Since its founding in June 2021, Renne Public Policy Group’s (RPPG) grant writing practice has achieved remarkable success, securing over $116 million two years after signing their first service contract in September 2021. RPPG’s grant writing work encompasses proposals supporting local government infrastructure improvements, economic development and workforce development programs. Their approach is client-centered and thoughtful, ensuring that each project is thoroughly vetted for competitive viability and that grant-seeking efforts are strategic. 

Jake Whitaker, Director of Grant Services, leads the practice, and has prepared grant proposals across a range of sectors, including public safety, housing, workforce development, education and more. He works alongside a strong team of experienced local government professionals. Senior Consultant Bruce Rudd, who brings 42-years of public service experience, is the retired City Manager of Fresno who led the city’s efforts to secure funding from the California Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities program. Michele Mora, a Grant Writing Associate based in Texas, brings a depth of experience to the team after a career spent working as a grant writer and manager for municipal and county government agencies. Grant Writing Associate Maira Durazo helped secure a record-setting $30 million Project Homekey award for the City of Redlands prior to joining RPPG’s team.

“Over the past two years, we have built a team of professionals with a shared passion for working in local government and improving the quality of life for residents in the communities that we serve. Our goal is to have a transformational impact on each organization that we serve,” said Jake.

The grant award that put RPPG’s team over the $100 million milestone was a proposal submitted on behalf of the City of Bakersfield to secure $6.2 million in funding to combat organized retail theft, which was celebrated by Mayor Karen Goh and the city’s business community. Additionally, over the past year RPPG worked with Bakersfield to secure a $10 million Department of Transportation RAISE grant to transform a major downtown corridor with new active transportation amenities and a $1.4 million Urban Greening grant from the California Natural Resource Agency (CNRA). Assistant to the City Manager Anthony E. Valdez credits RPPG’s team for helping the city to significantly increase their grant revenues over the past fiscal year.  

“RPPG’s grant writers exemplify knowledge, professionalism and diligence. Their team is driven by purpose and a mission to help government agencies take a holistic approach to seeking outside funding for new programs and infrastructure. We can’t thank RPPG enough for transforming the City’s grant writing operation and working with our team to improve the quality of life for our residents.”

After celebrating the $100 million milestone in September 2023, RPPG’s team built on that momentum with a series of major grant award announcements. 

In collaboration with RPPG’s team, the City of San Bernardino submitted a successful $6.4 million proposal for the renovation of the 38-year-old Feldheym Central Library. The project’s purpose aligned with RPPG and San Bernardino’s shared mission to preserve community resources.

“The RPPG team brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the grant seeking and application process that has elevated the quality and output in our grant writing,” said Mary Alvarez-Gomez, the City of San Bernardino’s Grants Division Manager. “They are professional, organized and have developed an understanding of the unique needs of our City that helps us make strategic decisions when seeking competitive grant funding.”

RRPG’s team also worked with Santa Rosa on a recently awarded $7 million SAFER grant to fund 12 new firefighter positions. The funding comes at a pivotal time, as the city’s population and density growth has resulted in increased call volume for the Santa Rosa Fire Department to respond to fire suppression and emergency services.

Scott Alonso, Government Affairs Officer for the City of Santa Rosa, commended RPPG for their proactive approach and strategic counsel.  

 “RPPG provides critical strategic advice for Santa Rosa to ensure we remain competitive in the funding opportunities we seek. Jake and his team allow us to apply for all types of grants and have proven to be a key part of our team to secure this funding. RPPG continues to bolster Santa Rosa’s ability to provide crucial services to our community based on the successes we have had in securing competitive funding,” said Scott.

Capping off a successful September, the Economic Development Administration announced a $3 million investment in the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) to construct a new industrial workforce training lab. Earlier this year, the California Workforce Development Board awarded three grants totaling $20 million to SBCCD to create pathways to living wage jobs for residents throughout the Inland Empire. These grant awards will create myriad new workforce development programs in the healthcare, logistics, water utility management, urban forestry and construction industries in collaboration at all 12 community colleges campuses serving the Inland Empire region. RPPG’s team worked with the district to prepare all four successful applications.

RPPG offers a range of grant services, including proposal development, funding opportunity research, State Budget monitoring, strategic planning, grant readiness, quality control, consistent communication, organizational assessments and capacity building.

Visit RPPG’s website to learn more about its grant writing practice.