With Federal Grants, Winning Is Just The Beginning

Our Grants Management team helps clients move from funding notification celebrations to ribbon cuttings on new infrastructure projects.

United States | Monday, March 9, 2026
Reading Time : 3:45 minutes

Our Grants Management team of more than 20 experienced professionals works with clients nationwide to ensure grants aren’t just won but successfully implemented. To date, the team has helped secure and deploy more than $53 billion for clients in the U.S. Simon Mosbah, WSP’s senior vice president and managing director of economics, finance and grants, and Coral Torres Cruz, senior vice president of grant strategy, discuss how they help clients deliver for their communities.

What is the overall scope and mission of WSP’s grants management team?

Simon: We guide our clients through every stage of the grant lifecycle. Our team helps clients strategize, identify and secure funding, navigate the grant agreement, monitor progress, report to federal agencies and close out both the project and the grant. We make sure that when the money comes through, it’s put to work in the right way.

Coral: Our holistic approach sets us apart. Our team’s strength lies in our expertise at the local, state and federal levels, and in our ability to connect that expertise directly to project goals.

What kinds of projects does your team typically support?

Simon: Often, our work supports capital improvement projects like building new libraries, transit centers, parks and other infrastructure directly serving communities. Each client has a capital improvement plan featuring projects to repair, expand or modernize their assets. Our role is to help align those needs with the right grant programs and funding opportunities. With a programmatic approach, we ensure our clients — public or private — can advance not just one project, but an entire portfolio to build and amplify community impact.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about grants management?

Simon: Many people think winning a grant means they automatically receive the money. But in reality, a grant award is not a contract, and it does not mandate that funds be distributed. That’s where our expertise brings value to our clients. We know the key players in the industry and understand how to help our clients secure their grant funds through a signed grant agreement.

Coral: Another misconception is that once the funds are secured, the hard part is over. Actually, that is when the work begins. Our team helps clients stay in compliance through environmental reviews, approvals from federal agencies and more. We’ve helped manage more than 380 projects, and every granting agency has a unique set of requirements. That’s why our team, with backgrounds from the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, others, brings a lot of value.

Many people think winning a grant means they automatically receive the money. But in reality, a grant award is not a contract, and it does not mandate that funds be distributed. That’s where our expertise brings value to our clients.

Simon Mosbah Managing Director of Economics, Finance and Grants, WSP

Simon Mosbah Managing Director of Economics, Finance and Grants, WSP

Can you share more about the team and the range of expertise represented?

Simon: Our nationwide team collaborates closely with colleagues across WSP. We draw from core members including policy experts, planners, project managers, grant writers and benefit-cost analysis specialists. Our team’s blend of experience allows us to excel at both the technical and compliance sides of grants management.

Coral: With team members across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, we offer a balance of regional knowledge and national reach that has proven powerful for our clients. Because we are close to local communities and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders at the federal level, we can create ideal conditions for long-term project success.

Can you highlight a project that showcases the team’s impact?

Simon: The Interstate Bridge Replacement project in Oregon and Washington is a great example. It’s one of the largest infrastructure projects in the U.S., replacing the aging I-5 bridge across the Columbia River. We helped secure two grants totaling about $1 billion for the project. Our team was instrumental in accelerating the grant agreement process to make sure we could get the grants obligated by meeting the requirements of the federal government by critical deadlines. Without the active work by the grants management team, that money would have been at risk.

Coral: WSP also helped secure and manage a $400 million grant for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District to complete the final phase of the bridge’s seismic retrofit. The project safeguards the historic structure against earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Our grants management expertise ensured compliance and funding flowed as needed. Projects like these, highlight how we make sure the funding process supports, rather than delays, delivery on large, complex efforts. Contact Simon and Coral to learn more.