Program information as of January 20
th
, 2022
FACT SHEET:
Competitive Infrastructure Funding Opportunities for Local
Governments
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes billions of dollars in competitive funding
available to cities, towns, and municipalities across dozens of new and existing
programs. As local governments begin to rebuild and reinvest in their communities, the
Biden-Harris Administration stands ready to support local leaders as they combine
funding streams, organize around their priorities, and build local support for long
overdue infrastructure projects.
At the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, White House Infrastructure
Implementation Coordinator and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will
highlight 25 already available or soon-to-be-available sources of funding that local
governments – particularly cities – can compete or apply for directly. Listed below is the
latest available information on these key programs, including links to agency websites,
application timing, and descriptions. Highlighted programs were selected based on their
size and cross-cutting objectives. Using these available sources of funds, cities can begin
to plan to build in-line with President Biden’s economic, equity, climate and resilience,
Made in America, and labor goals. The White House will also be releasing a
comprehensive guidebook of all available funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law in the coming weeks.
The federal government cannot build a better America alone – it needs state and local
leadership to act as coordinators and help prepare communities to benefit from
transformative infrastructure funding. Outlined below is a short overview of how cities
and towns can begin to prepare, as well as contact information for relevant federal
agencies. The support of mayors is essential to fulfilling the Biden-Harris
Administration’s goal of equitably rebuilding America on time, on task, and on budget.
Building back better is going to be a multi-year effort, and we need the help of all local
leaders to start building the foundation for years to come.
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25 Competitive Infrastructure Funding Opportunities for Local
Governments
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Transportation
1. Rebuilding American Infrastructure Sustainably and Equitably
(RAISE) Grants– This existing competitive grant program at the Department
of Transportation provides $7.5 billion with an additional $7.5 billion subject to
Congressional approval in funding for road, rail, transit, and other surface
transportation of local and/or regional significance. Selection criteria safety,
sustainability, equity, economic competitiveness, mobility, and community
connectivity. Applications will open in the first quarter of 2022.
2. Port Infrastructure Development Program Grants – This existing $2
billion Department of Transportation program funds investment in the
modernization and expansion of U.S. ports to remove supply chain bottlenecks,
ensure long-term competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability while reducing
impacts to the environment and neighboring communities. The infrastructure
law expanded the program’s eligibilities to include projects that improve goods
movement, as well as port electrification projects, idling reduction solutions,
equipment charging infrastructure and related worker training initiatives. The
Department of Transportation expects to open applications in
February 2022.
3. Bus & Bus Facilities Competitive Grants – This existing $2 billion program
at the Department of Transportation provides capital funding to replace,
rehabilitate, purchase, or lease buses and bus related equipment and to
rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or lease bus-related facilities – as well as capital
funding for low or no emissions bus projects. Fiscal Year 2021 grant selections
will be announced soon. Applications are expected to open for the Fiscal
Year 2022 grant program in the first quarter of 2022.
4. National Infrastructure Project Assistance (also known as
“Megaprojects” or MEGA)– This $5 billion competitive grant program
supports multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects of regional or national
significance. Communities are eligible to apply for funding to complete critical
large projects that would otherwise be unachievable without assistance.
Selection criteria for the program will be posted on the Department of
Transportation website in February 2022.
5. Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants – This
Department of Transportation program supports highway and rail projects of
regional and economic significance. Applications will open in the first
quarter of 2022. Learn more about how to apply here.
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Funding amounts includes programs’ contract authority, advanced appropriations and mandatory appropriations. Funding
subject to appropriations not included.
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6. Safe Streets and Roads for All – This new $5 billion competitive grant
program at the Department of Transportation will provide funding directly to and
exclusively for local governments to support their efforts to advance “vision zero”
plans and other complete street improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities,
especially for cyclists and pedestrians. Applications are expected to open in
May 2022.
7. Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants – In addition to the $5 billion
formula program distributed to states, this $2.5 billion discretionary grant
program at the Department of Transportation will fund the strategic deployment
of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure, as well as hydrogen,
propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure, along designated alternative fuel
corridors and in communities. The Department is seeking comments on
program design by January 28
th
here, and after January 28
th
here.
8. Clean School Bus Program – This new $5 billion competitive grant program
at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide funding to replace
existing school buses with low- or zero-emission school buses. Applications for
funding will be made available here later this spring.
9. Reconnecting Communities – The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law creates a
first-ever $1 billion program at the Department of Transportation to reconnect
communities divided by transportation infrastructure – particularly historically
disadvantaged communities too often nearly destroyed or cut in half by a
highway. This new competitive program will provide dedicated funding to state,
local, metropolitan planning organizations, and tribal governments for planning,
design, demolition, and reconstruction of street grids, parks, or other
infrastructure to address these legacy impacts. Applications will open in the
second quarter of 2022.
10. Rural Surface Transportation Grant - This new $2 billion competitive grant
program at the Department of Transportation will improve and expand surface
transportation infrastructure in rural areas, increasing connectivity, improving
safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, and generate
regional economic growth. This amount includes specific set asides for small
projects ($200 million), rural roadway lane departure improvements ($300
million), and the Appalachian Development Highway System ($500 million).
Applications will open in the first quarter of 2022.
Climate, Energy & Environment
1. Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program – This
existing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program will
distribute $1 billion to support communities undertaking hazard mitigation
projects to reduce the risks they face from disasters and other natural hazards.
FY21 applications are open until January 28
th
, 2022 and hundreds of millions of
dollars in funding remains available. Communities will apply as sub-applicants
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under their states. Applications for FY22 are expected to open no later
than September 30
th
, 2022.
2. Flood Mitigation Assistance – $3.5 billion from this existing FEMA program
can be used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood
damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program. FY21
applications are open until January 28
th
, 2022. Communities will apply as sub-
applicants under their states. Applications for FY22 are expected to open
no later than September 30
th
, 2022.
3. Brownfields Remediation Program – This existing EPA program will
provide $1.2 billion in grants and technical assistants to communities to assess
and safely clean-up contaminated properties and offer job training programs.
Communities are currently able to request funding for Targeted Brownfields
Assessments through their regional EPA office. Additional competitive
funding opportunities will be announced this spring.
4. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants – This Department of
Energy block grant program will provide $550 million to states, local
governments, and tribes for projects that reduce energy use, increase energy
efficiency, and cut pollution. The first funding opportunity is expected for
release in the Fall of 2022.
5. Grants for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Improvements in
Schools – This new Department of Energy Program will provide $500 million
for local government education agencies and nonprofit partners to make energy
efficiency, renewable energy, and clean vehicle upgrades and improvements at
public schools. The opportunity to apply for funding is expected to be
open in the Fall of 2022.
6. Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas – This new Department
of Energy program will provide $1 billion to entities in rural or remote areas
(defined as cities, towns, or unincorporated areas with fewer than 10,000
inhabitants) to increase environmental protection from the impacts of energy use
and improve resilience, reliability, safety, and availability of energy.
Applications for funding are expected to be open in the Fall of 2022.
7. Grants for Energy Efficiency and Resilience Code Adoption – This
Department of Energy program will provide $225 million to state energy
agencies, in partnership with local building code agencies, codes and standards
developers, utilities, and other entities, to enable sustained, cost-effective
implementation of updated building energy codes to save customers money on
their energy bills. Applications for funding are expected to be open by
the end of 2022.
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8. Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs – This new Department of Energy program
will provide $8 billion to support the development of at least four regional clean
hydrogen hubs to improve clean hydrogen production, processing, delivery,
storage, and end use. Applications for funding will open in the Summer
of 2022.
9. Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program – This new $1 billion
program at the Department of Agriculture will provide grants to communities at
risk from wildfire to develop or revise their community wildfire protection plans
and carry out projects described within those plans. It will include a mix of
formula and competitive funds. Applications are expected to open early in
2023.
Broadband, Cyber, and Other Programs
1. ReConnect Program – This existing Department of Agriculture program will
provide almost $2 billion in loans and grants for projects that provide broadband
in rural areas. Applications will likely open in the 3
rd
quarter of 2022
(and towns in rural areas can apply to the current $1.15B in loans and
grant funding, application deadline: February 22, 2022).
2. Middle Mile Grants Program – This new $1 billion program at the
Department of Commerce provides grants for the construction, improvement or
acquisition of middle mile broadband infrastructure. Applications will likely
open during the second quarter of 2022.
3. State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program – This new $1 billion
program at the Department of Homeland Security makes available federal funds
to state, local, and tribal governments to address cybersecurity risks and
cybersecurity threats to information systems that they own or operate.
Applications will likely open during the third quarter of 2022.
4. Smart Grid Investment Grant Program and Energy Sector
Operational Support For Cyber Resilience Program – These two
Department of Energy programs will provide $3 billion and $50 million,
respectively, for electric utilities, including municipal and co-operative utilities,
to modernize the electricity grid and increase resilience to cybersecurity threats.
Applications for the Smart Grid program are expected to be open by
the end of 2022, and applications for the Cyber Resilience program
are expected to be open in the Summer of 2022.
5. Water & Groundwater Storage and Conveyance – This existing $1 billion
program at the Department of Interior provides funding for water storage
projects with capacity between 2,000 and 30,000 acre-feet – as well as projects
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convey water to or from surface water or groundwater storage. The
Department will hold its final stakeholder sessions this month and
open applications later this spring.
6. Emergency Watershed Protection Program – This existing Department of
Agriculture program will provide $300 million in technical and financial
assistance to project sponsors for the design and construction of measures to help
repair damages from a recent disaster. Applications open in February.
Other Opportunities
The law further significantly increased the amount of non-competitive formula funding
that will flow first to states and then on to cities and local governments. Examples
include funding available through Surface Transportation Block Grant sub-allocations
for local governments, which now include significantly expanded the flexibilities for
cities to determine how these funds can be used, as well as increases for states’ Clean
Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. We encourage cities to reach out to
the state or regional offices for various federal agencies, as well as state governments’
infrastructure coordinators, to better understand forthcoming increases in formula
funding.
Getting Ready to Apply for and Receive Federal Infrastructure Funds
Building a better America is a shared endeavor no one can do alone, and investing
federal infrastructure dollars will require significant coordination between cities, states,
Tribal governments, community stakeholders, and other key partners.
Earlier this month, the White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator sent a
letter to Governors recommending a series of preparatory actions, including appointing
infrastructure coordinators to manage the flow of funds to their states. Cities can also
begin to coordinate across their departments and with metropolitan planning
organizations (MPO) to:
1. Prioritize your community’s capital needs and develop a project pipeline – taking
time to think about the projects previously considered impossible due to lack of
funding or regional coordination. This is a once-in-a-generation funding
opportunity that will require bold, inclusive thinking.
2. Use the forthcoming Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Guidebook to identify federal
funding streams to target.
3. Ensure all transit, railway, road, highway, and bridge projects are a part of your
MPO’s Transportation Improvement Plan.
4. Begin mapping sites for electric vehicle and alternative fuel charging stations.
5. Inventory and map the lead pipes in your city. Read through the Biden-Harris
Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan here for additional federal resources for this
effort.
6. Work with your state’s broadband agency to ensure your city or region’s needs
are appropriately mapped and inventoried.
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7. Establish relationships with the regional offices for key federal agencies, who can
help direct you to resources and provide technical assistance.
The American Rescue Plan also provided over $350 billion in critical resources to every
state, county, city, and unit of local government to support their response to the COVID-
19 public health emergency, including in making the investments needed to ensure a
durable and equitable economic recovery. Cities should look to leverage those resources
to help prepare for the transformative investments included in the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law including training the workers needed to build high quality
infrastructure; hiring back the public sector workers needed to help manage potential
federal investments; and getting a jump start on water, sewer, and broadband projects
that could complement investments from the infrastructure law.
We recognize local capacity may be strained due to the pandemic, historic
underinvestment, or just the challenges of day-to-day governance. A city’s lack of
capacity to apply for federal funds can create significant inequities – and for many
communities, this will be their first time applying for funds from a suite of federal
agencies. While many funding streams in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law specifically
set aside funds for disadvantaged communities, the White House Infrastructure
Implementation Team will be engaging states, Tribal governments, territories, federal
agencies, philanthropies, and others to leverage all available resources to quickly deliver
the necessary technical assistance and capacity to underserved communities.
Agency Contact Information
Environmental Protection Agency: State&Local@epa.gov
Department of Transportation: intergov@dot.gov
Department of Interior: OIEA@ios.doi.gov
Department of Commerce: CommerceIGA@doc.gov
Department of Energy: DL-RegionalSpecialists@hq.doe.gov
Department of Agriculture: EIA@usda.gov
Department of Homeland Security: dhs.iga@hq.dhs.gov
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