by Maria A. Silva, Ph.D., Universal TA Program Director, DREAM Center

Receiving a federal grant is an exciting milestone—but the work of successfully managing that investment is just beginning. Effective grant management requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) to balance project implementation, compliance, collaboration, fiscal responsibility, evaluation, and long-term sustainability.

The DREAM Center’s new technical assistance brief, Systems for Success: Enhancing Grant Management Capacity in Special Education Personnel Preparation, translates research on effective grant management into practical guidance for IHEs. Designed with special education and related areas (SERA) personnel preparation programs in mind, the brief helps grantees build the structures, knowledge, and practices needed to effectively manage federally funded projects across the grant lifecycle.

Connecting to Your WorkPage 1 View of our Systems for Success TA Brief

This resource was designed as a valuable tool for novice grantees and first-time principal investigators (PIs) who are navigating the complexities of federal grant management for the first time. However, the resource can also support experienced project directors, faculty, project staff, and institutional leaders seeking to strengthen existing grant management practices.

The brief is especially useful for faculty in SERA programs (i.e., early intervention, early childhood special education, special education, and related services) and institutions with limited grant management infrastructure or access to dedicated administrative support. Whether an institution is preparing for project launch, actively implementing a funded project, or considering how to sustain its work beyond the funding period, Systems for Success provides strategies that can be adapted to available resources and institutional capacity.

Building Capacity for the Work Ahead

Systems for Success organizes effective grant management practices around several interconnected components that contribute to successful implementation and long-term capacity building.

Readers will explore strategies related to collaboration, leadership, capacity building, strategic planning, partnerships, and funding, with attention to areas such as communication, mentorship, accountability, staff sustainability, data use, grant management systems, community engagement, and budget management.

The brief also moves from concepts to action through two practical tools:

  • Building the Foundation: Pre-Implementation Actions for Grant Success identifies proactive steps IHEs can take to strengthen readiness before and during the early stages of a funded project.
  • Sustaining Momentum: Implementation Actions for Grant Success provides strategies for maintaining effective practices, strengthening institutional capacity, and supporting sustainability throughout project implementation.

Together, these tools help grantees consider not only what effective grant management looks like, but also how those practices can be put into action.

Building Systems That Support Success

Successful grant management is not the responsibility of one person or the result of a single system. It requires coordinated structures and practices that support people, processes, partnerships, and decision-making throughout the grant lifecycle.

Systems for Success brings these interconnected elements together. Rather than presenting grant management as a checklist of compliance requirements, the brief encourages grantees to build capacity through intentional collaboration, committed leadership, strategic planning, meaningful partnerships, effective use of data, and ongoing technical assistance and professional development.

Importantly, the strategies are not intended to be implemented in a fixed sequence or as a one-size-fits-all approach. Grantees are encouraged to identify practical actions that align with their institutional infrastructure, available resources, and stage of implementation—making the resource useful across a range of higher education contexts.

From Guidance to Action

Start by identifying where your project is within the grant lifecycle. If you are preparing to launch a newly funded OSEP Personnel Preparation project, use the Building the Foundation table to assess existing infrastructure and identify areas that may require attention before implementation is fully underway. Consider questions such as: Do we have clear roles and responsibilities? What systems will we use to track grant activities and reporting requirements? Have we established communication protocols? What mentorship, professional development, or technical assistance might our team need?

For projects already underway, use Sustaining Momentum as a reflection and continuous improvement tool. Project teams can periodically review the recommended actions together, identify practices that are working well, and determine where additional structures or supports may be needed.

Most importantly, grant management should not be viewed as something that begins after an award or ends when the funding period closes. By establishing strong systems early and continuously refining them throughout implementation, IHEs can strengthen their capacity to manage current projects while building infrastructure, knowledge, and partnerships that support future grant efforts and long-term program sustainability.

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