Ep. 13: They Won A $156 Million Grant. Then It Was Canceled: Here’s the Inside Story
Grants Explained Around the WorldShow Notes
In this revealing episode of Federal Grants Explained, we sit down with Aisha Bussey and Alicia Brown from The Capital Good Fund to uncover the shocking story behind the organization's cancelled $156 million Solar for All grant from the EPA.
After weeks of 80-hour work weeks, their team secured a landmark grant to bring solar power to thousands of low-income households. Then, without warning, it was ripped away.
In this episode, we discuss:
---- The moment they found out their $156M grant was terminated and the panic, frustration, and fear that followed.
---- The real-world impact: what projects were killed, how many jobs were lost, and which communities were left behind.
---- The inside story of the grueling 6-8 week application process involving multiple organizations and subrecipients.
---- The current administration's cancellation of the Solar for All program and the elimination of the CDFI staff at the Treasury.
---- The future of The Capital Good Fund and their stance on federal grants.
This is a must-listen for anyone in the nonprofit sector, climate justice, community development, or anyone who applies for federal grants. It's a stark reminder of the human cost behind policy changes.
Learn more about The Capital Good Fund:
ABOUT ME:
I'm the founder and CEO of GrantWin Consulting and the lead trainer for GrantWin Academy and I have over 18 years of federal grants experience.
Before starting the firm, I obtained and managed multimillion dollar federal and other government grants for nonprofits and managed grants as a research program manager at a top research university.
I'm one of approximately 313 Certified Grants Management Specialists (CGMS) in the US, a member of the Thompson Grants Expert Panel, the creator of a 4.5/5 star rated federal grant management training series for a federal agency. I'm a mom of three who enjoys international fiction and foreign films, and I'm a world travel enthusiast.
ABOUT GRANTWIN:
GrantWin is a grant consulting and training firm based in Atlanta, GA that provides pre- and post-award services to support our clients as they find, obtain, manage and comply with federal grants.
For over six years, we have provided a range of services for our nonprofit, university, for profit, and local government clients.
Our staff has a combined 80 years of experience, and we have obtained and managed federal grants from the perspectives of a recipient, subrecipient, and passthrough entity from over 20 federal and other government agencies.
We support all types of organizations but have a special interest in helping nonprofit organizations navigate the federal grant funding landscape.
GrantWin's mission is to help organizations find, obtain, manage, and keep federal grants that positively impact people and communities.
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More from Grants Explained Around the World
In Episode 21, we covered how countries access grants.
Countries receive grants. Not just nonprofits, universities, and local governments —countries. And much of it does not work the way US federal grants work: no competition, no scoring, no application in the way you and I know it.
Federal grants come with strings attached—and misunderstanding those strings can cost your organization its funding, its reputation, or worse. In this milestone 20th episode and Season 1 finale, I cut through the bureaucracy to answer a deceptively simple question: what does it actually take to stay compliant with a federal award?
What does it take to protect an island nation's environment when the threats keep coming?
The Office of Management and Budget dropped its proposed revisions to Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) on May 29, 2026 — and federal grant professionals need to pay attention before the public comment period closes on July 13.