Needs
In July 2022, Nevada launched the Governor's Office of Federal Assistance (OFA) with a bold mandate: significantly increase the state's share of federal grant dollars by building a collaborative infrastructure to pursue opportunities. Recognizing that Nevada has historically ranked low in federal grant funding secured, Governor Steve Sisolak and the state legislature decided to establish OFA through enabling legislation - one of the nation's first centralized statewide grants offices.
Kristen Stout, Director of OFA, and Mayita Sanchez, an Analyst within the office, lead this charge. Central to their strategy is a partnership with U.S. Digital Response (USDR) to leverage USDR’s Federal Grant Finder. "We were tasked with increasing federal dollars coming into Nevada by reducing barriers, increasing collaboration, and supporting stakeholders - which includes state and local agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits," Kristen said.
Nevada recognized the need to adapt its approach as federal grants increasingly require collaborative application processes. Historically, government agencies have operated in silos, making it challenging to coordinate and secure these collaborative grants effectively. OFA's mission is to increase federal funding and drive a fundamental culture change within the state, fostering cross-sector partnerships and breaking down barriers to collaboration. Through a partnership with USDR, the Office has onboarded 388 users from 286 organizations to USDR's Federal Grant Finder, facilitating access to over 5,000 federal grant opportunities and engaging 181 members across workforce development, education, and rural development.
The Challenge: Overcoming a Fragmented Funding Landscape
Nevada has struggled to secure its fair share of federal grants compared to other states. The OFA saw this as an opportunity to transform the state's approach to funding. State agencies often lacked time and resources for grant-seeking, viewing it as outside their core duties. Agencies also tended to work in isolation, hindering collaborative efforts on grants.
OFA addresses these challenges by streamlining the grant process and encouraging cross-sector teamwork. Their goal was to foster a culture of partnerships and innovative problem-solving. By breaking down barriers between agencies, OFA hoped to create an environment where diverse groups could combine their strengths. This would help Nevada secure more funding and develop better solutions for communities. However, OFA faced a setback when the implementation of a centralized grants management system was delayed, requiring a quick interim solution.
Our approach
The Search for a Solution: Discovering an Innovative Approach
Determined to find a way forward, Mayita researched how other states approached centralized federal assistance support. A breakthrough occurred when she came across USDR's work with Nevada on an earlier grant discovery tool.
Mayita contacted USDR to learn more about the new Federal Grant Finder. Recognizing the tool's potential to serve as a user-friendly platform for grant discovery and collaboration, Mayita championed the idea to Kristen. Despite its unconventional nature, they saw an opportunity to pilot the tool as a stopgap solution until a permanent grants management system was in place.
"Let's try this out," Kristen said. "We could pilot it with a small group."
Building Trust Through Stakeholder Engagement
OFA adopted a thoughtful, stakeholder-centric approach to ensure a successful rollout of the Federal Grant Finder. They piloted the tool with a targeted group of state agencies working on infrastructure funding, engaging these early adopters as design partners to build trust, gather feedback, and refine the tool to meet their needs. "We wanted to know what they had to say," Kristen said. "We're very mindful, not just for what we can do as the office, but also for what's being asked of us."
OFA then introduced the platform to local governments, tribes, and nonprofits in April 2023, intending to onboard dozens of jurisdictions and community-based organizations across the state. "We didn't get any pushback from state agencies," Kristen said. "I think it's because of our efforts when we first rolled out the pilot."
As USDR Federal Grant Finder adoption grew, OFA complemented it with strategic programming. They launched "office hours" and working groups, which evolved into focused consortia. The Grant Finder facilitated ongoing collaboration by making grant activities more visible and accessible to all stakeholders. This combination of technology and programming created powerful platforms for cross-sector collaboration, bringing previously isolated stakeholders together to pursue joint funding opportunities.
Scaling Impact Through Technology
The USDR Federal Grant Finder allowed the collaboration to continue asynchronously, making activity on grants more visible and accessible to all stakeholders.
With time-saving features like saved searches and proactive email notifications, the USDR Grant Finder helped busy professionals stay on top of over 5,000 federal grant opportunities. Intuitive tools enabled organizations to express interest in collaborating and quickly connect, further facilitating the collaborative process.
The impact of OFA's collaborative approach is evident in the numbers. They signed up 388 users across 286 Nevada organizations onto USDR’s Federal Grant Finder, ranging from Washoe County School District to HopeLink to Carson City Senior Center. They have engaged 181 members across workforce development (56 members), education (52 members), and rural development (73 members).
The collective group has produced tangible results through new partnerships and collaborative grant efforts. Key examples include:
- The Workforce Development Consortium facilitated a partnership for a Department of Labor infrastructure job grant. It united a state agency, a Workforce Development Board, and a union, showcasing how the consortium bridges government, workforce, and industry sectors.
- The Education Consortium is preparing members for digital equity funding opportunities. OFA also uses the consortium to share potential subawards and foster discussions about forming coalitions for competitive grants in this area.
These cases demonstrate how OFA's approach turns collaborations into concrete grant opportunities, creating partnerships across diverse sectors.
"People are connecting where they would not otherwise," said Mayita. "It's opened doors for state agencies to partner with nonprofits and local governments in ways that weren't happening before. Folks that would normally not be part of these conversations, like employers and community-based organizations, are now at the table.”
Reflecting on the partnership with USDR, Kristen shared, "Using the USDR Federal Grant Finder tool has allowed us to accelerate our goals. In our first year, we've launched a statewide network with over 200 organizations, facilitated major cross-sector collaborations on federal grants, and built new muscle for Nevada to be competitive."
A Model for Success: Lessons for Grant Coordinators
For grant coordinators in other states and cities, Nevada's journey offers valuable insights:
1. Embrace innovation: Be bold and pilot unconventional solutions like the Federal Grants Finder. "Try it once. If you don't like it, you give it a good go. But you've got to at least try,” Mayita said.
2. Prioritize stakeholder engagement: Actively involve stakeholders as design partners to build trust, gather feedback, and secure buy-in.
3. Invest in programming: Technology is just the starting point. Intentional programming, like office hours and consortia, drives collaboration and impact.
4. Foster a culture of collaboration: Break down silos by creating spaces for cross-sector networking and knowledge-sharing. "Collaborative governance is the way of the future," Mayita said.
OFA's success also highlights the catalytic potential of investing in collaborative infrastructure, accelerating cross-sector coordination, improving grant outcomes, and driving systemic change.
The Road Ahead: Scaling Collaboration for Systemic Impact
As OFA looks to the future, it's committed to deepening its collaborative approach. With federal funding increasingly requiring cross-sector partnerships, Kristen and Mayita see an opportunity to position Nevada as a national leader. Others are taking note, and OFA has shared its learnings with leaders in other states who are interested in replicating its model. The emerging challenge for grant-seeking organizations is to foster regional and cross-sector collaboration, as these partnerships are becoming a critical component of the new generation of grants.
"How do we build that foundational collaborative process to comply when it becomes a requirement?" Mayita said. "It's not just about being progressive and innovative. It's about preparing for the new norm."
Successful grant applications often hinge on demonstrating solid partnerships and collaborative strategies in today's funding landscape. Breaking down silos and facilitating meaningful connections across sectors and regions is no longer optional; it's a necessity. OFA recognizes that investing in collaborative infrastructure is essential to position Nevada for success in this new era of grant funding.
By continuing to iterate on the Federal Grant Finder, expand their consortia, and share learnings with peers, OFA is charting a course toward systemic impact. As other states and local governments seek to maximize their impact in an increasingly complex funding landscape, they should follow Nevada's lead. The road may be challenging, but the rewards—for communities, states, and the nation—are well worth the effort.
"People are connecting where they would not otherwise. It's opened doors for state agencies to partner with nonprofits and local governments in ways that weren't happening before. Folks that would normally not be part of these conversations, like employers and community-based organizations, are now at the table.”
