Collaboration as a means of delivering governmental services;
  • Enhancement of an existing (or development of a new) regionalized system for delivery of governmental services;
  • Consolidation of services or functions directly related to delivery of governmental services; or
  • Joint purchase of goods and services directly related to delivery of governmental services.

The types of projects described in this subsection are not listed in any order of priority. Applicants for a cooperative services grant under this section must specify the pertinent qualifying actions for which assistance is sought.

Grant Applications

Interested municipalities, counties and regional government subdivisions must complete a grant application that will contain the grant project description, budget, and participating entities. Grant applications are available by downloading the files below, or by calling 207-624-7800 or sending an e-mail to torrey.j.gray@maine.gov.

Note: The documents below require the free Adobe Reader to view.

These documents are also available in MS-Word format:

Questions and Assistance:

For questions regarding the RFP and application process contact, or for help with your application:

Jody Harris, Director of Program Services
State Planning Office
(207) 287-5424

Jody.harris@maine.gov

Regionalization Resources:

  • The Regionalization Resources list is available in MS-Word or PDF format.

Frequently Asked Questions