Ayres Knowledge Center Start With The End In Mind | Page 4

Grant proposal development is 80% planning and 20% writing.
The most effective grant pursuits occur when a community
knows precisely which projects it is seeking to fund. Securing
funding is all about timing; being at the right place at the right
time can and will improve a community’s chances of getting
additional funding.
This is the time for big picture ideas, for starting with the end in
mind, visualizing what could be – where you want to go, and how
you want to get there.
For example, Menekaunee Harbor is located within the City of
Marinette, Wisconsin. The harbor and surrounding wetlands
is an important wildlife resource, especially for migratory
birds. However, historical manufacturing practices along the
Menominee River led to contamination of the resource. The
contamination resulted in restrictions on fish and wildlife
consumption, and the value of the water resource decreased.
Big picture idea: A healthy water resource attracts wildlife – and
people. Anglers, birdwatchers, boaters, hikers, locals, tourists,
students, scientists all can enjoy a healthy harbor. And where
there are people, there are businesses to serve their needs –
bait shops and boat repair, coffee shops and restaurants,
convenience stores and outfitters. A healthy harbor in turn
helps to attract healthy businesses, which in turn help to build a
healthy local economy.
What would kickstart this project? That’s where the funding
analysis comes in. For Marinette, it was winning a $1.1 million
environmental repair grant from the Wisconsin Department of
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1. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF FUNDING NEEDS
(The Ayres) team of professionals will leave
no stone unturned and are relentless in their
pursuit of all available grants. They know
where to find grant money nationwide.
– Jonathan Sbar, Marinette City Attorney
Ayres Associates has helped the City of Marinette acquire
almost $10 million in funding in the last 10 years.
Natural Resources that laid the foundation to address design,
planning, and engineering for removing 66,000 cubic yards of
contaminated sediment, replacing a failing seawall, and restoring
fish and wildlife habitat.
That first grant has been followed by several others, including
$6.565 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
Great Lakes National Program Office through the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative. A $150,000 Wisconsin Department of
Economic Development Site Assessment Grant was used to
assess a property and tear down a building to make way for a
new boat landing. Three WDNR Recreational Boating Facility
Grants have helped put the finishing touches on the project,
funding a restroom facility, boat docks, sidewalks, lighting, and
site amenities. Each grant has built on the successful use of
previous grants to restore the harbor.
GRANTSMANSHIP: START WITH THE END IN MIND | 5