November 2024 Local Infrastructure Hub Insider

Digest Introduction

Welcome to the Local Infrastructure Hub Insider! 

This monthly digest is your guide to the key information you need to submit competitive grant applications that fully leverage Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act funding and deliver results for your residents.

In this newsletter you will find:

• Highlights from U.S. DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Mayors on how to maximize infrastructure dollars. 
• A new grant search tool that connects you to time-saving resources and experts. 
• Insights on how to leverage AI for federally-funded resilience projects. 

Upcoming Events

Don’t miss these upcoming events:

🗓️ 12/3 – Getting to Yes: Tips for Finalizing Grant Agreements: This webinar is for cities who have secured infrastructure funding, or who want to learn more about best practices for getting a federal grant agreement signed. Join us as city leaders detail insights on finalizing grant agreements so that you can receive funds quickly and efficiently. 

🗓️ 12/17 – Investing in Disaster Preparedness: Every year residents are subject to the consequences of increasing severity in storms, flooding, droughts, wildfires, and extreme heat. This webinar will explore the grant programs available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act that cities can use to prepare for changing weather patterns.

Maximizing Infrastructure Dollars

Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed three years ago, cities nationwide have invested $568 billion in quality jobs, clean air and water, road safety, high-speed internet, disaster preparedness, resilience, and increased access to economic opportunity. The Local Infrastructure Hub will continue to be a resource and ensure that cities and towns across the country make the most of this opportunity.  

On November 19, 2024, the Local Infrastructure Hub hosted a webinar on maximizing the impact of cities’ infrastructure investments. Highlights from the conversation with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and featured mayors include: 

• A key priority for government leaders post-election is improving the economy. Infrastructure is a core building block of a strong economy, enabling efficient goods and services distribution, providing clean air and water, and increasing access to high-speed internet and opportunities. 
• The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would have looked nearly the same, regardless of which party wrote it. Passing the historic legislation was truly a bipartisan effort. 
• The projects awarded funding have emerged from communities and represent the strong leadership of mayors across the country.
• Local leaders should keep talking about the benefits the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is bringing to their residents. Make the positive impact of the funding so clear that anything except implementing the project as awarded is unfathomable.
• Now is the time for local leaders to be aggressive. Get your grant agreements signed and plan for project implementation. The Hub has programming to support local leaders in grant project management. 

New Grant Search Tool

The Funding Pathfinder is a new grant search tool that helps city leaders take the guesswork out of finding federal infrastructure and climate grants. It is designed to provide users with a curated list of federal funding programs, as well as time-saving resources and access to policy experts. 

Simply input your jurisdiction’s population, estimated project budget, and infrastructure project category, and the tool will generate a tailored list of federal programs and resources that match your project goals.

You can also enter your email to send yourself a copy of the results and submit questions or comments to Local Infrastructure Hub experts!

AI for Federally-Funded Resilience Projects

The Technology and Innovation Center community converged on Roosevelt Island in New York City for the 4th Annual Urban Tech Summit at Cornell Tech. Focused on “Intelligence for Climate Adaptation,” this year’s summit explored applications of emerging AI technologies to create more resilient urban environments. The Tech and Innovation Center’s expert panel discussed strategies for cities to identify, assess, evaluate and integrate AI-based solutions into federal infrastructure proposals for resilience projects.

Webinar Recording: Watch this webinar to learn more about how you can use AI to safeguard your community from the impacts of climate change. 

Grant Application Trainings

💡 Opportunity Spotlight: Register for FREE grant application and implementation training sessions. 

Cities with a population of 150,000 and below are eligible to receive tailored grant support on the following topics: 

• Developing Clean Energy Projects

• Safe Streets and Roads for All

• Clean Water State Revolving Fund

• Grant Implementation, Compliance and Management

Featured Resources

Fast Facts on BIL Funding: Learn how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is funding infrastructure improvements across the country and find resources to streamline your application submission process.

Investing in America’s Small Businesses: Small businesses are playing a huge role in improving America’s infrastructure. Learn how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act can be mutually beneficial for cities and small businesses.

Infrastructure Grants You Might Not Have Heard Of: Take a look at this resource to learn more about transportation, drought mitigation and water infrastructure funding opportunities that might be new to you! 

Grant Opportunities

State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program: Due December 3, 2024

• The details: $279.9 million to manage and reduce systemic cyber risk.
• Watch this webinar about regional partnerships for cost-effective procurement of cybersecurity solutions, creative approaches to cybersecurity workforce development and working with state governments to access funds through FEMA’s State and Local Cybersecurity program.  

• The details: $8 million to stimulate and expand U.S. wood product and energy markets while supporting sustainable forest management

National Scenic Byways Program: Due December 16, 2024

• The details: ~$27 million to implement eligible projects on highways designated as National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads (America’s Byways®), State scenic byways, or Indian Tribe scenic byways; and to plan, design, and develop a State or Indian Tribe scenic byway program.

🆕 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (WPIA) Grant Program: Due December 18, 2024 

• The details: $20 million to provide support for facilities that purchase and process byproducts of ecosystem restoration projects.

Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communitiesand Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program: Due December 20, 2024

• The details: $58 and $39 million, respectively, to decrease municipal solid waste and household food waste; expand compost markets and sales; and increase recycling and reuse. Education and outreach grants can be used to inform the public about new or existing residential food waste composting programs, including what materials are accepted, how to decrease physical contamination, and information for increasing collection rates.

National Estuarine Research Reserve System Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition: Due January 9, 2025

• The details: $13.5 million for coastal habitat restoration; coastal habitat restoration planning, engineering and design; and coastal land conservation projects.

Clean School Bus Rebate Program: Due January 9,2025 

• The details: Rebates to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models.

• The details: $1.5 billion to improve road safety and ease of movement around communities, make transportation infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather, and improve supply chains to keep costs down for consumers. 
• RAISE in Lincoln, NE: The City of Lincoln secured a RAISE construction grant to achieve a decades-long goal of building a downtown mobility hub.

Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program: Due February 24, 2025

• The details: $876 million to strengthen surface transportation to be more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, heat waves, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. 

🆕 Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program: Due February 28, 2025

• The details: $200 million to assist at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes with planning and mitigating against the risk created by wildfire.

• The details: $400 million for rural and remote communities to build clean energy projects that benefit their communities.

Inflation Reduction Act Direct Pay Program: Ongoing

• The details: Tax credits for cities to finance clean energy investments. 

• Project Examples: This report describes eligible uses for direct pay. 

Free EPA Water Technical Assistance: Ongoing

• The details: Application support for projects financed through State Revolving Funds or other EPA-supported funding opportunities, including the Clean Water State Revolving Fundand theDrinking Water State Revolving Fund.

Want to share your winning application with fellow grant seekers? Have a question about a NOFO? Contact Miranda Alamilla at [email protected]. 

Received this digest from a colleague? Sign up to receive monthly updates here.