The Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC) recently made a huge step toward becoming the go-to agency for grant-writing services in the Heart of Virginia. Provided that the governing bodies of all member counties give their approval, the council will raise annual membership fees from $15,700 to $19,000 following a unanimous council vote at the CRC’s monthly meeting Dec. 20. The increased fees will provide grant-writing services to each of the member counties at no charge with the caveat that grants awarded entitle the CRC to funding for grant administration. If approved the grant-writing services will be available to every government entity within the member counties and nonprofits (501(c)(3)), though the CRC has the capability to turn down requests for grant writing if they don’t meet certain criteria.

An agenda document from the Dec. 20 meeting cited that the CRC further agrees that at the end of each fiscal year, if the CRC Audited Cash Fund Balance is in excess of $500,000, the dollar amount more than this amount will be divided and returned to the member counties.

“This will begin with fiscal year 2018-19,” officials said in the document. “Each year at the January meeting for the CRC, the council will review the fund balance and decide if the balance amount needs to be increased. This will be done with a majority vote of the council and does not require member county approval.”

The CRC is following through on its promise to be a service organization that seeks opportunities rather than waiting for them to appear. We commend the organization for steps made throughout 2017 and hope that this is what can be found from decisions the regional planning agency makes in 2018.