Turn a shared priority into a credible investment case.
LMJ helps municipalities, counties, public authorities, and regional partnerships define a public problem, assemble credible evidence, identify potential funding pathways, and organize the collaboration needed to move a project forward.
This is a consulting and technical assistance engagement. Working with leadership, finance, planning, and operational teams, LMJ develops a project-specific case for action and a practical plan for approaching potential funders and partners.
The core deliverable: an LMJ Evidence Brief. A concise, two-page decision document backed by a technical evidence record, a funding roadmap, and a clear account of partner responsibilities and project readiness.
From research to a client-ready evidence brief.
- White paper — establish the policy case.
LMJ research explains an issue, evaluates evidence, and presents policy recommendations for a broad audience.
- Subject-specific Evidence Brief Protocol — define the method.
Translate the policy issue into the evidence, questions, readiness criteria, and collaboration steps required for a particular type of project.
- Client proposal — agree on the engagement.
Define the client’s project, participating jurisdictions, scope, deliverables, responsibilities, schedule, and review process.
- Client Evidence Brief — develop the investment case.
Apply the protocol to verified client information. Present the problem, beneficiaries, broader public value, financing needs, partner commitments, and delivery milestones.
- Advisory support — put the brief to work.
Prepare leadership for agency and partner conversations, track next steps, and update the evidence and funding roadmap as the project develops.
The white paper provides context. Each client brief requires its own evidence and approvals; regional economic estimates are not substitutes for project-level benefits.
Four criteria. One defensible request.
Document the deficit
Define the service gap, people affected, baseline, data sources, and consequences of delay.
Connect public benefits
Explain regional and statewide relevance, alternatives, tradeoffs, and measurable intended outcomes.
Establish financing
Separate confirmed commitments from potential contributions. Identify the funding gap, restrictions, and approvals still needed.
Demonstrate delivery readiness
Document milestones, responsible entities, technical dependencies, permits, and procurement steps with the client’s specialists.
Identify funding pathways that fit the project.
LMJ develops a funding opportunity matrix covering potentially relevant grants, loans, appropriations, local contributions, and partner investment. Each pathway is screened for applicant eligibility, eligible uses, timing, match requirements, project readiness, and follow-up needs.
- Opportunity screening: identify plausible options and document the source and date of each program requirement.
- Financing roadmap: show committed resources, potential resources, the remaining gap, and approval dependencies.
- Readiness plan: assign actions to close evidence, partnership, and application gaps before approaching a funder.
Funding requirements are verified for the specific opportunity. Awards and appropriations remain decisions of the relevant funders. Full application preparation or submission is scoped separately when needed.
Build a partnership that can act together.
Regional collaboration is a workstream with defined outputs. LMJ helps partners identify a shared problem, agree on priorities, and establish who will contribute, decide, communicate, and follow through.
- Stakeholder map and a shared regional priorities statement.
- Facilitated alignment sessions with jurisdictions, agencies, institutions, and community partners.
- Partner roles, decision process, and a lead applicant or coordinating entity.
- Commitment tracker distinguishing proposed support from formally approved participation.
- Shared measures, meeting cadence, and an action plan for continuing collaboration.
Where formal agreements are needed, LMJ organizes the policy and operational terms for review by the participating organizations and their counsel.
What your organization receives.
- Two-page executive Evidence Brief in a print-ready PDF and editable format.
- Technical evidence addendum with sources, calculations, assumptions, limitations, and data gaps.
- Funding opportunity matrix and financing roadmap with eligibility screening and next actions.
- Regional partnership and commitments plan when the engagement involves multiple organizations.
- Leadership briefing package with a concise presentation, talking points, and a preparation session.
- Delivery and outcomes tracker naming owners, milestones, intended results, and review dates.
The proposal specifies the deliverables included for each client. Client teams validate project facts; qualified technical and financial staff validate estimates and readiness claims.
Start with a project. Grow into a regional strategy.
Project Evidence & Funding Readiness
For one defined priority: establish the evidence, screen funding pathways, clarify readiness, and prepare an executive brief. An initial planning range is four to six weeks after required information is available; the proposal confirms timing.
Regional Coalition & Investment Strategy
For several jurisdictions or linked projects: align shared priorities, establish partner roles, develop a coordinated funding roadmap, and prepare complementary evidence briefs. Scope and timing reflect the number of partners and projects.
Ongoing Strategic Advisory
Maintain the evidence record, support partner coordination, prepare leadership for meetings, and track funding opportunities and agreed follow-up actions.
Contact Lisa James to discuss your priorities and a tailored advisory engagement.
Built for public priorities with regional reach.
Potential applications include water and wastewater capacity, transportation corridors, workforce housing, public facilities, economic development, and infrastructure serving defense communities.
Illustrative application: a shared utility constraint
A city and county identify a capacity concern. LMJ works with their technical teams to document the gap, establish affected users and growth assumptions, compare options, and explain regional benefits. Partners clarify ownership and potential contributions. LMJ screens funding pathways and prepares the Evidence Brief with an action plan for unresolved requirements.
This illustrates the service process; it does not describe a completed engagement or an awarded project.
Part of the LMJ Policy Innovation Model™.
ENGAGE → ANALYZE → DECIDE → IMPLEMENT → MEASURE
Engage partners around a shared priority. Analyze evidence and funding fit. Decide on the project and partner commitments. Implement the agreed readiness and outreach plan. Measure delivery milestones and public outcomes.
Community Engagement helps establish priorities and participation. Data-Driven Decision Making strengthens evidence use. This advisory solution applies those capabilities to project funding readiness and regional action.
Research & Analysis
Developed by Lisa James, MPP, LMJ Center for Policy Innovation. This advisory approach connects LMJ’s policy research and Evidence Brief Protocol with project-specific analysis and regional collaboration.
Framework & Research Foundation
The offering draws on LMJ’s Georgia Strategic Influence white paper, Evidence Brief Protocol Implementation Guide, and Evidence Brief Advisory proposal. These establish the service method; each engagement requires current program verification and client-specific evidence.
Bring your priority to LMJ.
Tell us the problem, proposed project, participating organizations, available information, and desired timeline. We will use that starting point to define an appropriate advisory engagement.