Ep 10 - Ex-Federal Employee Shares His Story: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at HHS Downsizing
Grants Explained Around the WorldShow Notes
In this eye-opening episode of Federal Grants Explained, I sit down with Brandon Copeland, a former Fiscal Operations Specialist at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). With five years of experience in the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Brandon oversaw multi-million-dollar federal grants under the Older Americans Act and provided national compliance training—until the landscape shifted dramatically under the new administration.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
✔ Behind-the-scenes at HHS – How federal grants are managed, monitored, and why recent downsizing is causing major disruptions.
✔ The REAL impact of workforce reductions – What happens when experienced federal employees leave en masse?
✔ Brandon's shocking exit options – The three choices he was given when the new administration pushed employees out.
✔ The future of federal grant funding – How consolidation at HHS (from 82,000 to 62,000 employees) will affect grantees nationwide.
✔ From federal grants to wellness advocacy – Before joining HHS, Brandon founded Khepera Wellness. Learn about Brandon's journey to found Khepera Wellness, a groundbreaking yoga movement.
CONNECT WITH BRANDON COPELAND:
kheperawellness.yoga
Instagram: @kheperawellness
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/BrandonCopeland
PAST EPISODES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
Elon Musk's DOGE Team and Federal Systems: https://youtu.be/WWP98w0M7z4
Major Changes Impacting Grantees and Agencies Under Trump: https://youtu.be/bnodA25XIUc
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 was also a public health analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where I reviewed research grant continuation applications, collaborated with grantees, and coordinated reverse site visits.
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 4.7 out of 5 star rated federal grant management training series for a federal agency, and a former fiscal consultant on monitoring visits of state agency recipients of federal grants.
I've also spoken about federal grants on several podcasts and stages. 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. Our firm developed a federal grant management training series for a federal agency that is consistently rated 4.5/5 stars by over 700 participants.
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.
LINKS:
Consulting Firm: https://grantwinconsulting.com/
Case Studies: https://grantwinconsulting.com/case-studies/
Academy: https://www.grantsworksacademy.com/
Access Our Top Training About Federal Grants: https://bit.ly/40ENNFh
Highlights from our 2024 Summit:
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.