By Adam Hursh
Local governments across the country wear many hats. From managing public safety and infrastructure to parks, planning, housing and economic development, there’s never a shortage of responsibilities or expectations. But what often gets overlooked in the shuffle of meetings and maintenance calls is the importance of proactive planning, particularly when it comes to leveraging grant funding.
We’re not talking about scrambling to pull something together at the eleventh hour when a grant opportunity hits your inbox. No, what’s truly critical is taking a thoughtful, forward-looking approach: identifying funding opportunities early, aligning them with existing priorities, and planning for both success and the possibility that funding may not come through.
Let’s be real here, grants aren’t guaranteed. That’s part of the game. But what local governments can control is how prepared they are when the window opens.
Get ahead, not caught off guard
One of the biggest mistakes local governments make is discovering grant opportunities too late in the cycle. By then, timelines are tight, projects aren’t fully baked, and you’re left scrambling to meet eligibility requirements or gather stakeholder support. It’s reactive rather than strategic.
Instead, local governments need to maintain an ongoing awareness of what funding streams are out there, federal, state, regional, and even private foundation opportunities. Assign someone (or a small internal team) to monitor grant calendars, subscribe to alerts, and keep tabs on agencies that regularly fund projects tied to your goals. Whether it’s FEMA, DOT, EPA or USDA, nearly every federal agency has a grant program that can benefit a local initiative if you’re looking ahead.
And when something promising pops up, it shouldn’t be the first time anyone’s thinking about it. The groundwork should already be in motion.
Planning for both roads: Funded and unfunded
Now, here’s where local government can separate itself from the pack: developing dual-track plans.
When you’re considering a project, say, a new stormwater management system, a community policing initiative, or a fire station upgrade, you need to plan for what it looks like with grant funding, and just as importantly, what happens without it.
Maybe your grant application is successful. Great! That plan should already include timelines, partners, permitting, cost shares, and communications. But if the application’s denied or delayed, then what? Abandoning the project altogether often isn’t the best move, especially if it’s tied to public safety or long-term growth. That’s why a parallel track is so important.
Local governments should have contingency paths, scaled-down versions, phased rollouts, or different funding mixes. Maybe it becomes a multi-year budgeted project. Maybe you tackle the most urgent components first while continuing to pursue outside dollars. Either way, you’re not caught flat-footed if Plan A doesn’t pan out.
It’s not about expecting rejection. It’s about being resilient regardless of the outcome.
Grants should support the plan, not define it
One of the more dangerous trends you see sometimes is local governments chasing grants that don’t really fit their needs, just because money’s on the table. That kind of backwards logic, where the tail wags the dog, can lead to projects that are rushed, poorly matched to the community, or unsustainable after the grant runs out.
The better approach? Have a clear strategic plan or capital improvement roadmap already in place. Grants then become tools to accelerate or expand what’s already been vetted, budgeted, or prioritized. It keeps the focus on long-term value, not short-term wins.
And when you’re applying for grants that actually support what you’re already committed to doing, your application gets stronger. Reviewers can see the alignment. Your goals are clearer. Your justification is tighter. You’re not grasping, you’re ready.
Don’t expect free money, earn it with preparation
There’s no entitlement in grant funding. Even the best-written applications can come up short. That’s why the expectation can’t be that every big idea will be bankrolled by someone else. Local governments need to lead with what they can control: smart planning, phased budgeting, stakeholder support, and detailed implementation frameworks.
It’s okay to be optimistic. But be realistic, too.
Grant dollars can absolutely be transformative. They can take a basic project and make it bigger, faster, safer, or more inclusive. But they should never be the only way forward. And they should never be treated as something to “figure out later.”
The bottom line: Planning is the investment
At the end of the day, the true return on investment for local government isn’t always the grant itself; it’s the discipline of planning. That’s where the trust is built, both within your community and with outside partners.
Start identifying opportunities before they hit. Build a running list of priority projects. Sketch out paths for yes and paths for no. And never lose sight of the mission: serving your community in ways that are thoughtful, responsive, and future-ready.
Grants don’t reward desperation; they reward preparation.
And local governments that get that? They’re the ones who win, whether the check comes or not.
Looking to navigate the complexities of grants funding? Lexipol is your go-to resource for state-specific, fully developed grants services that can help fund your needs. Find out more about our grants services here.
