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Tips on Effectively Securing and Managing Grant Funds for Projects

Posted on March 28, 2019April 17, 2025 by Heidi Whitver

Obtaining grant funds for various projects is paramount for most communities; however, securing and managing these funds for critical projects is no simple task. Whether your community is applying for CDBG, CDBG-DR, TDEM, or TDA funds, it is crucial for community leaders to have a firm understanding of how to obtain and manage funds. In an ideal world, effective Capital Improvement Planning allocates funding for improvements; however, when accidents occur or Mother Nature strikes, disaster recovery efforts can be a significant funding challenge for communities. Grant funding knowledge is essential to ensure that a community can recover from disaster and prevent future loss of life and property.

The following are key components to the grant writing process that community leaders should take into consideration when applying for and managing grant funds for projects.

IDENTIFY PROJECTS EARLY AND DISCUSS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS

A crucial first step is to identify project targets for grant applications. Strategic planning sessions should include key stakeholders such as City staff, grant administrators, engineers, planners, and consultants. The goal is to collaborate and identify your community’s immediate and long-term needs. Make sure to consider how the funding will solve a problem as well as any negative impact if the project does not receive funding. Finally, create a budget that itemizes the various costs of the project.

PRIORITIZE PROJECTS

Next, prioritize projects based on their measurable impact on the community and stakeholders including population groups, schools, organizations, public utilities, churches, and the local municipality. Leverage existing data such as staff experience, repair history, system performance, previous studies, or engineering reports determining each project’s priority. Your strategic planning team needs to collaborate to develop a recommended project that maximizes the available grant budget and has the highest potential for acceptance.

PREPARE & SUBMIT GRANT APPLICATIONS

Preparing grant applications is a challenging and daunting task for many community leaders. It is often advantageous to get professional assistance from a grant writing company or your engineering or planning consultant. You may also need to engage your engineer or consulting firm to help define your project scope and provide an Engineers Opinion of Project Cost (EOPC). This information solidifies your case to receive funding and is a crucial piece of your narrative. It is essential that your data supports your story about how the issue has impacted your community and how the funding can help alleviate your hardship.

AWARD APPROVAL

The time from application submission to award notice varies for each grant, but typically, funding decisions are made within three to six months. If you do not secure the grant funding, it is acceptable to ask for feedback on the application’s denial. Getting feedback will help you gather additional valuable information for your next grant submittal. If you successfully secured funding, your work is not over. Many grants require specific guidelines for the use of the funds.

Next, your team will need to:

Review the scope
Set project expectations
Set project standards, including various grant requirements
Establish lines of communication with key stakeholders
Determine community outreach needs
Develop a project schedule

You may also need additional coordination for pay applications and funding requirements as required throughout the project.

EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Once you have received the grant funding, you must effectively manage the project. Your project team must follow and meet all of the grant instructions and measurements of success. Additionally, you must adhere to all administrative requirements such as proper financial management, environmental studies, and other documentation in case of an audit. Effective project management will also be essential for establishing the design, bid, and construction phases.

In the design phase, your project team should hold milestone meetings at 50%, 90%, and 100% of design. These milestone meetings are an opportunity for the project team and stakeholders to review the work completed to date, receive feedback and comments, review the EOPC, and discuss the next steps.

In the bid and construction phases, you may need to follow specific bidding requirements such as public hearings, pre-bid meetings, and bid openings. As the project nears completion, the project management team must review the plan for completion provisions and develop appropriate closeout documentation as needed for city and grant requirements. The team needs to confirm that everything is in compliance with the design intent and that the materials used are following specifications.

At project completion, closeout procedures need to occur with preliminary and final walk-throughs for acceptance. Record drawings should incorporate any changes to the plans that transpired during construction. Lastly, finalize documentation for the administrator of the grant.

While the grant application process can be challenging to navigate and is very competitive, do not become discouraged. With the right plan in place, and with proper assistance, your local government can secure the funding you need to make crucial infrastructure upgrades or receive much-needed disaster relief assistance.

Lead Service Line Replacements – Top Considerations

Posted on March 14, 2019January 4, 2023 by Heidi Whitver

Understanding the complexities of replacing lead services lines (LSL) in a community can seem daunting. Lead water mains have become a significant concern nationwide as stories have made headlines warning of high concentrations of lead in drinking water. Often community leaders and stakeholders don’t understand their options for implementing an LSL replacement plan. Community leaders should consider various issues and concerns when evaluating options such as a full replacement versus a partial replacement. Also, there are other hurdles such as regulatory and EPA requirements.

Community leaders should consider the following components when addressing an LSL replacement:

Getting started

Conversations can come from any sector: elected officials, the local public water system, public health agencies, or community-based business organizations
Communicate with constituents about lead early and throughout the project to help alleviate concerns
Secure a community-wide commitment both within local government and with the public

LSL Legal factors

Determine who owns and has access to the LSL
Discuss who should fund the replacements
Research how regulations will affect replacement

LSL Funding sources

Evaluate for the community and property owners
Determine funding mechanisms based on unique aspects to each community

Plan development process

Quantify the number of LSLs that exist in the community
Create an LSL inventory
Decide if participation will be mandatory or voluntary
Prioritize replacements
Ensure public health protection throughout the replacement process

The LSL replacement plan should include community involvement early in the process to educate constituents, gauge public interest, and offer continued support to help ease uncertainties about lead. These communications should continue during the construction phase and beyond to inform customers on crucial tasks, such as how and when to properly flush their home’s water lines after the replacement. Some communities may want to consider allowing homeowners to voluntarily replace their lines from the curb stop to their home while others may want to make it mandatory. These decisions will ultimately help your planning agency to schedule and prioritize replacement.

Obtaining legal consultation on community issues such as funding, private property access, and determining if the location of the LSLs is on public or provided land should be considered. Often, the local government only owns the waterline up to the property line of the homeowner. The homeowner typically owns the water line from that point to the home. State and local laws and regulations can affect whether a local government or water utility is allowed to pay for or even work on private property. Municipalities may also want to seek changes to current laws and regulations that will support the most effective LSL replacement initiative.

Once the determination is made to replace the LSLs, the next step is funding which is perhaps the most significant challenge for communities to address. Vetting funding options are crucial because both public and private entities are typically responsible for the repair costs of the service lines. Leveraging a community’s existing asset management information could help determine the overall project size and cost. Local governments should fund the water main, and service line to the curb stop at the property line, and homeowners commonly pay for the replacement of the service line from the curb stop to the home. Funding options may include leveraging the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) State Revolving Loan Funds, Federal Grants, or other funding sources. Some Illinois communities have offered their constituents interest-free loans to finance the cost of replacing the line on their private property.

Evaluation of effective strategies and communication to the public should start early, well before the LSL replacement projects begin. Full or partial replacement options, effective communication strategies, lead concerns, lines on private property, funding for property owners and municipalities, and effective plan development all need to be considered. Lead service line replacement and meaningful public dialogue on concerns are not simple tasks; however cooperative planning and the proper approach can make the project easier on your community.

Related Article: New Lead and Copper Regulations

Community Development: What to Look for?

Posted on March 10, 2019December 12, 2022 by Heidi Whitver

Community development, these communities contain a balanced mix of residential and commercial property and, within the commercial sector, a balanced mix of businesses that provide a tax base as well as serve the needs of residents.

Community Development - Resilient cities also have grants and loans to assist existing businesses with building-façade makeovers and improved signage. — Resilient cities also have grants and loans to assist community development/ existing businesses with building-façade makeovers and improved signage.

Potential businesses will look for communities that have many resources and know-how to use them. Resilient cities also have grants and loans to assist existing businesses with building-façade makeovers and improved signage. Organized and grassroots support for local businesses, along with an active chamber of commerce and tourism board, can also help a community be resilient. When business owners create a strong network, they have a “deep well” of a variety of resources, including mentors and referrals. In addition, that network creates opportunities to cross-market business. When businesses work together, they all benefit, whether it’s from a sidewalk sale, charitable events, outdoor entertainment, or other special events.

However, as more and more municipal and business leaders work to build resilience into their communities, developers have more opportunities to choose where they place their projects. How can a community attract the best developers? The best person to ask is a developer. Arthur C. Zwemke leads the Robert Arthur Land Company and has more than 25 years of residential and commercial real estate experience. He served as the President of the Attainable Housing Alliance, Board member of the Home Builders Association of Fox Valley and Northern Illinois, Chair of the LD4 NAHB Developer 20 Club, Chairman of the Plano Economic Development Corporation, Chairman of the Hampshire Area Chamber of Commerce and member of the Advisory Committee to the Chicago School of Real Estate at Roosevelt University.

Utility access

Zwemke says one of the most important factors when choosing a community, besides market demand, is ready and affordable access to water and sewer.

“It sounds so simple, but it is not in many cases,” Said Zwemke. “Some towns were able to expand capacity before the downturn, but have raised the tap fees so high to cover debt service, it is no longer economically feasible.”

Finding funding for water and sewer projects that do not rely on adding enormous amounts of debt is not difficult. A consultant can find federal or state programs designed to restore vital infrastructure projects especially those related to clean drinking water. Nationally, The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) provides $12.3 billion over 10 years for water, sewer, and inland waterway projects. States also have their own initiatives that can be used in conjunction with national grants.

Planning

Many developers are constrained by firm deadlines and tight budgets and don’t have time to deal with uncertainty and unclear regulations. While developers don’t like to wait for city staff and council to make the necessary zoning or code changes that they need to facilitate the development of a project, Zwemke says leaders need to be realistic and thoughtful about long-range planning.

“Leaders need to be clear about what they want developed, where, and that it is economically feasible. So many times, comprehensive plans envision development that is not likely in any reasonable time frame,” Zwemke says.

Moving efficiently through a municipality’s approval process is very important. Rules and requirements need to be clearly communicated and not subject to change. “Empower the staff to honestly express their opinion,” Zwemke advises “Some staff do not want to ruffle the feathers of a trustee or mayor so they list all their concerns, but rarely endorse a development and highlight the short-term and long-term benefits. They are professionally trained and their opinions should be valued.”

[pullquote]To ensure timely and professional plan review and inspections local leaders may need to perform organizational reviews or partner with private sector firms who employ experts in these fields and can respond quickly and efficiently as needed.[/pullquote]In a document on being more developer-friendly, the County of San Bernardino, California echoes Zwemke’s comments, “Work with the planning commission and city council to develop the necessary policies to identify what and when decisions can be made by staff and when they need to come before commission or council.”

The entire process does need to work as a partnership and developers can help communities during the approval process by anticipating the questions and concerns and being prepared to show the development’s benefit to the community Zwemke adds. The longer the approval process, the higher the cost to a developer because of more time, extension fees, etc. If the approval process is too cumbersome, they will just walk away.

San Bernardino officials agree to say that the development community desires a process that is consistent and quick. A representative from the home building industry stated at a recent development processing workshop that, “…many development projects struggle to reach the return on investment threshold outlined by the financial pro forma. The quicker a project can be entitled and permitted, the more profitable a project will be. For the housing industry to recover, the approval process must be significantly faster.”

Technology

The use of technology can help speed up the process. San Bernardino County has introduced a new web-based platform for the submission of building plans. The program, known as “e-Plan,” allows for the online submission, review, and approval of building plans and supporting studies.

Making sure adequate staff is on hand to perform plan review and inspections, once construction of new projects begin, is important for local governments. During the recession, many municipalities were forced to trim staff. To ensure timely and professional plan review and inspections local leaders may need to perform organizational reviews or partner with private sector firms who employ experts in these fields and can respond quickly and efficiently as needed.

Residents

Community leaders also need to have an idea of the economics when thinking about residential development.

“If they want the local school teacher, police or fireman to live in their town, average their wages, multiple by three to determine what amount of house that they can afford and then determine if their standards and fees (including all jurisdictions, not just their own) can be absorbed in the price of the home,” Zwemke advises.

Resilience helps communities and regions build diverse, prosperous economies by enhancing the quality of place; advancing effective job creation strategies; reducing housing, transportation, and energy consumption costs; promoting clean energy solutions; and creating economic opportunities for residents. Building a resilient community is not easy and requires expertise, patience, and dedication.

At HR Green 78% of our staff in Governmental Services business line have been employed in the public sector and have an average of 18 years of experience in the arena. They were City Managers, Finance Directors, City Engineers, Building Officials, Public Works Directors and worked for various Departments in state government. Our staff has walked in your shoes and can be trusted to professionally deliver services to your constituents.

Utility Damage Prevention: The Growing Role of Broadband

Posted on March 7, 2019May 4, 2022 by Jim Hoover

In this article, we will look at some of the tools that identify and respond with utility damage prevention.

The infrastructure that utilities build and maintain can run the spectrum from convenience for the utility’s customers to critical infrastructure (both for customers and national grids). The potential utility damage to the many components of that infrastructure can come from different sources with varying intent.

Read the full article >>

Posted with copyright permission from DP-Pro publication. The Growing Role of Broadband in Utility Damage Prevention by HR Green’s Ken Demlow.

Masonry Shear Walls – Joint Reinforcement as Primary Shear Reinforcement

Posted on February 7, 2019May 5, 2022 by Heidi Whitver

Partially grouted masonry shear walls are common in North America. Construction of partially grouted concrete masonry shear walls can benefit greatly by the placement of joint reinforcement in bed joints of each or every other course instead of deformed reinforcement in bond beams because placement and grouting of bond beams slow construction. Joint reinforcement is already used to help control cracking and provide prescriptive horizontal reinforcement. With sufficient area and ductility of wire, joint reinforcement can also provide the tension capacity to span across cracks in shear walls and to act as primary shear reinforcement for in-plane shear forces.

Read the full article >>

Reprinted with permission of The Masonry Society Journal, Vol. 36 Number 1, Dec. 2018. Copyright: The Masonry Society www.masonrysociety.org.

Learn How the Illinois Accessibility Code Changes Can Affect Your Community and Code Officials

Posted on January 25, 2019May 4, 2022 by Heidi Whitver

Now that the Illinois Accessibility Code (IAC) has been updated for the first time since 1997, it is crucial that your community’s Code Officials, Building Inspectors, and Plan Reviewers become knowledgeable about some key changes. The IAC requires certain accessibility standards to guarantee that newly-constructed or renovated buildings are safe and readily accessible to persons with disabilities. Some of these standards have been updated in 2018, and include:

Shared access aisles for every handicapped parking space are now allowed
Exercise machines and equipment must be fully accessible
Play areas, elevated play areas, and amusement parks must allow handicapped access
Swimming pools must all have permanently located lifts

IAC Code changes include playground udpates — IAC Code changes include playground updates.

Probably the biggest change in the actual code is that access aisles for every handicapped parking space are no longer required as they can now share an access aisle with the neighboring parking spot. This does not include diagonal parking spots that still require individual access aisles. This is an important update because now designers will be able to fit more parking spaces into the lots.

Making sure that your plan review staff is aware of these updates can help alleviate any future changes to the design or updating of recreation centers, gyms, shopping centers, parking lots, and temporary amusement parks. Building inspectors will also need to note to look for these changes when approving new construction or updates.

Another key update deals with access to fitness and exercise areas, such as children’s playground equipment, gyms, and swimming pools. All playground equipment must provide handicapped access even if it is elevated. So designers and inspectors of school playgrounds, parks, and even amusement parks, including temporary amusement park rides, will need to note these changes. Recreation centers, gyms, and fitness centers will now need to allocate more space, as every exercise machine available now needs to have handicapped access. Finally, swimming pools must now include permanently located lifts that can be operated by the handicapped person themselves.

These code changes will be critical when designing or updating various buildings, lots, and assets in your community. Ensuring that your community’s Building Department staff is aware of these new code updates is paramount to ensure that the IAC codes are being met.

Top Changes to the Illinois Accessibility Code – 2018 Update

Posted on January 25, 2019May 1, 2025 by Heidi Whitver

Note: This article contains outdated information!

As of January 1, 2025, Illinois has adopted a statewide building code under Public Act 103-0510, requiring all jurisdictions to meet minimum standards set by the International Code Council (ICC).

For the most up-to-date information on these changes, read our latest article.

The Illinois Accessibility Code (IAC) has been updated for the first time in nearly 20 years and went into effect on October 23, 2018. Established in 1997, the IAC requires certain accessibility standards to guarantee that newly-constructed or renovated buildings are safe and readily accessible to persons with disabilities.

Here are some of the major observations and changes that we noticed.

IAC Document Changes:

No longer has a table of contents, index, or page numbers
It is now divided into chapters and includes illustrations within the document
It includes tables in some chapters, making it easier to find answers
The Historical Building section is now easier to read and interpret
General exceptions to construction sites are now written more clearly, lessening the need for further interpretation

IAC Code Changes:

Access aisles for each handicapped parking space are no longer required, however, they may be shared between spaces
Exercise machines and equipment must be accessible
Play areas, elevated play areas, and amusement parks must allow access
Swimming pools must all have permanently located lifts that can be operated solely by the handicapped person

One general observation that most Code Professionals will notice is that the layout of the updated Illinois Accessibility Code has been changed and is now written in the same format as the International Building Code, making it much easier to search. In addition, the new IAC is now divided into 10 Chapters which is quite different from the 1997 IAC. For example, Chapter 1 is General and Definitions, and Chapter 2 contains very specific sections relating to most areas that Code Professionals need. Chapter 3 focuses on the building blocks for maneuvering space, reaching space, turning, and knee and toe clearances. One great enhancement that makes it easier to search is the addition of illustrations and tables within the correct chapter versus being noted in Appendix A (which is now removed).

Probably the biggest change in the actual code is that access aisles for every handicapped parking space are no longer needed unless it’s a diagonal parking spot. Regular parking spots can now share an access aisle with the neighboring parking spot. Other key code changes deal with exercise machines, playground equipment, swimming pools, lifts, and amusement park rides. These code changes will be critical when designing or updating recreation centers, gyms, shopping centers, parking lots, and temporary amusement parks that we often see at local carnivals.

Classroom Occupant Loading and Egress: What You Need to Know

Posted on July 24, 2018May 5, 2022 by Heidi Whitver

Occupancy is not just a matter of how many people can be accommodated in a classroom. It is also how many people can be safely sheltered and evacuated. Occupant loading in classrooms has to take into consideration what the District wants, or the ideal teaching environment₁ versus what the codes require or permit.

The Ideal Classroom and Applying Code Requirements

When we consider the ideal classroom, we may think in terms of 15:1 or 20:1 student:teacher ratios. When we discuss the realities of District resources, we may see as much as 25:1 or 35:1. Applying the code requirements between these two scenarios requires analysis of the unique environment. Three questions must be asked:

What is the intent of the codes?
What are the objectives?
How do the codes aid in achieving its stated objectives?

To the first question, IBC Section 101.3 gives the straightforward answer; “…Intent. The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of safety, public health, and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities…and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment and to provide a reasonable level of safety to firefighters and emergency responders during emergency operations…”.

While the first answer provides clarity, the answers to the second and third questions are a bit more complicated. The abbreviated code objectives are:

Provide a safe structure in which to live and/or work.
In the event of some hazardous or catastrophic occurrence, the persons inside AND the first responders coming onto the scene will have an increased likelihood of survival.

In the discussion of occupant loading, you achieve the objectives, in part, by analyzing the potential occupant loading based on the function or use of the space(s). Then, the egress components and elements to determine how many persons can, if necessary, be evacuated.

Code Requirements and Occupancy Loads

The code mandates maximum loading in terms of square feet (sf)/person, providing potential loading by the overall dimension of the space to be occupied. However, taking into account the original applicable construction code, there are specific qualifiers to the base values (see School Code Matrix table below). Most of the areas listed are based on the GROSS area, or wall-to-wall. But some, such as daycare centers, dormitories, and education functions rely on the NET area. These types of spaces often have fixed elements, such as pipe chases or small storage closets that are not likely to change.

Classroom Example

In a 30’x30’ classroom, there are 900 sf (gross). If there are no other obstructions (small storage closets, pipe chases, etc.), this translates to 900 sf (net) @ 20 sf/person = 45 persons maximum occupant load. So, there is a capacity to shelter 45 persons.

Egress components need to be evaluated separately, beginning with the door.

The occupant load factor in this example is from the current building code (2015 IBC) and applies to new construction, additions, and occasionally existing buildings (depending on the level of modification).

If this classroom example is in a building constructed in 1980, it falls under the jurisdiction of Title 23 IL Admin Code Parts 175 and 185. Under these requirements, the occupant loading is calculated 18 sf/person, or 50 persons.

Furthermore, if you have a storage room or a woodshop built under the current (2015) code, the space must have EITHER a 1-hour fire separation OR be fully sprinklered. If the space was constructed under Part 175 or Part 185 (pre-1995), the code requires a minimum 1-hour fire-resistance rating REGARDLESS of whether you are sprinklered.

So, the code year can affect various factors such as the number of allowed persons per square feet as well as requirements for fire resistance. One crucial point to note is that when you examine an existing building, you must apply the code in effect at the time of construction, and you cannot reduce the level of protection provided under the original construction.

As stated earlier, it’s not just a matter of how many people can be accommodated in a classroom, it’s also how many people can be safely sheltered and evacuated which leads us to our next criteria, egress components for evacuation.

Egress Components for Evacuation

Egress components need to be evaluated separately, beginning with the door. The code says to evaluate the CAPACITY of a door by the net width of the opening, typically .2”/person on a level surface (no ramps or stairs). The net width of a typical 36” classroom door opening is about 33.75” (36” – (1 ¾” door thickness + ½” doorstop)) or 168 persons (33.75 divided by .2 = 168.75 no rounding up).

Again, the factor used in this example is from the current building code (2015 IBC) and applies to new construction, additions, and occasionally existing buildings (depending on the level of modification). For most remodeling projects in an existing building, the same 36” door has a capacity of 200.

Considering this calculation, why can’t there be 168 or 200 persons in the classroom? The area dimension of the classroom is the limiting factor since this may also be a shelter. The door is the exit access or an orifice into the next important element of the egress system, the exit passageway.

Exit Passageway

The exit passageway is a protected path to an exit that also has a rated capacity. The current 2015 IBC requires a minimum 44” width for an exit passageway. On a level surface (not a ramp or stair), this results in a capacity of 220 persons (44” divided by .2 = 220) or almost five of our classroom examples. Of course, the design professionals must take into account the calculated occupant loading that will utilize the corridor/passageway in determining the required exit passageway width. The current 2015 IBC requires a minimum of 72” in width for a corridor, but if the facility was built before March of 1995 (and there are many hundreds of these in Illinois), you are required to have a minimum of 8’ (96”) if your calculated corridor occupant load is over 200 (4 of our example classrooms), 7’ (84”) if your calculated load is over 100 (2 of our example classrooms), and 6’ (72”) if your calculated corridor occupant load is over 50 persons.

Exit Discharge

The exit discharge, simply stated, is the point where you have come out of the structure and entered the public way to a pre-determined assembly point. You have now exited the building.

Occupant loading is not just a matter of how many people can be accommodated in a classroom. It is also how many people can be safely sheltered and evacuated. Whether performing a plan review or inspection, your Code professional does not dictate design, but they should be paying particular attention to this critical part of the overall program, Life Safety.

1 Lower student/teacher ratio versus what resources are available to the District, limited staffing levels and budgets.

Leadership Spotlight: Dave Reitz, PLA, on the Importance of Communication & Building Strong Relationships

Posted on July 18, 2018May 4, 2022 by Heidi Whitver

David Reitz — Dave Reitz, Land Development President

Dave Reitz has over 30 years of experience and is a registered landscape architect with extensive experience in residential land planning, land development, land entitlement, and landscape architecture. Prior to joining HR Green, Dave worked as a National Director of Community Development for a national homebuilder. He has led numerous projects through all phases of design and implementation, including site analysis/evaluation, conceptual design/planning, public outreach and involvement, specific site planning, land entitlement and zoning, detailed design, construction documentation, and construction administration.

Q: What should clients know about HR Green’s Land Development team?

A: Clients can benefit from our team providing an inside perspective to their needs and philosophies because many of our staff, including myself, have either previously worked on the private side or have worked most of their careers with developers and builders. Our collective backgrounds allow us to look at opportunities from our client’s perspectives to help their projects say on schedule with fewer disruptions. We also take time to understand background issues from the investment side and understand the sense of urgency that our clients may expect from a consultant. Clients appreciate this experience, and it helps us understand what to prioritize in terms of the approval and entitlement process.

Q: How can clients benefit from your team’s communication approach?

A: We assign a key project manager to work with every client throughout the duration of their projects. Clients like to know that they have a key person assigned to them that is responsible for all communications for the overall project, quality of work, the schedule, and other crucial tasks. Our clients have access to a deep bench of staff, but all information is funneled through one person on our team, typically a seasoned project manager.

This approach seems to alleviate issues that I have seen from my experience working for the private sector, in which consultants might have multiple contact points for multiple tasks which lead to miscommunication.

Q: How do you earn a client’s trust and establish long-term relationships?

A: Keeping lines of communication open and providing great service helps us gain trust from our existing clients and build long-term relationships. We have a great staff that has earned this trust and developed it into repeat business. Our Chick-fil-A account in the Midwest and the Howard Hughes account in the Houston area are prime examples of our ability to put ourselves in our client’s shoes, communicate for success, and place a high priority in managing their projects.

In addition, our staff strives to take some of the management load off of our clients. Chick-fil-A is a great example of that. Our staff has been able to coordinate many of the tasks and provide management assistance to the regional managers of Chick-fil-A related to coordination from all of the different entities that are involved in the project. We do this by communicating openly with these various entities, such as the City officials where the project is being built, the attorneys that are trying to get the projects approved, the landlords or the architects that are involved, and essentially “quarterbacking” the entire project. That adds value to our clients. They appreciate it when we go beyond the technical aspects of engineering and coordinate everything on their behalf so they can open a store on time; close a house on time, or open a distribution facility by a specific date.

Our ability to expedite approvals, keep things on schedule, and coordinate amongst all of the different stakeholders is what helps us to provide exceptional service to our clients.

Top 5 Ways Municipal Fiber Networks Can Help Communities with Resiliency

Posted on March 26, 2018May 5, 2022 by Heidi Whitver

While many communities have used fiber optic cables to connect traffic signals and sites, more and more are leveraging their municipal fiber networks to become a robust asset for their community.

While some communities focus on attracting retail communication services, others are focusing on creating municipal fiber networks to help them become more resilient for upcoming technical and societal changes. Municipal fiber networks can help a community provide their constituents with options for high-speed broadband internet service.

The following are some of the top ways that municipal fiber networks can help communities with resiliency:

1. Rebounding from Severe Weather
As severe weather events become more frequent and damaging, communities’ ability to rebound faster could depend on more reliable communication networks. Often during and immediately after a severe storm or natural disaster, communication systems fail. Without cell phone networks working, recovery can be drastically hampered. A municipal fiber network can help keep crucial communication lines open.

2. Stimulate & Attract New Businesses
According to the Fiber to the Home Council, evidence is growing that shows businesses tend to stay in areas with fiber connectivity. In addition, fiber connectivity helps businesses grow and become more productive. Communities with robust municipal fiber networks have a better chance of attracting new businesses, especially in high-tech industries.

3. Attract + Retain Residents
Attracting and retaining new residents is a goal for many communities. When competing with neighboring communities to attract new residents, high-speed internet access can become a major differentiator. Allowing residents options for high-speed internet is an attractive option for someone to be able to work from home, especially as more employers start operating out of “cloud” based networks. Residents with telecommuting options can also help keep the local economy moving in the event of severe weather. Whether it’s a major snowstorm, flood, or fire, if roadways are blocked and people can’t get to work, productivity and the economy can come to a halt.

Municipal Fiber Networks - Fiber-connected infrastructure — Fiberglass network under construction

Fiber-connected homes can also aid current residents that are looking to sell. Recent studies by the Fiber to the Home Council have shown that homes with gigabit-speed internet (1,000 Mbps) have a transaction price of 7.1% more than similar homes where 25 Mbps or less is available. For Millennials, who make up 43% of all smart home product users according to the National Association of Realtors, internet provider access can be the deciding factor when assessing a home.

Millennials are also a driving force in using “Doctor on Demand” applications from their mobile devices instead of going to physically see a doctor. In addition, high-speed internet-enabled health care options can help reduce citizens’ healthcare costs and allow chronically ill patients to live more independently. As healthcare technology advances, patients can provide their doctors with real-time data remotely instead of making an office visit. People that previously needed daily visits from nurses and practitioners can save costs by using broadband-enabled devices. Some of these people that would have had to move to an assisted living facility may now be able to stay living in their current communities.

Another major component to attracting and retaining residents is education. A community with a poor education system may lose residents looking for better opportunities for themselves and their children. Students in fiber-connected schools have access to more information and new methods of learning.

4. Lower Dependency on Large Incumbent Communication Companies
Having your community depend on incumbent technology providers can leave you feeling helpless if they are not willing to invest in broadband technology. Many rural areas are having a challenging time in getting large incumbent communication companies to invest in high-speed broadband. People in these areas feel neglected and may want or need to move to an area that provides high-speed internet access. Municipal fiber networks can help a community take control and lower its dependency on communication providers.

5. Adapt to technology changes and demands
Since optical fiber is the basis of the world’s communications networks, its extreme capacity can support today’s broadband needs and those in the future. Positioning your community for the future demands of technology could be crucial to staying resilient to these changes. Demands for faster bandwidth will only exponentially grow as we transform into smart cities, adapt for autonomous vehicles, and continue to see advancements into the multitude of “internet of things” (IoT).

As communities plan for the future, more and more focus needs to be on resiliency. Resiliency from weather, technology changes, citizen needs, businesses attraction and retention, and dependency on private companies providing much-needed services such as high-speed internet. Quick recovery from misfortune or change could be crucial for the long-term survivability of a community. As people and businesses rely more and more on the internet of things, downloading applications, streaming content, and working in virtual environments, the crucial nature of high-speed broadband services is paramount for a community. Creating municipal fiber networks should be evaluated to help communities become more resilient to the always evolving technical and societal changes.

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HR Green helps communities prepare for the future by developing a strong communications infrastructure. Examples of our work can be found here: