About $5.4 million in grant money has flowed into Sheffield’s school system since 2000, the system’s community coordinator told board of education members Monday.

That doesn’t mean Sheffield schools can depend on that kind of money in the future, though.

Sherri Baker, who also writes grant applications for the school system, said state and federal grant money has funded 17 programs since 2000.

“We’ve been able to pay about 41 different people a salary,” Baker said. “We feel good about putting that money into the Shoals

economy.”

The school system has received about $434,000 in grant money during the current school year, Baker said.

The school system continues to search for grant opportunities, but several factors make it more difficult to secure grant money than in past years.

Baker said a large portion of the federal grant money available today is tied to President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top initiative, but the state was not a recipient of any of that money.

Applying for grants also is a time-consuming task.

“With cuts in the school systems and everybody wearing lots of hats, it’s hard to devote the time,” Baker said. “That has been a factor, also.”

Another factor is competition.

“A lot more school systems are beginning to realize that grant money is available,” Baker said.

The most recent grant secured by the school system is a $29,000 grant that will pay for a person to explain to students the dangers of tobacco use. The grant money was provided by the state Department of Public Health, Baker said.

Program coordinator Renee Mullins said she will be working on three programs to target students in Sheffield and Tuscumbia.

Baker said grant money is used for a variety of programs, including after-school tutoring programs, parenting programs and improving technology.

Russ Corey can be reached at 256-740-5738 or russ.corey@TimesDaily.com.