ExternalGridModel.cs

//Grid Model
public class MyGridModel : GridModel<Person> { 

  private HtmlHelper _html;
  
  public MyGridModel() {
     ColumnFor(x => _html.ActionLink("Whatever"));
  }

   public MyGridModel Build(HtmlHelper html) {
     _html = html;
     return this;
   }
}

// Controller
public ActionResult Index() {
   var model = new MyGridModel();
   var people = _peopleFactory.GetPeople();
   ViewData["gridModel"] = model;
   return View(people);
}

//View
<%= Html.Grid(Model).WithModel(((MyGridModel)ViewData["gridModel"]).Build(Html))