Grant Writing and Management

A grant is a source of free money that can be used to implement key projects with an expected outcome and reporting requirements.

In general, grants do not have to be re-paid unless grant dollars are not used as agreed upon. Keeping proper records is critical.

· Grant data or search engine · Federal or State sites such as GRANTS.GOV (Federal Grants) · Foundations/Corporate sites

Planning. Work with a consultant ahead of time to ensure they understand your needs and vision to align with the best funding opportunities. Planning ahead of time will ensure when funding opportunities open your consultant will be well-positioned to apply for funding.

There are two approaches to seeking grant funding. They are reactive and proactive: REACTIVE Reactive grant seeking is when a proposal is developed off a request for proposal (RFP). Think of a reactive grant much like you would an RFP for a Transportation or Civil Engineering project. The same concept applies to reactive grants. Federal or State grants are great examples of who may release a reactive grant, though some foundation or private funding sources may also promote a reactive grant. Typically, a problem is usually identified that needs to be addressed and the grantor is seeking grantees who can propose creative and measurable ways to address or solve the issue. PROACTIVE Proactive grants are generally known sources of funding identified that tend to address a set interest or initiative. Proactive grants are generally offered by foundations or corporations on a set cycle determined by trustees of the foundations or corporations. Researching various grantors allows a grant writer to prepare for when these grants will be open for application and plan with your client to prepare your application, therefore being proactive in your approach. There is no one way to seek grant funding. There are times you will need to be reactive and other times you will have the ability to be proactive. This is based on the needs of your client and how they align with the grant options available at that time.

Grant writing can be challenging and sometimes difficult if you are not familiar with the processes required especially for public grantors. Grant writing services and/or management of grants can be time-consuming. Many people/agencies are already facing staffing challenges where their staff may already be juggling many different roles, leaving it hard to properly dedicate the efforts needed to secure grant funding and then manage those funds appropriately once awarded. This is where hiring a grant consultant can be beneficial. Whether the need is to secure the funding or manage funding already in hand, a grant consultant can provide these skill sets to allow staff to focus on the day-to-day operations with little to no impact on current staff once accounting procedures are in place.

· Usually there are a lot of strings attached to how grant dollars can and cannot be spent. · Some grants have complex reporting requirements. · Grants can take months to be awarded. · Grants are usually a short-term solution for funding projects.

The time frame can vary depending on the funding source. An average to use is 6-12 months from the time the grant is due to the time it is funded. There are times when it can be shorter and of course, some are longer; planning is key and important for clients to understand these dollars may not be a quick turnaround.

Yes and no. The Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) documents will note if there is a match required. In most cases that can be a 10 -20 % match. Review the NOFO to see if in-kind matches such as staff time can count as all or part of the match. The key is to show you have that match in hand and are ready to move forward if awarded the grant. Also note that with the Federal Grant, you cannot use other Federal dollars as a match. That match would need to be from other sources.

The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and refinement and implementation focused on all users. To include pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micro-mobility users, and commercial vehicle operators. SS4A provides funding to develop the tools to help strengthen a community’s approach to roadway safety and save lives and is designed to meet the needs of diverse local, Tribal, and regional communities that differ dramatically in size, location, and experience administering Federal funding. It is important to note that a current Action Plan is the foundation of the SS4A grant program. If there is not one in place SS4A funding can assist in the development of the Action Plan. Then in the next funding cycle, one could apply for an Implementation grant to carry out items noted in the Action Plan. SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grants have three different types of activities: 1) Develop an Action Plan. 2) Conduct supplemental safety planning to enhance an Action Plan; and 3) Carry out demonstration activities to inform the development of, or an update to, an Action Plan. * An Action Plan is the foundation of the SS4A grant program. If there is an existing plan it must be approved by US DOT as an appropriate plan before moving forward with an Implementation Grant. Link to SS4A funding notes: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/fy23-nofo

The current deadline for applications is July 10, 2023 at 5 pm. This is a hard deadline with no exceptions. Even if you are not ready to apply now note these dollars are available through 2026. We can still work with clients to ensure that they have a clear idea of what is needed to apply. This funding option has three more years and allows those interested in this funding option time to plan and be ready for the next funding cycle. Planning and being prepared will allow clients to be ready for other funding opportunities that may come along before the next SS4A next funding cycle. Many federal funding opportunities may have similar requirements.

US DOT updates this list quarterly and is a great resource to review past, current, and future opportunities so we can assist you with the appropriate opportunity. It is important to note, even if an opportunity that may be of interest has passed this year, it will most likely be open again next year. Many of the infrastructure bills are funded through 2026. We can start planning now to meet that deadline as well as review previously funded projects to determine how we can best find the right opportunities for your projects.