The Role of Executive Leadership in Winning Federal Grants

In 2022, following the creation of an Office of Infrastructure, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Zachary Kolodin to the newly founded role of Chief Infrastructure Officer. One of Kolodin’s primary duties would be to assist Michigan’s cities and towns in getting more federal funding through grant applications.

The appointment underscores a key dilemma that many states are facing in the wake of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), as it’s also known: there’s more funding available than ever before, but the time involved with the grant application process places an additional burden on local governments that are already strapped for resources and personnel.

By appointing an official specifically tasked with coordinating infrastructure investments, Michigan may be creating a blueprint for other states that want more funds to funnel into their small cities and towns. In a recent interview with Governing, Kolodin shared the following about his role:

“We provide resources to state agencies sort of as surge capacity, because getting competitive federal grants can take a lot of effort, and not every agency is equipped to drop everything they’re doing and go pursue those dollars.”

Michigan’s strategy is working. The City of Kalamazoo won $25 million to support downtown revitalization. Four other cities were awarded $35 million as part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. With their recent success, it wouldn’t be surprising to see other states follow Michigan’s lead in dedicating executive resources to the process of writing and winning grants. There are quite a few advantages to doing so:

Centralized Expertise & Leadership

Local public agencies often look to their respective state DOTs to set the agenda for their transportation and infrastructure programs. At Infotech, we have a long history of working with states like Ohio and Iowa to implement digital solutions at the DOT level in areas such as construction administration and project bidding. The use of those solutions trickles down to the local level, sometimes even by mandate. That same leadership can be leveraged to distribute grant-writing expertise throughout the state.

Resource Pooling & Training

As mentioned before, many local governments simply don’t have the staff to dedicate to the grant application process. Not only can an Office of Infrastructure like the one created in Michigan help distribute additional resources throughout the state, it can also help provide training at the local level to equip cities and towns with the necessary knowledge for future funding opportunities.

Long-Term Planning and Sustainability

The focus of local public agencies is, naturally, often more immediate than what is prioritized at the state level. A popular road is filled with potholes. A business district is experiencing frequent flooding during storms. Half of the stop signs in town have been vandalized so they now read “Don’t Stop” (this one actually happened in the town I grew up in). Addressing these issues is essential, but ultimately short-term. A centralized, executive state resource can provide strategic guidance and contribute to grant applications for long-term concerns like climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure, and smart city technology.

There’s also a human benefit. In his interview with Governing, Kolodin also spoke to the relationships his Office has built with local infrastructure leaders, crediting Director Kris Brady with “reaching out to local leaders, educating them about opportunities, educating them about the work and resources that we have available.” The world of infrastructure is a surprisingly small one. The more close-knit collaboration that we can cultivate, the better.

Michigan’s Office of Infrastructure is currently set to be funded through 2026, but it wouldn't be a shock at all to see that timeline extended. It’s not like our infrastructure needs as a country are going away anytime soon, and hopefully, more bipartisan funding efforts are around the corner.

Equally unsurprising would be other states following Michigan’s lead in creating and dedicating executive resources to the grant application process for their locals. The role not only increases the chance of securing grants but also supports more strategic, coordinated, and efficient use of those funds, ultimately benefiting both local communities and the state as a whole.