As funding landscapes evolve and community needs grow, successful capital improvement programs rely more than ever on proactive, diversified, and well-coordinated grant strategies. For municipalities, counties, and regional agencies, simply responding to grant opportunities as they arise is no longer enough. Instead, securing grant funding in 2025 and beyond requires a comprehensive, “all-in” approach—one that integrates funding planning with capital improvement priorities, strategic partnerships, and evolving best practices.
HR Green helps communities of all sizes identify and pursue layered, long-term funding opportunities that support impactful infrastructure projects and quality-of-life improvements. We can help you build a grant-ready organization, uncover creative funding sources, and make smarter, more sustainable investments in your community’s future.
Why a Diversified Grant Strategy Matters
A diversified grant strategy helps reduce reliance on a single funding stream, protects against changing program requirements, and enhances the financial resilience of your capital program. This is especially important in a shifting funding environment:
- FEMA’s BRIC program was canceled in early 2025, nullifying applications from 2020–2023.
- State Revolving Fund allocations for clean and drinking water saw a $2.4B federal reduction.
- Digital Equity Capacity Grants were eliminated nationwide.
These changes underscore the need to look beyond traditional sources and embrace a wider range of public and private partners.
How to Build a Grant-Ready Organization for Public Infrastructure Funding
To compete effectively for funding, communities need internal alignment and a clear process for identifying, tracking, and pursuing grant opportunities.
- Align Funding with Your Capital Improvement Plan (CIP): A detailed CIP is foundational. Clearly identify and prioritize projects based on urgency, eligibility, and strategic alignment with community goals. Develop detailed funding plans for each priority project, incorporating a mix of federal, state, local, and private funding sources.
- Build an Internal Grant Coordination Team: Appoint a dedicated grant coordinator or funding advocate within your organization. Establish departmental liaisons across critical areas such as planning, public works, and finance. Incorporate funding responsibilities into your annual budget and CIP processes, ensuring seamless internal coordination and streamlined application reviews.
- Leverage Multiple Funding Streams: Look beyond traditional sources. Common federal opportunities include USDOT’s INFRA, RAISE, and Safe Streets and Roads for All; EPA’s Brownfields Program; FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program; HUD’s Community Development Block Grants (CDBG); and USDA’s rural utilities.
Creative local and private sources are equally valuable—tap into regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations, economic development groups, community foundations, and public-private partnerships. Think creatively and pursue innovative local solutions to funding challenges.
Plan, Advocate, Deliver: The Formula for Grant Success
At the same time, ongoing outreach and advocacy are critical. Leveraging specialized grant-finding tools, consultants, and lobbyists—while maintaining open communication with legislators, agencies, and partners—helps keep your community top-of-mind for new funding opportunities.
Communities should maintain updated project documentation, accurate cost estimates, and clear matching strategies, including cascading grants, Tax Incremental Financing (TIFs), and bond measures. A multi-year funding calendar to track opportunities, deadlines, and application statuses.
Once grants are secured, effective grant management requires continuous tracking of project milestones, financial metrics, and reporting requirements.
- Use dashboards and software to track milestones, key performance indicators (KPIs), and financial metrics
- Submit timely reports to funders
- Evaluate program impact and communicate results to stakeholders
Case Studies in Effective Funding
Here are a couple of real-world successes that illustrate how effective funding strategies can be realized:
Gougar Road Grade Separation – New Lenox, IL
Faced with $40M in project costs for a grade separation at the Canadian National Railroad, Will County Department of Transportation assisted by HR Green and CMAP helped identify 12 grant programs and 4 funding sources to advance this critical transportation safety project. A funding matrix helped coordinate expenditures across phases (ROW, engineering, utilities, etc.) and made the project viable.
7th Avenue Creek Improvements – St. Charles, IL
After severe flooding that occurred in 2008, the City ultimately secured layered grants to fund creek restoration. Phase I was funded through Section 319 Grant funding, Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunity (GIGO), and Riverboat Funding. HR Green services included the preparation of 319 GIGO grant applications, which resulted in grant funding totaling $2,622,967 with a local share of only $201,767 or just 8% of the total amount paid by the City.
The Village of Cary IL. New Water Plant with $12M Grant
The Village of Cary secured $12 million in State Revolving Fund loan forgiveness from the Illinois EPA for a new groundwater well and water treatment facility at Rotary Park. Due to strategic planning and swift action by the Village and HR Green, this major infrastructure upgrade is nearly fully funded with a total cost of $12.3 million. The new 1,300-foot deep well and modern treatment facility will enhance the resilience of the Village’s water infrastructure and play an essential part in supporting future economic development initiatives.
Future-Proof Your Capital Projects with Strategic Funding Planning
Municipalities that act proactively by diversifying funding streams and building strong internal coordination will be better positioned to weather funding shifts and capitalize on emerging opportunities. HR Green is dedicated to supporting municipal clients throughout every stage of the funding journey—from planning and application to implementation and management.
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