diff --git a/tests/functional/adapter/grants/base_grants.py b/tests/functional/adapter/grants/base_grants.py
index 22a614d01..3e94d3678 100644
--- a/tests/functional/adapter/grants/base_grants.py
+++ b/tests/functional/adapter/grants/base_grants.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-from dbt.tests.adapter.grants.base_grants import BaseGrants
 import pytest
 import os
 
+from dbt.tests.util import (
+    relation_from_name,
+    get_connection,
+)
+
 TEST_USER_ENV_VARS = ["DBT_TEST_USER_1", "DBT_TEST_USER_2", "DBT_TEST_USER_3"]
 TEST_GROUP_ENV_VARS = ["DBT_TEST_GROUP_1", "DBT_TEST_GROUP_2", "DBT_TEST_GROUP_3"]
 TEST_ROLE_ENV_VARS = ["DBT_TEST_ROLE_1", "DBT_TEST_ROLE_2", "DBT_TEST_ROLE_3"]
@@ -13,23 +17,57 @@ def replace_all(text, dic):
     return text
 
 
-def get_test_permissions(permission_env_vars):
-    test_permissions = []
-    for env_var in permission_env_vars:
-        permission_name = os.getenv(env_var)
-        if permission_name:
-            test_permissions.append(permission_name)
-    return test_permissions
+class BaseGrantsRedshift:
+    def privilege_grantee_name_overrides(self):
+        # these privilege and grantee names are valid on most databases, but not all!
+        # looking at you, BigQuery
+        # optionally use this to map from "select" --> "other_select_name", "insert" --> ...
+        return {
+            "select": "select",
+            "insert": "insert",
+            "fake_privilege": "fake_privilege",
+            "invalid_user": "invalid_user",
+        }
 
+    def interpolate_name_overrides(self, yaml_text):
+        return replace_all(yaml_text, self.privilege_grantee_name_overrides())
 
-class BaseGrantsRedshift(BaseGrants):
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class", autouse=True)
     def get_test_groups(self, project):
-        return get_test_permissions(TEST_GROUP_ENV_VARS)
+        test_groups = []
+        for env_var in TEST_GROUP_ENV_VARS:
+            group_name = os.getenv(env_var)
+            if group_name:
+                test_groups.append(group_name)
+        return test_groups
 
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class", autouse=True)
     def get_test_roles(self, project):
-        return get_test_permissions(TEST_ROLE_ENV_VARS)
+        test_roles = []
+        for env_var in TEST_ROLE_ENV_VARS:
+            role_name = os.getenv(env_var)
+            if role_name:
+                test_roles.append(role_name)
+        return test_roles
+
+    @pytest.fixture(scope="class", autouse=True)
+    def get_test_users(self, project):
+        test_users = []
+        for env_var in TEST_USER_ENV_VARS:
+            user_name = os.getenv(env_var)
+            if user_name:
+                test_users.append(user_name)
+        return test_users
+
+    def get_grants_on_relation(self, project, relation_name):
+        relation = relation_from_name(project.adapter, relation_name)
+        adapter = project.adapter
+        with get_connection(adapter):
+            kwargs = {"relation": relation}
+            show_grant_sql = adapter.execute_macro("get_show_grant_sql", kwargs=kwargs)
+            _, grant_table = adapter.execute(show_grant_sql, fetch=True)
+            actual_grants = adapter.standardize_grants_dict(grant_table)
+        return actual_grants
 
     # This is an override of the BaseGrants class
     def assert_expected_grants_match_actual(self, project, relation_name, expected_grants):