In the fall of 2022, the National League of Cities (NLC) and Local Infrastructure Hub launched a series of bootcamps designed to help small and mid-sized local governments take advantage of the grant opportunities available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Hundreds of communities took advantage of these free trainings – and now more are on the way!
Starting in February 2024, NLC and the Local Infrastructure Hub will kick off another round of bootcamps to provide resources and training for communities interested in securing federal grant funds to address sustainable infrastructure needs.
- Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program
- Clean Energy Tax Credits (Inflation Reduction Act – Elective Pay)
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
- Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)
- Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants – Community and Corridor (CFI)
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program
PROTECT provides grant funding for cities to advance climate resilience projects for surface transportation systems, highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Funding will also minimize damage and disruptions to the transportation system, enhance public safety, and promote climate and racial equity by addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities that are particularly impacted by hazards.
Clean Energy Tax Credits (Inflation Reduction Act – Elective Pay)
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes a provision that provides non-taxable entities investing in clean energy with a direct payment option instead of tax credits. Local leaders can utilize direct pay as an option for developing clean energy projects. Projects may include clean energy generation, battery storage, community solar projects, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, and/or purchasing clean vehicles for fleets.
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
The CWSRF program offers low-interest loans to support water-quality infrastructure projects. There are 11 categories of eligible projects, including the construction, repair, and replacement of publicly owned treatment works that enhance energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling, and stormwater management. Forty-nine percent of general supplemental funding must go towards disadvantaged communities to address affordability challenges.
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)
SS4A grants provide funding to prevent roadway fatalities, and serious injuries, and address the disproportionate distribution of roadway safety measures in rural and marginalized communities. SS4A includes two grant types: Planning and Demonstration Grants and Implementation Grants. Each applicant selected for funding must demonstrate efforts to consider the climate change and environmental justice impacts of their project.
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants – Community and Corridor (CFI)
CFI grants provide funding to deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure in communities and along designated transportation corridors. These grants support the development of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging or alternative fueling infrastructure, assistance with operating costs, and the implementation of traffic control devices. CFI projects must address environmental justice.
For each of these last two grant programs – Safe Streets and Roads for All and Charging and Fueling Infrastructure – there will also be additional bootcamps for cities that have been through a bootcamp before, applied unsuccessfully for the grant, or have a draft grant application, with the goal of helping them get over the finish line to submit a strong final grant application.
We will also be offering a bespoke Bootcamp on the Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grant (CPRG) program. CPRG awards funding to cities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to climate change. Phase 1-awarded states and eligible metro areas will design Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) that incorporate GHG emissions measures in six key sectors—electricity generation, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture/natural and working lands, and waste management. Cities are eligible to apply for funding to implement projects included in each PCAP in Phase 2. This Bootcamp will provide cities with one-on-one consultations with subject matter experts. Download the grant summary here.
Bootcamps are designed to help communities develop competitive funding applications for federal grants with an emphasis on helping traditionally underserved small and mid-sized cities and towns. With at least 30 courses available in this two-year project, each of the courses will run for an average of four months, with live learning sessions taught by subject matter experts, along with coaching sessions, office hours, and opportunities for peer learning. Participating cities should plan to devote several hours of active participation to the program each month and will be guided through the process of how to execute a community engagement strategy, ground applications in data, assemble a budget, and ultimately write winning grant applications that are tailored to specific grant opportunities.
Upon program completion, participating local governments will be able to submit compelling grant application packages that are grounded in data, feature detailed project plans, and include relevant policy objectives.
Registration Closes Soon for Spring 2024!
To learn more about the offerings and register, visit the Local Infrastructure Hub website.
These technical trainings are being led by the National League of Cities (NLC) with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Ballmer Group, Emerson Collective, Ford Foundation, and The Kresge Foundation. Bootcamp participants span the United States, most of whom hold city staff positions and some of whom serve as mayors for their respective communities.
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- Emily Young
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