CTC supports clients on both sides of the grant equation—as grantors executing programs with public money, and as grantees applying for grants, implementing grant-funded projects, and complying with Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) and other federal and state requirements.
We support grant program design, administration, and oversight on behalf of grant-making organizations, like state broadband offices and public utility commissions, that are making use of state or federal funds. As part of these efforts, we also support preliminary evaluations for permitting and EHP impacts so grant-makers can understand the risks, timelines, and effort required to implement projects.
We are experts in the requirements of federal programs such as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Projects Funds (CPF) administered by Treasury and NTIA’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) and Digital Equity (DE) funding.
Our comprehensive grant administration support includes grant management system implementation—and focuses on ensuring policies, procedures, and oversight mechanisms are in place for grantors and recipients to maintain compliance throughout the funding program lifecycle.
We also help grant applicants seek funding from state and federal sources. We assess funding opportunities, develop grant strategies, write compelling grant applications, prepare grant budgets and pro forma financial projections, and support grant submission and curing.
Following grant awards, we support the execution of grant-funded projects, implement compliance oversight, manage and mitigate risks, support environmental and historic preservation reviews and clearance, and generate required project and financial reports.
State grant program strategy & development
CTC helps state agencies develop and implement broadband grant programs. Working with our clients, we establish broadband grant program requirements, develop application materials, document evaluation criteria, and define application scoring mechanisms.
Following standard operating procedures (SOP), we conduct programmatic and technical reviews of grant applications (with all technical work overseen by licensed Professional Engineers), assign scores, oversee application curing processes, and recommend award decisions.
We also advise on other aspects of broadband grant program development, such as defining grant program specifications, designating funding areas that align with state and federal requirements, implementing cost optimization models, documenting applicant qualifications, and defining data standards and reporting requirements for grant-funded programs.
Grant Program Administration & Oversight
We help state broadband offices and other public sector clients plan and execute broadband grant programs. Our work includes technical consultation and operational support such as assessing the feasibility and sustainability of applicants’ proposed network infrastructure projects. We also deliver general grant advisory services, oversight, compliance support, and reporting assistance to help states properly administer and manage their grant programs in accordance with federal guidelines and requirements (including NEPA and NHPA Section 106).
We develop custom processes and tools like quarterly reporting templates, risk evaluation frameworks, and non-compliance scorecards. We also conduct outreach to applicants and awardees to address and cure deficiencies in their grant materials.
Grant and Funding Capture
CTC has helped clients secure and manage billions in grant funding for more than 15 years.
We identify funding options and develop appropriate grant strategies aligned with clients’ broadband goals and plans. We prepare comprehensive and compelling grant applications on behalf of clients, including writing narratives, developing project budgets/financial models, designing technical network plans, mapping unserved/underserved areas, and positioning applications to maximize the chances of funding.
We support clients throughout the grant application process, from initial research to final submission, as well as during the application review and award determination phases.
Grantee program management and compliance
CTC supports all aspects of the grant lifecycle, from application development through implementation, reimbursement, compliance oversight, and closeout. We help clients develop agreement templates, policies, and procedures to comply with program requirements and guidance.
Our engineers conduct technical reviews of construction documentation, test results, and invoices, and perform field inspections to verify project milestones and compliance.
We support our clients’ financial reviews of construction contractors’ invoices and budgets, track performance against goals, review records maintenance practices, make eligibility determinations on expenses, and ensure compliance with reporting processes.
Grant Reporting
We provide grant compliance oversight and reporting for federal broadband funding programs like USDA ReConnect; NTIA Middle-Mile, BEAD, and Digital Equity; Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) infrastructure grants; Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants; and Treasury’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) and Capital Projects Fund (CPF) programs.
These programs generally include a combination of programmatic and financial reporting during grant execution, as well as closeout reports at the end of the grant lifecycle. In many cases, regulatory requirements may also drive supplemental reporting such as for Davis-Bacon compliance.