Securing funding for public projects can be one of the biggest hurdles municipalities and airports face. From tight timelines to complex compliance requirements, the process often feels daunting. Century West recognizes how critical grants and funding opportunities are to helping communities move projects forward, and we have expanded our internal resources to provide even stronger support for our clients.
Strengthening a Proven Program
Century West’s project managers and design teams have provided professional grant application and administration support to our clients since our founding more than 50 years ago. At the beginning of 2025, we created a dedicated Grant Coordinator role to improve the support we can offer to our clients and technical staff. Nicole Jurgensen was promoted to this role. Nicole joined Century West as a Project Coordinator in our Bend office in 2021 after 10 years of service at Redmond Municipal Airport. Nicole’s ability to manage multiple tasks, understand and maintain compliance with state and federal regulations, and manage document control systems led her to a contract Assistant Project Manager role on the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Bend North Corridor project. As that project wound down, Nicole was eager to find a new focus for her skills within Century West. As the person responsible for originating the Grant Coordinator role within our company, she is focused on helping municipalities and airports identify opportunities, track deadlines, and navigate the complex requirements that come with securing project funding.
“It’s exciting to put more structure around something we’ve already been doing,” Nicole says. “By giving this program more resources, we can support our clients in a more consistent and proactive way.”
Why Funding Support Matters
Grants and loans open the door for communities, big and small, to complete projects that might otherwise remain on the wish list. For airports, this often means Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funded improvements, while municipalities can tap into state and federal sources for everything from utilities to sidewalks to stormwater systems. Common programs we apply to for our clients include Connect Oregon, Critical Oregon Airport Relief (COAR), and Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation grants for airport clients; Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and Washington State Departments of Health and Ecology grants for Washington municipalities; and Local Highway Technical Assistance Council grants for Idaho clients looking to fund road projects. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it demonstrates the breadth of available funding.
Nicole points out that the requirements around funding opportunities vary widely: some have strict deadlines; others are first-come, first-served; and cycles can span one year or multiple years. That makes it essential to have a system in place to track opportunities and manage timelines.
One of her priorities is relieving the last-minute rush that often comes with grant applications. By building in earlier review processes and realistic fee estimates, Century West can help clients avoid stress while delivering polished, competitive applications.
Funding in Action: Clark Fork Transportation Plan
A strong example of how Century West supports communities through funding is the City of Clark Fork, Idaho. In 2022, the City received funding through the Local Rural Highway Investment Program to update its Transportation Plan. Century West partnered with the City to evaluate the existing transportation system, lead public involvement workshops, and prioritize future improvements.
The updated plan emphasized multimodal connectivity and identified a pedestrian network to connect key destinations for children and seniors. Within just three years of completing the plan, Clark Fork leveraged additional grants to implement that vision:
2023 N Main Street Sidewalk – funded by the LHTAC Child Pedestrian Safety Program, creating a route between the library, schools, and post office.
2024 Stephen Street Sidewalks – funded by ITD’s Strategic Initiatives Program, adding sidewalks from SH-200 to the teen center.
2024 Pavement Rehabilitation and US-10 Bike Route Improvements – funded by ITD’s Strategic Initiatives Program, resurfacing roads and adding bike striping.
2025 N Main Street Sidewalk Extension – funded by the LHTAC Child Pedestrian Safety Program, extending the pedestrian corridor to senior housing and the senior center.
By aligning planning with available funding, Clark Fork built a pedestrian and bicycle network that connects residents of all ages to schools, parks, the library, and City Hall. Each project was funded through available state grants and required no local match, demonstrating the impact of planning paired with strategic grant support.
Collaboration Across the Northwest
Navigating funding isn’t just about paperwork; it’s about relationships. Nicole and other Century West staff regularly attend conferences and trainings like the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council (IACC) Conference in Washington. These gatherings bring funding agencies and communities together, helping align complex projects with multiple funding sources.
“Events like IACC are a great opportunity to meet funding agencies, learn about available programs, and connect with peers who are tackling similar challenges,” Nicole says.
If you’re in Washington, we encourage you to attend the 2025 IACC Conference, October 7–9 in Wenatchee.
Registration is now open: Register here.
Looking Ahead
Century West has long been a trusted partner in helping communities and airports pursue and secure funding. By expanding our grant coordination team and dedicating more resources, we’re building on that strong foundation to better serve our clients.
Nicole is working closely with Century West’s project managers to identify opportunities and tailor funding strategies to fit client needs.
Her advice to communities or airports just beginning to explore funding? Don’t go it alone. “It’s a team effort,” she says. “By working together and bringing in support early, the process can feel much more approachable.”
Partnering for Success
Century West is excited to continue building on our grant support program in 2025 and beyond. Our goal is simple: to help communities and airports identify opportunities, submit strong applications, and ultimately bring vital projects to life.
If your community or airport has a project in mind and you’re looking for funding guidance, we’d love to talk. Reach out to our team—or catch us at conferences around the Pacific Northwest this fall—to learn how Century West can support your funding journey.