Myths & Truth: Grants for Pool Construction

By Terry E. Brannon, P.E., Consulting Engineer
published in the Texas Public Pool Council monthly magazine, From the Stand, August, 1999

While traveling around this great state for the last 26 years, I have found park and recreation directors, pool managers and aquatic instructors to be some of the most upbeat characters (yes, 'characters' is the right word) I have ever met. It must be the sunscreen. After all, its hard to take yourself too seriously trying to get a well-oiled two-year old to blow bubbles while wearing zinc oxide on your nose.

But when faced with questions on grant funding for public pools, aquatic types fall into one of two general categories. . . skeptics and optimists. The SKEPTIC puts his or her chances of winning a grant right up there with free lunches, Santa Claus and the federal government . . . all just a little too good to be true. On the other hand, there is the OPTIMIST who believes some stranger will drive up one day in a white pickup truck with the winning Texas lottery ticket and want to share it with them.

People I know insist that there must be federal funds for pools and ballfields and all those other fun things. After all, the government is paying for researching mating habits of water fleas and for promoting inland shrimp farming in Oklahoma. All you have to do is call someone. . . right?

Just don't hold your breath!

The truth, as in most of life, lies somewhere in between. Let's look at just a few myths that keep people from even considering grant funding for their pool projects.

Myth #1 - Grant money is laying all over the place - you just have to know where to look.

Fact: The money is not everywhere and you do have to know where to look. One program to which you can apply for funding aquatic facilities is the Texas Parks & Wildlife Recreation and Parks Account. With annual grant allocations of about $14.0 million more or less evenly divided between two funding rounds per year, this account contributes significantly to outdoor parks and recreation development in Texas each year. Fifty percent grants up to an individual grant limit of $500,000 can be matched with fifty percent local funds.

Myth #2 - Pools never get funded in competitive grants.

Fact: You've been in the sun too long. Pools frequently get funded . . . at least as often as most other types of projects. The Texas Parks & Wildlife program scoring and eligibility requirements do not disqualify pools and, in each funding round, as many as four of the twenty or so grant applications actually funded will include pools.

Myth #3 - Only the big cities get money

Fact: Texas cities and counties and some special districts like river authorities are eligible for Texas Parks & Wildlife grant funds. Size, generally speaking, does not matter in application scoring. Communities with 600 people have every chance of competing with Houston but they may have trouble showing need for a million dollar pool!

Myth #4 - I got a need . . . I'm gonna win a grant easy.

Fact: Don't get cocky. 'All God's children got needs . . . you gotta compete'. There are fourteen scoring criteria with varying numbers of points for each. Every one of the eighty or so submitting applications in each round thinks they have a need. The funding allocations won't come close to covering even a third of the requests. After rating the applications on the fourteen criteria points, the computer ranks them in descending order. The requests for funding are added from the top down until the money is all gone. If you are lucky enough to be above the funding line, you get money. If not . . . better luck next round!

What can an applicant do to help his or her chances?

In contrast to the myths, here are some truths that could make a difference in your ranking:

. Don't have a one track mind. Even if what you want is a pool, points are scored for new and varied recreation opportunities. To some extent, the more different recreational opportunities (picnicking, walk/jogging, tennis, etc.) you present in the application the more points you will score. Just don't go crazy. Four different opportunities are sufficient. And don't forget that water spray-grounds and climbing structures offer different recreational opportunities than water aerobics and competitive swimming lanes. Be creative.

. Involve everyone. Half of the project has to be locally funded. The scorers afford more points for applications showing involvement of the private sector and other governmental entities (like school districts) than for simply paying the local share from a bond issue or from the general fund! The best applications will generally combine private contributions of land, cash, and labor and equipment with some 'force-account' work by city or county forces. If an electrician volunteers to wire your pool project, you can count his zillion-dollar-an-hour rate towards your match. If a lawyer puts down sod for you, you can claim minimum wage.

. Keep agency objectives in mind. The goal of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is not necessarily to make sure you have a pool. Their objectives are to increase the variety, quantity and quality of park and recreation lands statewide while preserving natural and cultural assets. To get what you want you will probably have to give them what they want. Acquire more park land, if possible, under the grant application. Consider dedicating natural and open spaces for preservation in your application. And don't offer to build your new pool in a wetland, floodplain, or Indian burial ground!

. Be efficient with the money. One of the scoring criteria specifically addresses the efficiency in the use of grant funds. In other words, what percentage of the grant funds will go to actual recreation and what percentage is for support structures. Consider letting the city or county build the parking lot outside the grant. Don't seek grant funds for bleacher seating, sidewalks, parking, and demolition of old structures even though they are eligible activities.

. Include programming. One scoring criteria rates the extent to which your project will enhance recreational opportunities for "youth-at-risk", low-to-moderate income persons, and the elderly. Consider providing facilities and programs like swim team scholarships, learn-to-swim-free, life guard training for disadvantaged youth, water aerobics, mother's-morning-out, and free swim.

Finally, while we're giving free advice here, you will have to have a plan. While a master plan is not a requirement to submit an application, a significant scoring opportunity is lost if the application does not include at least three high priority items from a 'locally approved, jurisdiction-wide' plan. In simpler terms, its fatal. Give yourself enough time to prepare such a plan (about six months for the smaller cities and longer for bigger entities) and submit the master plan at least thirty days before the application for funding is submitted.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Recreation and Parks Account affords every public pool owner or 'wanna-be' an excellent chance to leverage local funds with matching state grant funds. You will have to document the source of funds and donations of land and show construction cost estimates to justify the grant request. But although the program is highly competitive, a good project with a well thought-out application has better than even odds to be funded. Grant application deadlines are January 31 and July 31 each year.

Hey, it beats buying lottery tickets!

For further information, e-mail me, Terry Brannon, or call 800-256-2492. We'll be glad to help.