This is a perfect example of why this stock results in so much disappointment: reading things into words that were never said.
Nobody disagrees on what "going to" means in isolation, however it wasn't used in isolation. It's what comes before after it that create the context that define the meaning as used. What are they going to do? Apply for a grant. At this point, that's it because they don't have the money to do anything else. In this sentence, "going to" explains why they aren't going to get the grant.