Although U.S. Representative Julia Letlow, LA-05, was busy in Washington D.C. with Congress in session, a member of her staff met with the LaSalle Economic Development District (LEDD) last Thursday to discuss various options for federal grants to aid the parish. The regular meeting of LEDD and its members was held at the LaSalle Parish Library in Jena and they listened as Rachel Perez Milam, Letlow’s Grants and Special Projects Director, spoke about the millions of dollars that are available through grants. “The money is out there but the problem is the process in getting them is sometimes difficult,” she told members. “It really takes a grant writer to navigate through the online grant application but thankfully you all have access to several groups that will assist in that process.” Milam distribut- ed information that contained many grant opportunities, ranging from non-profits, to public bodies, to small businesses.