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Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Resident Commissioner and PRFAA Launch an Electronic Newsletter on Federal Funds

San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Resident Commissioner in Washington, Pedro Pierluisi, along with the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), launched the first electronic newsletter with the purpose of providing municipalities with information about federal funds available through competitive grant programs.

The creation of this electronic bulletin, to be distributed every two months or more frequently if necessary, grew out of a commitment that Pierluisi made to the mayors to facilitate the process of identifying federal funding sources.

“I consider the mayors to be among my most important allies in my work for Puerto Rico in Congress. Given the fiscal reality we currently face, it is vital that all of our mayors and their staffs understand the steps that must be taken to request federal funds through competitive grant proposals. Along with PRFAA, I made a pledge to create this bi-monthly electronic bulletin to educate potential grantees by identifying federal programs through which municipalities could seek funding,” said the Resident Commissioner.

For her part, Nicole Guillemard, the Executive Director of PRFAA, underscored the importance of ensuring that mayors were well-informed about federal funding opportunities.

“I would like to thank all of the mayors that have provided us with the facilities in their
municipalities to offer our workshops about federal grant programs. It is in our mutual interest to offer workshops in all of Puerto Rico’s municipalities and to promote the coordination of efforts between municipal officials and our agency,” she said.

Guillemard told the mayors that “this publication will be an extraordinary link between you, the Office of the Resident Commissioner and PRFAA.”

The Office of the Resident Commissioner provides guidance the potential grantees, and serves as a liaison with federal agencies, in connection with the grant application process.

“We are aware of the pressing needs that Island municipalities have and, for this reason, we are seeking to maximize the support provided by the federal government for the benefit of our constituents,” said Pierluisi.