24/7 EMERGENCY +1 985 781 0804
November, 2025
THIS MONTH FROM
AMBIPAR | WITT O’BRIEN’S CENTER FOR GRANTS EXCELLENCE
New Grant Management Manual Templates Now Available
We’ve added new templates to help streamline your state and local grant management processes—covering everything from pre-award planning to post-award reporting. These practical tools are designed to help your team strengthen compliance, improve efficiency, and build a more resilient grants program.
New Guide: Modernizing State Grantmaking with Submittable
We’ve partnered with Submittable to release a new guide exploring how states can modernize their grantmaking infrastructure to meet rising expectations for transparency, equity, and impact. The paper outlines practical strategies for streamlining workflows, improving data visibility, and building technology-enabled programs that deliver results.
Client Success Highlight
We’re excited to share that St. Clair County, Alabama has secured $751,857.12 through the Alabama Department of Transportation’s FY26 Local Road Safety Initiative (LRSI) program to fund critical road-safety improvements on Kelly Creek Road. This milestone reflects our collaboration with the county and the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, and underscores how strategic grant planning and alignment with infrastructure safety priorities can deliver real results.
The Power of the Purse?
The world’s most expensive purse, Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond, may glitter, but the Trump administration’s budget battles prove that real brilliance is measured in appropriations, not adornments. In politics, as in couture, the hand that holds the purse sets the agenda. And with that power, the administration has made several restrictive funding moves recently:
- Trump withholds $40.6 million from California over truck driver English rules and has warned other states that they risk losing funding if they do not comply with his related Executive Orders.
- Army Corps Halts $11 Billion in Democratic States Amid Shutdown.
- DOE floats new cuts to hundreds of clean energy grants totaling approximately $8 billion in both red and blue states.
Office of Management and Budget Director Vought implemented reductions in force (RIFs) at multiple federal agencies in early October, with the promise of more to come, until a federal judge blocked those current and any future RIFs for now. Here are the federal agencies and staff/programs that would have been affected:
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Health and Human Services: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Homeland Security: Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
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Environmental Protection Agency: Office of Land and Emergency Management, which oversees the Brownfields program.
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Education: Programs affected were special education, funding for low-income students, and civil rights enforcement.
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Housing and Urban Development: Office of Community Planning and Development, the regional offices of its Office of Federal Housing and Equal Opportunity, and Public and Indian Housing-Real Estate Assessment Center staff responsible for property inspection.
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Treasury: Community Development Financial Institutions (CFDI) Fund, IRS University, tax administration office, and IT and governmental liaison staff.
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Commerce
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Energy: Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Clean Energy Demonstrations, State and Community Energy Programs, and Minority Economic Impact.
Additional Resources
Comprehensive Guide to Federal Grants
Navigate the complex Federal grants landscape with our guide covering application strategies, compliance requirements, and best practices for successful grant management.
Join Our CPE Webinar Series
Join us for "Subrecipient Management & Monitoring". This course provides an overview of the responsibilities, best practices, and regulatory requirements for managing and monitoring subrecipients under federal, state, and private grant awards.
24/7 Emergency +1 985 781 0804
