Client Team Leader Joe Liebau, Jr. shares his experience working closely with leaders in construction to prepare, secure and successfully complete grant funded projects in the article “4 Strategies for a Successful Grant-Funded Construction Project” published by ForConstructionPros.
Check out an excerpt from the article!
4 Strategies for a Successful Grant-Funded Construction Project
Grant funding is approved; so are the permits. How can you maximize the success of your construction project?
There are four elements needed before the first shovel of dirt is turned. Let’s take a closer look at each of these impact the funding, permitting and ultimate success of your project.
1. Prepare Plans for Communication, Safety and Sustainability
The importance of these aspects can’t be overstated. Unanticipated issues that arise from assumptions and poor planning can slow down a project, send it off in an unwanted direction or bring it to a sudden halt.
Communication is a thread that runs through all of these elements. The relationship between the project engineer and the contractor must be close enough that communication is fast, frequent, and candid. This helps mitigate project risks and maintain the timeline. It’s important that the communication plan is developed early and that there are guidelines for conflict resolution.
A positive company culture must extend from the company’s owners and managers throughout the organization. Risk management professionals, safety team leaders and competency-specific safety advocates should be part of the team. Of course, safe worksite practices must also be put into place based on the specific work being done when the project starts.
Sustainability, as it pertains to the reduction of waste and environmental impact, must be considered at the earliest stage and remain top-of-mind throughout a project. In some cases, especially grant-funded projects and those funded from taxes, sustainability is a requirement on the funding application. In the end, the aim is to achieve the best outcome for the client, the environment and the community.
Read strategies 2, 3 and 4 in the full article here.
View the original publication here.
As a client team leader at Foth, Joe Liebau, Jr. develops relationships and guides strategy to solve environmental challenges. Prior to joining Foth, Joe served as Chief of Staff for the Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago. He has worked with state/local governments, businesses, elected officials and citizens, to create and give feedback on national environmental and conservation policy. Joe also served as Secretary Director of the Department of Natural Resources, Southeast Region, in Milwaukee, supporting operations and permitting, fostering relationships with key external partners. His wealth of experience allows him a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of this work, as well as the knowledge to be successful in project execution and delivery.
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