ECGRA Invests $151,800 in Technology Advances through the Erie Area Council of Governments
At its February 28, 2013 meeting, the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority Board of Directors invested a total of $151,800 in Erie County technology upgrades and training. The Erie Area Council of Governments will manage the funds, made up of three grants:
GRANT AMOUNT PROJECT
- $13,000 Training for municipal staff in Microsoft SharePoint and Office
- $38,800 Creation of an Erie County portal offering electronic permits
- $100,000 Erie County Broadband, eGovernment, and Technology Implementation Project
The largest of the three grants funds the Erie County Broadband, eGovernment, and Technology Implementation Project , which will enable the 38 municipalities in Erie County and Erie County government, along with their associations and authorities, to have joint, interactive, state-of-the-art internet and web-based networks. This collaboration will store, exchange, and link to substantial information about the participating communities and local governments, providing unparalleled internal and external benefits.
Erie Area Council of Governments Administrator Ed Lesser said, “This is the most advanced undertaking of its type in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We are very grateful that it is now funded by the Commonwealth’s most progressive grant program— ECGRA’s Multi-municipal Collaboration Grants. We are cognizant of the amount of work that ECGRA put in to form this program and the very transparent process for awarding grants.
We will do everything we can to justify ECGRA’s confidence and investment in our projects.”The remaining $51,800 will be invested in municipal staff training and an Erie County electronic permits and forms website. The new portal will make local government forms accessible to residents to be completed, submitted, and paid for online. Instructor-led Microsoft SharePoint and Office training will boost productivity and increase job efficiency of municipal employees by training them in the use of the newest versions of the software.
Established in 1993 under authority of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, the Erie Area Council of Governments is a voluntary intergovernmental association created for the purpose of discussing, planning, and undertaking joint official activities agreed to by member governments. Current member governments are: County of Erie, City of Erie, boroughs of Girard and Wesleyville, and townships of Fairview, Franklin, Harborcreek, Lawrence Park, Millcreek, North East, and Summit. Additional governments may join by contacting Alan Kugler at alankugler@pafutures.org.
The three technology projects will serve all 38 municipalities in Erie County, along with their intergovernmental associations, organizations, municipal authorities, school districts, and other governmental entities. Wood said, “We applaud the hard work of members of the COG to achieve efficiencies and modern governmental processes and to offer the highest quality services to Erie County residents.”
ECGRA’s Multi-municipal Collaboration Grants are designed to catalyze functional cooperation among Erie County’s municipalities and to support economic growth and vibrancy in the community. It is the first grant program of its kind and was called “Erie County’s pioneering government cooperation fund” in the December 6, 2012 issue of Keystone Edge. This marks the first time the Erie Area Council of Governments—an intergovernmental collaborator by nature—has received funds from ECGRA.
In total, ECGRA invested $346,648 in multimunicipal collaboration spanning 28 municipalities and seven authorities, nonprofits, and intergovernmental agencies:
Municipalities
- Millcreek Township
- Albion Borough
- North East Township
- Amity Township
- Platea Borough
- City of Corry
- Springfield Township
- City of Erie
- Summit Township
- Concord Township
- Union City Borough
- County of Erie
- Venango Township
- Cranesville Borough
- Washington Township
- Edinboro Borough
- Wayne Township
- Elgin Borough
- Wesleyville Borough
- Elk Creek Township
- Fairview Township
- Franklin Township
- Girard Township
- Girard Borough
- Harborcreek Township
- Lawrence Park Township
- McKean Borough
- McKean Township
Authorities, Nonprofits, and Intergovernmental Agencies
- East Erie Suburban Recreation and Conservation Authority
- Erie Area Council of Governments
- Erie County Historical Society
- Erie Yesterday
- General McLane School District
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
- Preservation Erie
Multi-municipal Collaboration Grants applications required a minimum of two municipal collaborating entities, such as, municipal authorities, councils of government, and intergovernmental associations. The maximum amount requested for a project was $100,000 and a 1:1 cash match was required. Projects must be completed within 12 months of receiving the grant and project outcomes will be reviewed by the ECGRA Board of Directors.
A grant-making organization, ECGRA’s mission is to empower the nonprofit sector toward economic and community development. Since February 2008, ECGRA has invested more than $22 million in Erie County.
Learn more at ECGRA.org or call 814-897-2690.
