Local Infrastructure Hub
Source: Bloomberg Cities Network
A Program by the National League of Cities, Results for America, and United States Conference of Mayors
Support for U.S. Cities and Towns to Put Federal Funding to Work for Residents
The Local Infrastructure Hub is a national program to ensure that all cities and towns can access federal infrastructure funding to drive local recovery, improve communities, and deliver results for residents. Six months after President Biden signed the more than $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, local governments are eligible for billions of dollars in funding to support projects that range from transforming ports and parks to expanding rural broadband and help tackle challenges like climate change and racial wealth inequity. The Local Infrastructure Hub brings together leading policy and innovation experts into a program that includes information, resources, and technical assistance to help cities and towns of all sizes and from all regions to access this once-in-a-lifetime funding opportunity.
Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Emerson Collective, the Ford Foundation, and The Kresge Foundation, the Hub will help local leaders navigate and understand the large quantities of information from the federal government on the nearly 400 funding opportunities available. And it will help cities and towns develop competitive funding applications that are most likely to be awarded federal grants. There will be a special focus on helping traditionally underserved cities and towns.
The Hub will be delivered by U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, and Results for America, a national organization focused on helping government decision makers use data and evidence to drive results.
The National League of Cities will offer technical assistance to help small towns and mid-size cities develop strong applications that are grounded in data, feature detailed project plans, and include relevant policy objectives. The expanded effort builds upon technical assistance the National League of Cities is providing in select states with the support of The Joyce Foundation and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Results for America will launch a series of webinars this summer to help cities identify the grant opportunities that align with community needs, get guidance about application criteria and timeframes, and learn about infrastructure innovations and emerging best practices. The Hub will also help cities think ambitiously about how to spend these grants on opportunities to advance innovative solutions to problems that are increasingly urgent in American cities, especially narrowing racial wealth disparities and cutting the pollution that causes climate change.