I recently helped a company secure a $1.3 million grant for an innovative new employee training program, in partnership with a local community college.
A $1.3 million grant. Let’s put that into perspective. That’s 260 times larger than any grant I’d ever landed, personally. It was 20 times bigger than what this company had previously secured for training. This wasn’t just a step up — it was a leap into uncharted territory.
Spoiler alert: There was no magic wand, no simple form to fill out. It took navigating complex systems, earning trust, and proving — over and over again — that we could pull it off. Here’s how it all came together.
Step 1: Learning to Work the System (Shoutout to IEEE!)
If you’ve ever served on a committee, you know organizations — whether corporate, nonprofit or government — run like well-oiled (or, let’s be honest, sometimes rusted) machines. My years of volunteering with IEEE taught me how to navigate structured environments, cut through bureaucracy, and, most importantly, build trust by giving decision-makers what they needed to say ‘yes.’
When I pitched this grant as a solution to the company’s training needs, I knew leadership wouldn’t just hand me the keys and let me drive, they needed confidence that I could execute. Because I had already built credibility, they didn’t feel the need to micromanage — they empowered me to lead.
IEEE ingrained in me the understanding that autonomy isn’t handed out for just having a great idea — it’s earned by demonstrating:
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- A deep understanding of the bigger picture
- A clear roadmap to get where you’re trying to go
- The impact your project will have on other business functions
That trust made all the difference.
Step 2: Building Relationships and Recruiting Champions
A lone voice can spark an idea, but a network of champions turns that idea into reality.
Enter my rockstar partner at a local community college (who was sponsoring this grant). After an onsite visit and plant tour, they immediately saw how the grant could transform training initiatives. From that moment, they weren’t just an ally — they became a full-fledged advocate, pushing for their institution’s leadership to back the grant. Fun fact: It turned out to be the largest amount their college had ever requested through this program.
Inside the company, I knew one thing for sure: buy-in multiplies when leadership feels involved. So, I formed a Steering Committee — a lesson straight from the IEEE playbook. Committees exist for a reason: shared ownership creates momentum.
One of our most pivotal members was IEEE Member Tim Humphrey, whose strategic insights and leadership played a key role in advancing the initiative. As Tim put it, great leaders don’t necessarily generate the ideas themselves — they recognize potential, rally support and empower teams to bring innovative ideas to life. His ability to align stakeholders and champion the project helped solidify our success.
Step 3: Proving We Could Deliver (and Overcoming Skepticism)
Let’s be real: when you propose something 20 times bigger than what others have done before, expect some serious side-eye. The community college that was sponsoring this grant initially hesitated, suggesting we pursue a much smaller $90,000 grant (which aligned with the $70,000 they had received in 2017). They simply didn’t believe we could handle more.
We knew it was time to shift into strategic planning mode.
My Steering Committee and I didn’t just create a plan — we built an entire system. We developed a detailed roadmap outlining roles, responsibilities and justifications, securing key department lead stakeholder sign-offs. To ensure alignment, we tied our proposal to national workforce development priorities, while also securing buy-in from Corporate Communications and Legal to stay within boundaries.
We didn’t just tell the grant’s governing body we could responsibly invest this money — we proved it in real time. Throughout the application process, we demonstrated exactly how we would make and execute a plan, showing them that we weren’t just strategists — we were builders, creating a framework for long-term success.
It was during these twists and turns of the application that I was reminded, bureaucracy isn’t a roadblock — it’s a puzzle. Give stakeholders the right pieces, and suddenly, they start seeing the big picture.
The turning point? An onsite meeting with my counterpart’s top leadership team. Our Steering Committee led a structured discussion on funding utilization, laying out our plan with precision. Their executives took note and said:
“It’s obvious you’ve done this before.”
As Tim Humphrey says, new ideas almost always face resistance, but the key to overcoming skepticism is having a clear plan and aligning it to a key business priority. When people see a direct link to organizational success, and a solid path to execute, hesitation turns into support. That’s exactly what happened here.
Boom. That validation, combined with the groundwork we laid, proved we were more than capable of managing the grant.
Key Takeaway: Big Wins Don’t Happen in a Vacuum
Landing a game-changing opportunity isn’t about going it alone. It’s about:
- Understanding how decisions are made
- Recruiting the right allies
- Proving — again and again — that your team can deliver
Less idle talk, more execution. Because without a strategic plan, a series of pitch meetings is just wishful thinking.
And in this case? The execution secured $1.3 million in grant funding, paving the way for a stronger, more skilled workforce.
Your move.
