Grant Administration
HGA staff provide grant administration services that cover all tasks, from writing the grant applications to closing out projects and everything in between, as required by grant program compliance guidelines. Our grant managers support programs funded by HUD, FEMA, Treasury, DOT, and others. HGA has supported over $50 billion in grant-funded programs since 2007.
HGA offers experience and expertise in the following programs
FEMA PA (Public Assistance)
FEMA HMA
HUD CDBG-DR
HUD CDBG-MIT
HUD annual entitlement (CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA)
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER)
U.S. Department of the Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA)
USDA Urban & Community Forestry
U.S. EDA Disaster Supplemental Funding
U.S. DOT’s Safe Streets for All
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART)
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
Grant Application Development
HGA’s experience managing grant-funded programs includes developing applications. For the city of Lake Charles and town of Abita Springs infrastructure grant programs, HGA’s interdisciplinary team of GIS specialists, grant managers and project managers created story maps to support their applications with additional details on the projects being submitted in the applications:
These story maps provided data to support the entities’ Safe Streets for All projects including traffic accident data, labor market information access, locations with direct safety and equity concerns, and the volume of pedestrians and cyclists sharing the roads.
Cost Share & Matching Funds
HGA’s comprehensive understanding of federal grant requirements has led to us being innovative in creative matching of funds to complete ambitious projects that no single funding source will cover. An example is HGA’s work for the New York Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, which needed to replace all the septic tanks in Suffolk County. HGA worked with multiple agencies to put the funding for this large-scale project together. The almost $390 million project was supported with $243 million in FEMA HMGP funding, $67 million in HUD CDBG-DR funding, $59 million from New York State Water Quality and Capital Programs, $20 million through low-interest loans from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and $4 million from the Empire State Development grant program. Without this complex funding package, Suffolk County would not have had the funds for these extensive local mitigation activities.
Compliance
HGA recognizes the importance of monitoring each project’s compliance with federal requirements and measuring performance in ways that yield reportable data that tracks progress. We develop processes and documentation requirements around subrecipient risk assessment, monitoring, and management, including training of subrecipients on funding requirements. We work closely with entities and subrecipients unfamiliar with federal compliance requirements to ensure that their involvement and use of funds are compliant. We then submit on-time reports on funding allocations and project performance, demonstrating that the client’s grant funds are being used for eligible purposes according to federal guidelines.
Davis-Bacon Act Payroll
HGA’s staff includes highly experienced and knowledgeable experts on the management and administration of grant-funded construction programs subject to the Davis-Bacon Act. Our labor compliance clients include state agencies, various municipalities, school systems, and housing developers. HGA has reviewed over 200,500 payrolls for nearly 3,000 contractors since 2008. We have the existing templates and processes to provide rapid and compliant services.
Environmental Reviews
HGA has performed environmental reviews for projects across the country. Our staff, including certified floodplain managers, have a comprehensive understanding of HUD, FEMA, and NEPA environmental considerations. We know how important it is to determine the appropriate level of environmental review based on project scope and location. Thorough and complete work up front saves everyone time on the back end, when developers and grant recipients are anxiously awaiting clearance so construction can begin. Our experience conducting environmental reviews, especially in coastal and flood‐prone areas, provides us with a unique perspective that has helped us to shorten the time required for reviews and permitting by USACE, FEMA, and HUD.
Historic Preservation
The HGA historic preservation team supports State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) consultation for projects funded by federal grant programs such as ESSER, HUD, and FEMA. Our team includes a qualified expert that meets the Secretary of the Interior Professional Qualifications Standards as they are practiced in historic preservation nationwide. HGA has overseen archaeological monitoring and managed the elevation of historical structures.
Monitoring & Audit Support
HGA ensures that its clients’ files are ready for monitoring and site inspections by using our vetted checklist to ensure compliance. Our staff are on site with the client during any monitoring visits or inspections to answer questions and present documents requested by federal or state monitors. We have found that having our team on site to support clients during monitoring visits and inspections, to address any questions in real time, prevents findings. Additionally, we provide access, as approved by the client, to our web-based tracking, reporting, and documentation system for state and federal desk audits as needed. Our dedicated team will work through closeout to ensure the thoroughness and completeness of all project files, justification of project budgets, and overall compliance with federal regulations.