Grants present local officials a way to maintain or offer new services or build capacity during periods of budget reductions. Grants can facilitate the reallocation of funding from service and policy activities to other programs. In other words, they help bridge the gap between funding and budget “wants;” without the “tradeoff” that accompanies general fund expenditures, which often diminishes departmental effectiveness. Article from the July 2009 Kansas Government Journal. Reprinted with permission from the League of Kansas Municipalities.