Last month I went over how important it is not to be an undiscovered island in a sea of projects offered to funding sources. I discussed how important it is to put a “face” on the project. Local leaders need to step to the forefront to discuss their project desires with the agencies regulating the activity. This ensures that the project is not coming from left field somewhere, but as part of an announced strategy to rectify whatever problem is at hand.

In a time when money is tight in the public sector, things become more competitive when a community is seeking money for economic development. I write grants, and know that the level of the quality of applications is higher when there is less money. 

Much of the time, the types of grants a community can apply for is dictated through the availability of local match money. Where there is an issue with raising the local match, the types of grants and availability of grants are limited.

Since I am the only recognized “Agent of Change” in Pennsylvania… so declared by the Governor at one time… I thought I would change up this column a little bit this month and write about change. 

People talk about all of the revitalization of the downtown Phoenixville and how things have changed over the past 12 years. I remember when I got there in December of 2003 there was a bright spot through all of the nonsense that was happening and that was the Colonial Theatre.