Funding Success Starts Long Before the Application
Kate Burum
Client Funding Specialist
Mark Evans
Funding Specialist
When communities think about funding, the focus is often on the application itself. However, the strongest funding applications are built long before a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is announced. Successful communities establish good documentation practices, maintain current planning documents and keep projects funding-ready so they can respond quickly when opportunities become available.
We encourage our clients to think of funding readiness as an ongoing process, rather than a one-time effort. Communities that prepare before funding opportunities are announced are best positioned to compete when the time comes.
Document Existing Conditions
One of the most valuable — and often overlooked — strategies is thorough documentation.
Communities should routinely photograph relevant infrastructure under normal conditions to establish a baseline and revisit locations after significant weather events or other emergencies to document damage and recurring issues.
Some suggested records to maintain are:
-
Flooding frequency and locations
-
Sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs)
-
Water main breaks
-
Pavement conditions
-
Traffic crash history
-
Maintenance costs
These records help demonstrate project need and provide compelling evidence when applying for competitive funding. Since most applications have word limits, good photography can often communicate project needs more effectively than paragraphs of text.
Keep Project Costs Updated
Project costs can change significantly over time. Communities should periodically update engineering cost estimates to reflect current construction pricing. Accurate budgets improve application competitiveness and reduce delays after awards are announced.
Likewise, identifying local matching funds during annual budget development allows communities to respond quickly when funding programs with local participation requirements become available.
These strategies help avoid costly surprises and strengthen funding applications.
Keep Administrative Requirements Current
Being funding-ready isn’t just about engineering and planning. It is also critical that communities have their administrative requirements in order. Many federal funding opportunities require applicants to have an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), a current registration in SAM.gov and up-to-date financial audits before an application can be submitted or an award can be executed.
Communities should routinely:
-
Verify that their SAM.gov registration is active and renew it annually
-
Confirm their UEI information is accurate and associated with the correct SAM.gov registration
-
Verify required financial audits and compliance reports are current and readily available
-
Maintain current points of contact and authorized officials within SAM.gov and other grant management systems
Renewing registrations and keeping required documentation current takes minimal time each year but can prevent unnecessary delays or even disqualification when funding opportunities become available.
Monitor Funding Opportunities
Staying informed is also a key component of funding readiness. Early preparation reduces last-minute challenges and improves application quality. When a NOFO is released, communities with well-prepared projects can move quickly while others are still getting organized.
Best practices include:
-
Monitoring annual funding announcements and funding cycles
-
Beginning major funding applications well before deadlines
-
Coordinating with regional and state partners on projects that provide shared benefits
-
Place eligible utility projects on the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Project Priority List as early as possible
Every state’s SRF program requires projects to be included on its Project Priority List before funding can be awarded. However, being listed does not obligate a community to use SRF funding.
Planning Makes the Difference
Many federal and state funding programs give preference to or even require that projects be identified in adopted planning documents, making proactive planning an essential step toward securing infrastructure funding.
Communities should ensure projects are incorporated into documents such as:
-
Hazard mitigation plans
-
Capital improvement programs (CIPs)
-
Comprehensive plans
-
Utility master plans
-
Safety action plans (for transportation)
-
Other adopted planning documents
Maintaining an annually updated, prioritized CIP and advancing planning studies, preliminary engineering and cost estimates before funding opportunities arise can significantly improve grant competitiveness.
The Bottom Line
Funding success isn’t built in the weeks leading up to an application deadline. Strong applications are the result of years of planning, documentation and thoughtful project development.
Communities that maintain current data, updated plans, realistic cost estimates and funding-ready projects are best positioned to secure funding and deliver infrastructure improvements that benefit their residents.
How Freese and Nichols Can Help
With more than three decades of experience helping clients navigate complex infrastructure funding options, the Freese and Nichols Funding Team supports communities seeking loan and grant programs for water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation and hazard mitigation projects. The team develops tailored strategies that combine grants, principal forgiveness and low or zero interest loans to help clients deliver essential infrastructure efficiently.
The team also advises on funding program compliance and advocates for clients and their projects before funding agencies.
For more information, contact Kate Burum at kate.burum@freese.com or Mark Evans at mark.evans@freese.com.
Kate Burum is a Client Funding Specialist based in Oklahoma City.
Mark Evans is a Funding Specialist based in San Marcos, Texas.