
Access and Maximize Infrastructure Funds
Local governments are partners in rebuilding, reimagining and maintaining America’s infrastructure networks along with the federal government and states. Cities can seek out federal infrastructure funds for transportation, water, broadband, energy and much more in different programs.
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Currently, there are four primary ways cities can access federal infrastructure funds from the federal government.
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – Often referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, IIJA was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in November 2021. IIJA is a five-year comprehensive federal investment in transportation, water, broadband, energy and much more and will invest $1.2 trillion into America’s infrastructure. The IIJA programs renewed existing federal programs cities are familiar with, as well as added $550 billion in new funding and programs like the Safe Streets and Roads for All program. These programs will flow through both states and federal agencies including:
- Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – The climate and clean energy provisions in the IRA complement the funding and investments in climate change and community resilience under the IIJA. The IRA provides $369 billion in tax credits and additional funding for zero-emissions vehicles and technologies, building efficiency and resilience, home energy efficiency and appliance electrification rebates, and reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions overall. For the first time, local governments are eligible to take advantage of clean energy tax credits through a direct payment option.
- Annual Congressional Appropriations – Congress annually prepares a budget with appropriations to fund specific federal programs. NLC tracks the appropriations process for cities in our Federal Budget Tracker. Recently, Congress also renewed the process for targeted Congressionally Directed Spending (also called earmarks) with added accountability measures. Find out more about the process here.
- American Rescue Plan’s State and Local Fiscal Relief Funds (SLFRF) – Communities have an opportunity to use their SLFRF grants from Congress for essential infrastructure including water and broadband demands but also for newly eligible infrastructure uses, including transportation and disaster response.
Go Deeper: Infrastructure Events, Articles & More Resources
Learn how to improve infrastructure by joining the Local Infrastructure Hub, viewing upcoming webinars and meetings, and reading expert blogs and resources.
- The White House created a guidebook to help state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders understand what funding is available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure More. It includes program-by-program information.
- The Local Infrastructure Hub is a national program designed to connect cities and towns with the resources and expert advice they need to access federal infrastructure funding in order to drive local progress, improve communities, and deliver results for residents. Sign up for the next bootcamps here.
CitiesSpeak Infrastructure Blogs
NLC Infrastructure Resources

Take Our Survey
Does your city have a great project in the works you’re seeking federal funding for? NLC launched a survey to see how communities are planning to utilize the $1.2 trillion in funding available as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Share your story with us!
Infrastructure Events from NLC
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