Grants are pretty amazing things, and we’re pleased that the city continues to pursue grants for which it is eligible on a regular basis.

At one recent meeting alone, City Council approved more than $30,000 worth of grants. These particular grants are paying for portions of salaries for important positions, buying supplies for vital programs like encouraging children’s knowledge of agriculture, STEM and literacy, buying diverse items for the public libraries’ collections, and paying operating expenses for the Community Corrections Program.

All of these are things Suffolk’s taxpayers otherwise would have had to pay for or go without. But thanks to the city’s aggressive pursuit of grants from all manner of sources — these grants came from several state departments as well as from the Obici Healthcare Foundation, Suffolk Foundation and Walmart — city taxpayer money can go toward other needs.

The federal government is another frequent source of grants the city has received, although not one of the most recent ones discussed in last week’s meeting. Of course, grants from the federal and state governments are ultimately taxpayer-funded, but some other locality would be getting them if Suffolk wasn’t. Suffolk’s pursuit of these grants helps to return small portions of Suffolk taxpayers’ money paid to the state and federal governments back to their benefit locally.

Over the years, Suffolk has received millions in grants, helping to support programs and get projects done at less cost to its taxpayers.

That’s definitely a reason to think our government has done something right.