Allison Megrath, AICP, CNU-A, GPC
Allison Megrath is a certified planner and grant professional who has built her career around helping communities turn strategic ideas into funded, actionable projects that create lasting impact. As the founder of Megrath Consulting, Inc., a woman-owned consulting firm based in Ormond Beach, Florida, she partners with local governments and public agencies across the U.S. to strengthen project readiness, align priorities, and secure the resources needed to move important initiatives forward.
Guided by a belief that consistency, clarity, and accountability build trust, Allison approaches leadership with quiet confidence and a strong systems mindset. Her work spans transportation, resilience, community development, safety, and planning initiatives, often in complex regulatory or politically sensitive environments where precision and follow-through are essential. To date, her efforts have helped communities secure more than $52 million in competitive state and federal funding.
With over three decades of experience across both public and private sectors, Allison brings together technical expertise and strategic vision, ensuring projects are not only well-funded, but feasible, aligned, and designed for long-term community benefit. Whether mentoring municipal teams through her GrantEdge Academy workshops or guiding complex planning and infrastructure efforts, she is known for her direct, practical guidance and commitment to outcomes that serve the public good.
Certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), accredited by the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU-A), and holding the Grant Professionals Certification (GPC) - one of approximately 700 grant professionals with this designation, Allison blends professional rigor with purpose-driven leadership, helping communities build stronger, safer, and more resilient futures.
• AICP
• CNU-A
• GPC
• University of Toronto- B.A.
• Brockville Collegiate Institute
• ULI Women's Leadership Development Institute
• American Planning Association
• American Institute of Certified Planners
• Congress for the New Urbanism
• Grant Professional Association
• National Grant Management Association
• The Foundation for Florida Gateway College
• The Education Foundation of Alachua County
• Grant Professionals Association
• Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association
What do you attribute your success to?
Over the years, I’ve learned that the most meaningful community planning and grant work is never done alone. When the right people come together with a shared purpose, ideas become projects, and projects become lasting impact.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came from one of my first employers, the late Hank Skokowski, AICP, who taught me the value of collaboration, ethics, and leading with integrity, lessons that continue to guide my work today.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is to embrace collaboration and strategic thinking. - focus on building strong networks, understand the funding landscape, and use your skills to help communities turn their visions into actionable, funded projects.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
A major challenge is capacity. Many communities have strong visions but limited staff, limited technical support, and complex compliance requirements. At the same time, there’s a tremendous opportunity to strengthen local systems, partnerships, and project pipelines so that funding can be used strategically instead of reactively.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are service, integrity, collaboration, and community connection—both in my work and personal life. Outside of work, I find balance and joy in my husband and grown daughters, enjoying every morning watching the sunrise at the beach, and my new found love of watercolor painting, all which fuel my sense of purpose and creativity.