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On October 7th, 2025, the Local Infrastructure Hub hosted a session to explore how municipal leaders can protect infrastructure development goals from fiscal uncertainty through effective grants management. We discussed best practices such as creating a governance model, building an annual grant plan, implementing a strong data management system, and maintaining cash and compliance discipline. These strategies can help ensure long-term infrastructure priorities move forward, even in a shifting funding landscape. We were joined by Matt Hanson, Managing Director of Government Advisory Services at Witt O’Brien’s, to share expert insights on how strengthening your city’s grants function can help reduce administrative barriers, lighten reporting burdens, save money, and raise additional revenue.
Key Insights Shared
Identify the system design issues that are most detrimental to your organization’s grant management. Matt Hanson identified seven root causes of underperformance in managing federal grants at the local level:
- Siloed organizational structures that fragment grant related work
- Dashboards and budget hearings prioritize the general fund, causing grants to compete poorly for time and talent
- Risk-averse behavior or a “sprint and fix later” mentality leads to missed or mishandled opportunities
- Unclear decision rights result in slow or misaligned decision-making
- Tool sprawl prevents leaders, the public, and grantors from accessing consistent and necessary data
- Episodic capacity, where each grant feels like a fresh start due to a lack of sustained infrastructure or processes
- Story gaps, where grants are communicated in terms of dollars rather than outcomes, weakening their impact.
Run federal assistance like an enterprise portfolio. Cities, regardless of size, should establish organizational governance, develop an annual grant plan aligned with strategic goals, implement strong data and delivery systems, and maintain disciplined cash and compliance practices.
Protect and future-proof grant funded programs by focusing on outcomes and compliance. Matt Hanson provided a 90-day plan for local governments that aims to create resilient grant infrastructure that can survive leadership changes and federal scrutiny.
- Days 0–30: Set the Foundation: Appoint a grants lead, form a user group, and start building a grants manual, continuity toolkit, and initial grant strategy.
- Days 31–60: Build Systems and Engagement: Launch a data system or public dashboard, preload key deadlines, and engage internal and external stakeholders through training and outreach.
- Days 61–90: Operationalize and Refine: Monitor progress using scorecards, refine workflows, and proactively publish outcomes to strengthen compliance and public trust.
Resources Shared During the Webinar and in Discussion:
- One-on-one Office Hours: Sign up for a hands-on session with Matt Hanson for support on optimizing your grants management processes.