$1 Billion in Federal Funds Available for Infrastructure Projects

Unrelated to any possible new infrastructure funding being discussed in Washington, The U.S. Department of Transportation is accepting applications for $1 billion in current discretionary grant funding for infrastructure projects that benefit communities both large and small. Local governments may apply for these grants on their own or jointly. Funding for this highly competitive program is through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants. Applications are due July 12, 2021, and must be submitted through grants.gov. If your township is not yet registered for grants.gov, note that it can take several weeks to complete registration. 

Projects will be evaluated based on safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnership. The maximum grant is $25 million. Funds will be equitably distributed to urban and rural areas. Up to 3% (30 million) will be for planning grants while at least 1% (10 million) will be targeted to Areas of Persistent Poverty. 

The department is hosting a series of webinars about the grant application process. To learn more about this opportunity, click here. For guidance and the application process, choose “RAISE 2021” on the menu on the left side.