“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” is an old expression describing someone who repeatedly comes close but never quite reaches the finish line. It’s a painfully accurate analogy to grant writing.
When people hear that we have applied for a grant, they may assume the process is straightforward: complete an application, wait a few months, and receive good news. The reality is far different.
Large federal infrastructure grants are among the most competitive programs, and they’re not awarded because a project is worthy. They are earned through years of planning, engineering, public engagement, financial commitments, lobbying, and repeated competition against hundreds of exceptional projects.
In July, the Gettysburg Gateway Connectivity (Baltimore Street) Project received disappointing news: our application for $18 million in construction funding was not selected—again, marking the sixth time the project has not received the BUILD award from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The BUILD application is far more than a simple form. The grant team prepared hundreds of pages of documentation, engineering plans, estimates, benefit-cost analyses, schedules, environmental studies, financial commitments, and extensive narratives explaining how the project advances national transportation priorities. Letters of support are also required, along with documentation of secured matching funds.
Competition is extraordinary. Local governments from across the country submit applications for roads, bridges, sidewalks, railways, ports, airports, and multimodal transportation projects. Every project addresses real needs, but only a small percentage receive awards. Billions of dollars are requested annually, while only a fraction of that is available. That’s one factor to help explain why many outstanding projects—including Baltimore Street—are declined.
Grants are an effective tool to reduce the local tax burden. Their value brings outside investment into our community—federal and state dollars that would otherwise have to come from local sources or, more likely, would leave important projects unfinished.
A grant award is great—yet it’s only the beginning. Federal grants require extensive administration, procurement, reporting, environmental compliance, financial audits, progress documentation, and coordination among multiple agencies. Strict federal regulations govern project design, bidding, construction, reporting, and financial management. Most grants operate on a reimbursement basis, requiring detailed documentation before funds are released. Grant administration demands staff time, technical expertise, and financial commitment, creating additional costs that are not covered by the grant itself.
Sadly, rejection is an expected part of the process. Months of work—and often years of planning—can end with an automated notice that a project was not selected. Then we start over by evaluating, refining, strengthening, and resubmitting in the next round. Many of the nation’s most significant infrastructure projects required multiple attempts before finally receiving funding.
For Gettysburg, pursuing competitive grants is a practical path for major infrastructure improvements without placing financial responsibility on local taxpayers. Every application represents an opportunity to bring outside investment home, improve public infrastructure, strengthen our local economy, and preserve taxpayer resources.
We will continue to pursue every available grant. At some point, Baltimore Street will be a bride.
Please contact me anytime: (717) 337-3491, or jsellers@mainstreetgettysburg.org.
