Singer/songwriter David Bowie once noted, “What I like to do is try to make a difference with the work I do.” In everything we do as a firm, we bring the Lamp Rynearson difference to the table. “What’s the Lamp Rynearson difference?” It’s our common humanity and purpose-led spirit. Our common humanity has been a steadfast component of Lamp Rynearson’s values for over 60 years. People make the Lamp Rynearson difference and allow us to leave a legacy within our communities. We understand we can make a difference with the work we do. And that’s what we try to do daily through our approach to community-changing projects and how we assist communities in funding them.
Project funding is a multifaceted process. For example, when a new infrastructure project is considered, occasionally only some of the necessary monies are available. Thus, grant funding is a valuable tool for communities to carry out projects they may not otherwise be able to. By potentially providing significant funds, grants provide resources to do imperative work within a community. We understand how vital grant funding is for communities, and we are prepared to assist with the detailed application process.
In 2020, our Aquatics team was approached by our existing client, the City of Waverly, Nebraska. They were curious if we could assist them with a grant application for the new aquatic center our firm was designing for them. We leaped at the additional teaming opportunity ever ready to make a difference in our communities and their projects!
Waverly’s new aquatic center was born after an informal poll was conducted in 2018. Residents indicated that they would like a new or improved facility. The original city-owned pool was built in 1975 and, therefore, had outlived the typical lifespan of such a facility. This project took a holistic view of the City’s current aquatic facility and compared it to their vision for the future. Our team started by evaluating the existing pool for a potential renovation. That exercise determined that the pool had exceeded its useful life and was not large enough for the growing community. The original pool was designed to hold 200 people; Lamp Rynearson’s new design doubled that to accommodate about 400 people.
Our team partnered with the City of Waverly to apply for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a federal grant program established in 1965 that provides funding for community recreation projects across the state of Nebraska. When applying for a grant, an essential factor is displaying the project’s sustainability and how the project will continue to move forward after funding is awarded and used.
Waverly started our grant writing team off strong with exceptional foundational work and brought a kind and gracious energy to the table. We carried this momentum through the entirety of the grant process. Through a unified team effort, we crafted the initial story of Waverly’s aquatic center through numerous elements such as preliminary planning materials and letters of recommendation. We then wove their story together through demographics and additional data gathered by our GIS team. This data is descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive. Finally, we packaged the quantitative and qualitative data and additional information concisely and compellingly per grant LWCF guidelines.
The story and the forms were just some of the elements to be considered for the grant process. Waverly had to pass a resolution within the community that they were going after the grant. The City of Waverly has a strong sense of communal pride – and the aquatics center is no exception. There has been a plethora of support behind this project that aids in obtaining grant funds for it.
All the dedication paid off; Waverly was awarded $400,000 (max award amount) for their new aquatics facility. Waverly’s story illuminates the importance of the grant funding process. Communities with a small-town feel may not always have the required tax base to keep project pricing fair and equitable for everyone within the community. Therefore, grants help ensure growth is evenly distributed in the places that need it the most and for all that live there.
Want to learn more about how the Lamp Rynearson team can help your community with funding? Visit https://lamprynearson.com/funding/