Grant Writing Support Services

The vendor is required to provide grant writing support for the housing and community development (HCD) department on an as-needed basis.
 - Professional grant writing services will be aimed at providing assistance in identifying and preparing federal, state, and local government grants as well as philanthropic and private grants that support the city's funding needs and priorities.
1. Identification and research services
• Conduct comprehensive research to identify appropriate grantors and grant programs, including but not limited to federal, state, and local government as well as philanthropic and private funding opportunities to support the city's funding needs and priorities, including but not limited to the following focus areas:
o Affordable housing;
o Community and economic development;
o Community safety;
o Environmental sustainability and climate action;
o Homelessness;
o Social services.
• Conduct funding needs assessments to evaluate the validity of current funding priorities and to identify emerging or unmet needs.
• Assist city staff in identifying and coordinating with potential community partners necessary for the successful development or implementation of grant proposals.
• Collaborate with city staff to support strategic planning for grant development, including the generation of innovative, high-quality concepts for funding proposals.
• Review project and program budgets for grant applications and provide city staff with recommended improvements to enhance competitiveness for grant-making organization(s). 2. Development and application services
• Develop, prepare, and submit grant proposals and applications on behalf of the city, in accordance with the guidelines, requirements, and established timelines provided by funding agencies.
• Write, compile, and edit proposals and applications that are clear, complete, and include but are not limited to the following:
o Well-structured, grammatically correct, and free of spelling errors;
o Adherence to industry standards, including but not limited to the following elements:
a. Funding abstract and project summary;
b. Statement of need;
c. Project description and methodology;
d. Goals and objectives;
e. Budget and justification;
f. Evaluation plan;
g. Organizational background/information.
o All required supplemental documentation, including but not limited to the following:
a. Memorandum of understanding (MOUS) or memorandum of agreement (moa) that correspond to the proposal's project description;
b. Signed letters of support
• Provide additional information and/or supportive material, as requested, to the city and/or grant-making organization(s).
• Conduct community engagement activities as may be required by individual grant opportunities to gather input, assess needs, and ensure the grant proposal aligns with the priorities and concerns of the local community.
• Activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
o Focus groups;
o Interviews with community stakeholders;
o Public meetings;
o Surveys.
• Establish and adhere to a mutually agreed-upon timeline with the city for proposal development and internal review.
• Prepare charts, graphs, and other visuals as necessary to effectively communicate programmatic concepts, key processes, and timelines.
• Incorporate feedback from city staff and other stakeholders in proposal drafts.
• Complete timely edits or revisions to proposal and/or application drafts, as needed and/or requested by city staff, to ensure the complete grant proposal and application are finalized for submission prior to the application deadline.
• Confirm receipt of submitted applications.
• Maintain communication and follow-up with the city and grant-making organization during the application and review process.
• Notify appropriate state and local stakeholders of grant submissions and recommend outreach and advocacy strategies to support application success.
• Upon request from the city contract representative or designee, provide grant proposal management and coordination services, including but not limited to the following:
o Assisting with post-submission tasks such as grantor requests for information (RFI);
o Facilitating site visits and tours and debriefing calls;
o Preparing funding implementation documents such as working timelines and budgets;
o Developing post-award tracking materials.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: May 07, 2025