Wright-Pierce, an award-winning, multi-discipline engineering firm, announces that Jessica Richard has joined the firm as its new Strategic Funding Manager.
Jess has over 20 years of municipal planning and funding experience assisting in the development of long-term capital improvement and project financing plans and working to maximize the capture of agency financing. She has created program management frameworks and financing plans for infrastructure, community, and economic development projects. In addition to identifying grant and loan opportunities, Jess will assist municipalities and utilities with the preparation of applications and advise on project design and implementation to maximize funding competitiveness. Her experience includes securing funding for municipal infrastructure projects through various state and federal programs, including state revolving funds (SRF), USDA Rural Development, EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance, FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance, EPA Earmarking/STAG Grants, and HUD Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). Jess has also assisted municipalities and utilities with determining service and operation costs, performing user rate studies, and developing asset management and capital improvement plans, offering a full-spectrum view of a project’s financial impact.
While Wright-Pierce has long assisted municipalities and utilities with funding through well-known programs, Jess’ expertise in all funding aspects at both federal and state levels will provide a big-picture approach to the structuring and phasing of projects and planning for affordability from the earliest conceptual phases of a project through construction and start-up.
Wright-Pierce Executive Vice President, Paul Birkel, PE, announced Jess’s hire. “We are very excited to have Jess on board to offer our clients exceptional expertise in developing funding strategies for their projects. With significant reinvestment in our infrastructure necessary to support our communities’ health and well-being, developing affordable and sustainable solutions through strategic funding is essential.”
To learn more about how Wright-Pierce can help your community find funding for its civil infrastructure and, contact us today.
About Wright-Pierce
Wright-Pierce is an award-winning, multidiscipline engineering firm that has been providing water, wastewater, and civil infrastructure services since 1947. Employee-owned, our 275+ engineers and support professionals are strategically located in offices throughout New England, New York, and Florida.