In 2023, Infrastructure Week looks different than it did just a few years ago. Right now, we find ourselves in a place of unprecedented opportunity. Cities, towns and villages across America have access to a historic level of federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act to invest in infrastructure in their communities.
The theme for this year’s Infrastructure Week is Infrastructure Works – and as President of the National League of Cities, I’ve seen exactly how new investments in infrastructure are working across the country. Local leaders know the needs of their community better than anyone and are investing federal funds to meet their residents’ needs. From fixing the roads and bridges that get people to work to strengthening the broadband networks kids need to do their homework, cities of all sizes are putting infrastructure dollars to work to transform their communities.
This action comes after years of advocacy from local leaders across the country. City leaders raised our voices to show the federal government how much we needed federal investments in infrastructure – and Congress and the White House delivered.
Funds are being rolled out across cities, towns and villages across America. Now is the time for your community to maximize this opportunity and show Congress how local leaders are getting the job done by using federal infrastructure funds where it matters most.
Supporting Cities, Towns and Villages
One of the ways NLC is helping communities access federal funds is through the Local Infrastructure Hub, a technical assistance partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Small and mid-sized cities can now register for a new set of bootcamps, designedto help local leaders develop comprehensive and strategic funding applications for federal grants in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
Kicking off in June 2023, the following five bootcamps will prepare participants to competitively apply for funding to address:
- Rail: Railroad Crossing Elimination Program & CRISI
- Water: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
- Broadband: Broadband Equity, Access, & Development Program (BEAD)
- Transportation: Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program
- Bridges: Bridge Investment Program
While the grant opportunities available to cities through this legislation are unprecedented, small to mid-sized cities may not have the necessary experience or resources at their disposal to develop competitive applications. The technical assistance offered by these bootcamps aims to empower cities and towns with 150,000 residents or fewer to create and submit robust applications for federal grants.
The past two bootcamp series, which took place this past fall and winter, welcomed participation from representatives from several hundred cities, who gained technical expertise to build comprehensive grant applications in the areas of flood mitigation, energy efficiency, electric vehicle charging, resilient infrastructure construction, and more.
Registration Now Open!
Interested in joining a bootcamp? To register, city officials can submit an interest form online through May 31, 2023. Space is limited, so sign up today!
More Infrastructure Resources from NLC
NLC continues to produce first-class resources to help local leaders understand what opportunities are available to them, and how they can successfully apply for grants.
Check out some of our recent blogs highlighting federal infrastructure funding opportunities:
- Now Open: PROTECT Grants to Make Transportation More Resilient
- Getting Your Municipality Ready for Federal, Private Funds for EV Charging
- Federal Workforce Funding Available Through New Grant Program
- How Small Communities Can Benefit from Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Funding
What’s Next?
Join local leaders across the country in thanking Congress for investing in local infrastructure and reinforcing the value of a federal-local partnership. Click here to send a letter to your Congressional delegation!
About the Author
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