FREE WEBINAR FOR MUNICIPAL PLANNING & GRANTS LEADERS

Plan To Fund: 5 Steps That Win Grants

Grant cycles reward preparation, not last-minute effort.

This session shows you how to identify the right opportunities before the notice drops, write a competitive application, and manage the award once funding arrives.

Plan to Fund Webinar: 5 Steps That Win Grants

Ready to win funding for your community?

5 Steps To Winning Grant Funding

Prepare before the notice opens

Identify your project, build your team, and lock in cost estimates early.

Match your project to the grant

Review the notice for eligibility, priorities, and deadlines.

Write a competitive application

Study previous winners, build funder relationships early, and tell a memorable story.

Mobilize after winning the grant

Assemble your team and confirm reporting requirements before funding moves.

Manage the grant through closeout

Track milestones, reimbursements, and compliance until the project's done.

What Happens When Communities Apply Without a Plan

Frustrated municipal employees at the desk

The Problem

Most communities apply for grants reactively.

When a notice drops with no project ready, no team assembled, and no cost estimates in hand, communities scramble to catch up.

Why It Matters

Funding rewards preparation, not luck.

The same grant cycles repeat every year, and the communities that prepare ahead of time are the ones that keep winning them.

Who This Session Is For

City & County Managers

Bring in grant expertise without adding permanent headcount or long-term budget commitments.

Community Development Directors

Learn how to make your next project the one that's ready when funding is.

Grant Writers & Administrators

Get support with the relationship and technical work that happens outside the writing itself.

WATCH FULL WEBINAR NOW

"Grants are about telling a story. These reviewers don't know your community, and that story is what makes your application real."

Featuring Your Hosts

Juliana Hoffman, Director of Marketing & Communications

Juliana leads SAFEbuilt's thought leadership, including the Built for Tomorrow podcast and the Economic Development series, helping communities navigate growth, limited staffing, rising permit volumes, and evolving service expectations.

Jim Hickey, AICP

Jim brings nearly 30 years of municipal planning experience, including roles with Broward County and the City of Coral Springs, Florida. He has helped communities secure funding for projects ranging from post-disaster recovery programs to major regional infrastructure improvements.

Vickki Placide-Pickard, Planning and Grants Administrator

Vickki has spent nearly 20 years in local government grant writing and administration, helping entitlement communities secure more than $30 million in funding. Her work spans park improvements, residential rehabilitation, and large-scale infrastructure and disaster recovery projects.