Takeaways from Submitting for Competitive NOFOs: Volume II
On the eve of the mid-point of the implementation of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), United for Infrastructure hosted Submitting for Competitive NOFOs: Volume II last week. This event builds upon the inaugural session held last year.
We were honored to be joined by an all-star panel of officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) — Mariia Zimmerman, Strategic Advisor for Technical Assistance & Community Solutions; Stephanie Pollack, Coordinator for Project Delivery Support; and Stanley Caldwell, Director of the SMART Grant Program — who spent nearly 90 minutes with our hybrid audience of more than 100 infrastructure practitioners, presenting strategic advice on ways to structure a successful grant application, the resources available to help navigate the grant application process, and the key issues to consider when applying for a discretionary grant that can impact project delivery.
In case you weren’t able to join, we’ve compiled a list of key takeaways and tips to keep you informed.
Top 3 Takeaways to Consider When Submitting for Competitive NOFOs:
Carefully read the NOFO: The language in a program’s NOFO can change from year to year so it is critical that applicants read and understand the current requirements. It just might be different from last year!
Develop a concise and persuasive narrative: Frame your story to show how the project will directly address specific community needs. Write your compelling narrative – your “why” – before you dive into the nitty gritty of the application and let your opening narrative guide you and your fellow grant writing contributors.
Know how you are going to pay for the project: The vast majority of the BIL’s programs are structured through reimbursements to the grantee. If you do not have the capital upfront, you will not qualify for the grant award! And, if you don’t have the capital in your existing budget, how can you get creative with local and regional partners, like philanthropy and financial institutions, to solve for this problem?
5 Additional Tips from U.S. DOT:
Make sure you have a project to fund: This may sound obvious, but USDOT will not fund projects that lack a clear vision and path to construction. If a project is still in the ideation phase, that is ok! USDOT also offers a number of planning grants to help develop good ideas into fundable projects.
Explore partnerships: Do not feel the need to go it alone on a grant application. Applicants should demonstrate robust stakeholder engagement and, if appropriate, form partnerships with local anchor institutions or regional government partners to share responsibility for grant and project success.
Know how much your project will cost: USDOT will not entertain additional funding for a project once it has been awarded a grant. Ensure that the project estimates are accurate and that all non-federal sources of funding are realistic. “Low-ball” project budgets don’t translate into a more competitive application.
Be prepared for the next NOFO cycle: If your application didn't meet the selection criteria, take the opportunity to schedule a debriefing session with USDOT grant staff to hear how you can improve and prepare for the next cycle.
Plan for what comes next: Take the time to understand what comes after a grant award has been announced. Grant management and compliance should not be taken lightly! Designate grant and project champions to serve as primary points of contact for USDOT, and develop plans to resolve issues as they arise to ensure constant and transparent communication with key partners and stakeholders.
USDOT has an abundance of resources available to assist you as you consider applying for a grant. Here are just a few:
In addition to the strategic guidance offered by USDOT, our event attendees also heard from National League of Cities’ Justin Edwards who provided information about the Local Infrastructure Hub and their Grant Application Bootcamps. The Bootcamps are designed for communities with populations under 50,000 to offer technical assistance and strategic guidance on how to make discretionary grant applications more competitive. The Hub’s free 2024 Bootcamps are now open for registration.
Please click HERE to access the slides used by the USDOT officials during their presentation.