Funding opportunities for federal grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, along with funding available through Iowa agencies such as the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the State Revolving Fund (SRF).
Broadband
Community, Economic Development and Housing
- Recompete Pilot Program
The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) will invest $200 million in persistently distressed communities to create and connect people to good jobs. This program will create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten. To do so, the program targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment significantly trails the national average, with the goal to close this gap through large, flexible investments.
According to the eligibility mapping tool, communities in Black Hawk and Scott counties may be eligible to apply for funding. Check your eligibility: To support applicants in determining geographic eligibility, EDA – in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory – has released the Recompete Eligibility Mapping Tool. Please click here access the tool, which includes a user-friendly map and instructional materials.
How to Apply: An applicant must obtain, complete, and submit an application electronically through the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE) at sfgrants.eda.gov.
Deadline: October 5, 2023 - Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program
This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
Deadline: Ongoing - Hope VI Main Street Program
The HOPE VI Main Street Program provides grants to communities smaller than 50,000 in population to assist in the renovation of a historic, traditional central business district, or “Main Street” area by replacing unused, obsolete, commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units.
The objectives of the program are to:- Redevelop central business districts (Main Street areas);
- Preserve historic or traditional Main Street area properties by replacing unused commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units;
- Enhance economic development efforts in Main Street areas; and
- Provide affordable housing in Main Street areas.
Match
A match of firmly committed cash or in-kind property or services of at least five percent (5%) of the requested grant amount is statutorily required to be considered for an award.
Deadline: October 12, 2023
- History Grants
AACR History Grants will fund a broad range of history projects including survey and planning, research and documentation, interpretation and education, and collections conservation.
Deadline: October 10, 2023 - Preservation Grants
AACR Preservation Grants will fund a broad range of preservation projects for historic sites including: architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and physical preservation to structures. - Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants
Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants support those communities that have undergone a comprehensive local planning process and are ready to implement their plan to redevelop the distressed public and/or assisted housing and neighborhood. Applications must present a plan to revitalize a severely distressed public and/or HUD-assisted multifamily housing project located in a distressed neighborhood into a viable, mixed-income community.
Match
Matching funds in the amount of at least five percent of the grant amount in cash or in-kind donations must be secured and used by the end of the grant term. The funding opportunity has two deadlines: one for new Implementation Grants and one for Supplemental Grants.
Implementation Deadline: December 11, 2023
Supplemental Deadline: March 4, 2024 - Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing)
Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) empowers communities that are actively taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing and seeking to increase housing production and lower housing costs for families over the long term.
Eligible Uses
Activities that further develop, evaluate, and implement housing policy plans, improve housing strategies, and facilitate affordable housing production and preservation. For example:- Developing, updating, or advancing housing and community plans
- Creating transit-oriented development zones
- Incentivizing the development of vacant lots or the conversion of commercial properties to residential and mixed-use development
- Streamlining permitting processes and expanding by-right development
- Reducing barriers to development such as residential property height limitations, offstreet parking requirements, density restrictions, and minimum lot sizes
Match
This Program does not require cost sharing or matching, but provides points based on leverage.
Deadline: October 30, 2023
- Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program
The CFPCGP is intended to bring together stakeholders from distinct parts of the food system and to foster understanding of national food security trends and how they might improve local food systems. Applications from organizations that address food insecurity in rural, tribal, and underserved communities are encouraged. The CFPCGP is designed to:
One:
– Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, or improving access to food as part of a comprehensive service;
– Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; and
– Promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues; or
Two:
– Meet specific State, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including needs relating to:
– Equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a project;
– Planning for long-term solutions; or
– The creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
Applicants can apply for
– Planning Projects: The purpose is to provide early-stage investment in new, startup projects or to invest in completing project plans toward the improvement of community food security in keeping with the primary goals of the CFPCGP, or
– Community Food Projects: The purpose is to seek solutions over the longer term rather than focusing on short-term food relief. They will seek comprehensive solutions to problems across all levels of the food system from farmer to consumer
Match
1:1 match requirement.
Deadline: October 30, 2023 - Older Adult Home Modification Grant
The goal of the home modification program is to enable low-income elderly persons to remain in their homes through low-cost, low barrier, high impact home modifications to reduce older adults’ risk of falling, improve general safety, increase accessibility, and to improve their functional abilities in their home.
This will enable older adults to remain in their homes, that is, to “age in place,” rather than move to nursing homes or other assisted care facilities. Examples of these home modifications include installation of grab bars, railings, and lever-handled doorknobs and faucets, as well as the installation of adaptive equipment, such as temporary ramp, tub/shower transfer bench, handheld shower head, raised toilet seat, risers for chairs and sofas, and non-slip strips for tub/shower or stairs.
As required by the appropriation laws that fund the grants under this NOFO, at least one third of funding under this NOFO will be made available to grantees that serve communities with substantial rural populations.
Deadline: October 16, 2023 - Healthy Homes Production Grant Program
The Healthy Homes Program addresses multiple childhood diseases and injuries in the home. The Initiative takes a comprehensive approach to these activities by focusing on housing-related hazards in coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time. The HHI builds upon HUD’s successful Lead Hazard Control programs to expand its efforts to address a variety of environmental health and safety concerns including: mold, lead, allergens, asthma, carbon monoxide, home safety, pesticides, and radon. Eligible activities may include:- Developing low-cost methods for hazard assessment and intervention
- Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions
- Building local capacity to educate residents and mitigate hazards
- Developing and delivering public-education programs
Match
This Program does not require cost sharing or matching, but provides points based on leverage.
Deadline: November 7, 2023
Public Safety
Transportation Opportunities
- Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program
The SMART program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety. A SMART grant may be used to carry out a project that demonstrates at least one of the following:- Coordinated automation
- Connected vehicles
- Sensors
- Systems integration
- Delivery/logistics
- Innovative aviation
- Smart grid
- Traffic signals
Match
Cost sharing or matching is not required for Stage I: Planning and Prototyping.
How to Apply
All materials should be submitted at https://usg.valideval.com/teams/USDOT_SMART_2023/signup. Nothing should be submitted on Grants.gov.
Deadline: October 10, 2023
- Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Grant Program
The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program solicits grant applications for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot discretionary grant program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and for the newly created Neighborhood Access and Equity discretionary grant program, established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).- Under the combined RCN Program, USDOT will offer three grant types:
- Capital Construction
- Community Planning
- Regional Partnerships Challenge
- USDOT has combined these two programs into a single NOFO to provide a more efficient application process for project sponsors. While they remain separate programs for the purposes of award, the programs share many common characteristics, including:
- Prioritizing disadvantaged communities;
- Aiming to improve access to daily needs such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, and recreation;
- Fostering equitable development and restoration;
- Reconnecting communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.
- Because of these shared characteristics, it is possible for many projects to be eligible and considered for both programs using a single application. The chart below illustrates the similarities and differences between the RCP and NAE opportunities.
Match
RCP – Community Planning Grants: 80%
RCP – Capital Construction Grants: 50%
NAE – Community Planning, Capital Construction, and Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants: 80%
Deadline: September 28, 2023
- Airport Terminal Program
The purpose of the ATP is to make annual grants available to eligible airports for airport terminal and airport-owned Airport Traffic Control Towers development projects that address the aging infrastructure of our nation’s airports. This includes bringing airport facilities into conformity with current standards; constructing, modifying, or expanding facilities as necessary to meet demonstrated aeronautical demand; enhancing environmental sustainability; encouraging actual and potential competition; and providing a balanced system of airports to meet the roles and functions necessary to support civil aeronautical demand.
Eligibility
Eligible airports include those operated by authorities, cities, territories and tribes within the national air transportation system. If your airport is normally eligible for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, you’re eligible for this program too. See here: https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/overview#eligible
Match
The Federal cost share of ATP grants is 80 percent for large and medium hub airports, and 95 percent for the remainder of airports eligible to receive ATP grants, which includes small hub, non-hub, and nonprimary airports.
Deadline: October 16, 2023 - Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set aside 10 percent of the NEVI Formula Program for the Secretary of Transportation “to make grants to States and localities that require additional assistance to strategically deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure.” The first round of funding made available in this set-aside from the NEVI program will be for the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator to focus on repairing or replacing broken or non-operational EV chargers to improve the reliability of existing EV charging infrastructure.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include State departments of transportation and local governments. States and localities are encouraged to coordinate to the extent possible to address broken and non-operational chargers.
Match
Cost sharing or matching is required, with the maximum Federal share being 80 percent of the total cost of the project. Awardees must provide at least 20 percent of the total cost of the project as a matching share in cash or in-kind services.
Deadline: November 13, 2023
Water, Sewer, Storm Sewer, Electrical Infrastructure and Water Resources
- Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
This program helps prevent damage or restore households and businesses’ access to clean, reliable drinking water in eligible rural areas and towns following natural disasters. Funding can improve the natural environment and encourage manufacturers and other businesses to locate or expand operations.
Deadline: Applications for this program are accepted year-round
- US Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Programs
Programs range from studies only that are 100% federally funded to construction projects with a project limit of up to $10M of federal funding on a 65/35 cost share. Programs include:- Commercial Navigation
- Flood Risk Management
- Ecosystem Restoration
- Emergency Response
- Recreation
- Federal Real Estate Management
- Regulatory Program and Permit
Deadline: Ongoing
- Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) Program
Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the TSED program has two parts. One part of the program will provide funds for economic development projects in communities affected by the construction and operation of covered transmission lines. DOE may accept applications from nonfederal entities, such as municipalities, state energy offices, and Tribal governments who plan to work with a community impacted by a covered transmission project on economic development activities. DOE encourages communities that may be affected by a transmission line to reach out to their state or local government officials to identify activities that DOE can fund in their communities. The other part of the TSED program will provide funds to strengthen siting and permitting activities by siting authorities, including community engagement and technical analysis.
Covered Transmission Projects
A covered transmission project is a high voltage interstate electricity transmission line that is proposed to operate either (1) on land at a minimum of 275 kV of either AC or DC electric energy.
Economic Development Projects
Here is a list of a few types of activities that applicants could propose for funding under the TSED program:
-Sub-grant programs enabling communities to directly propose activities with local benefit.
-Local energy and resilience projects, such as the development of microgrids or solar.
-Affordable and sustainable housing.
-Development of community facilities such as public safety facilities or community centers.
-Creating green spaces, restoring disturbed lands, or expanding endangered species habitat.
-Job training and apprenticeship programs.
-Low-income energy funds to reduce costs for qualifying members of the community.
For more information, visit: https://www.energy.gov/gdo/transmission-siting-and-economic-developmentgrants-program.
Deadline to Express Interest and to Submit Concept Papers: October 31, 2023
Deadline for Full Application: April 5, 2024 - Assistance to High Energy Cost Communities
The program provides availability of up to $10 million in competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities where the average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275% of the national average. Eligible projects also include on-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and the implementation of energy efficiency and energy conservation projects for eligible communities. Projects cannot be for the primary benefit of a single household or business. Grant funds may not be used for the preparation of the grant application, operating costs, or for the purchase of any equipment, structures, or real estate not directly associated with the provision of community energy services.
Deadline: October 31, 2023 - Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program
EPA is soliciting applications from eligible entities for projects in underserved communities that are disadvantaged or serve a population of less than 10,000 individuals to increase drinking water system resilience to natural hazards. For the purposes of this grant program, the term “resilience,” means the ability of a community water system or an asset of a community water system, to rapidly return to a normal operating condition. For the purposes of this grant program, the term “natural hazard” means a natural event, such as an earthquake, tornado, flood, hurricane, wildfire, drought, freezing or hydrologic change that threatens the functioning of a community water system. When considering these natural disaster threats, a public water system may take into account risks associated with climate change to ensure that resilience-building activities address future conditions such as increasing or decreasing temperatures, changes in precipitation, and, where applicable, sea-level rise. The goal of the first National Priority Area is to increase drinking water system resilience by implementing smaller-scale resilience projects informed by drinking water system plans. The goal of the second National Priority Area is to improve drinking water system resilience through large-scale infrastructure improvements and/or optimization of mitigation measures at a drinking water system.
Deadline: November 6, 2023 - Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program
Over $20 million in grant funding will be available for eligible organizations interested in building a stronger pool of skilled and diverse workers in the water and wastewater utilities sector. EPA encourages all eligible organizations who have an interest in the following types of projects to apply:
– Project Area 1: Targeted internships apprenticeships for skilled water utility trades.
– Project Area 2: Education programs designed for elementary, secondary, and higher education students
– Project Area 3: Regional industry and workforce development collaborations to hiring qualified candidates
– Project Area 4: Leadership development, occupational training, mentoring, or cross-training programs that support career advancement.
– Project Area 5: Education and training programs designed for decentralized (septic) water workers to support public health for communities that rely on private wells for drinking water or septic systems.
– Project Area 6: Training and development for workforce development programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants to benefit disadvantaged communities.
Deadline: November 17, 2023
Other Opportunities
- Community Wildfire Defense Grant
The Community Wildfire Defense Program, or CWDG, is intended to help at-risk local communities and Tribes; plan for and reduce the risk of wildfire.
This program, which was authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, prioritizes at-risk communities in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low-income, or have been impacted by a severe disaster that affects the risk of wildfire.
Eligibility
Only communities deemed as “at-risk” are eligible to apply. Find out if your community qualifies here: CWDG Dashboard
Match
10% non-Federal match for proposals to develop or update a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
25% non-federal match for proposals to implement projects described within a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Match waiver request available for communities meeting the definition of underserved, nationally recognized Tribes, and Pacific Islands.
Deadline: October 31, 2023 - Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Small Grants Program
The U.S. Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Projects must involve only long-term protection, restoration, enhancement and/or establishment of wetland and associated upland habitats to benefit migratory birds. The program requires a 1:1 non-federal match and the maximum award is $250,000. This program supports the DOI and FWS mission of protecting and managing the nation’s natural resources by collaborating with partners and stakeholders to conserve land and water and to expand outdoor recreation and access.
Deadline: October 12, 2023 - Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
The Community Forest Program is a grant program provides financial assistance to local governments to establish community forests that provide continuing and accessible community benefits. Community forests provide many benefits such as places to recreate and enjoy nature, habitat and water quality protection, and other environmental benefits.
The program pays up to 50 percent of the project costs and requires a 50 percent non-federal match. Public access is required for CFP projects. The community is involved in the establishment of the community forest and long-term management decisions. The parcel must be five acres or greater, 75 percent forested, and managed as a working forest.
Deadline: January 12, 2024 - Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR)
The State and Private Forestry Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) competitive grant program funds collaborative, science-based restoration of priority rural forest landscapes, leverages public and private resources, and supports State Forest Action Plans.
Program outcomes include: Improve fish and wildlife habitat; improve water quality and watershed function; mitigate invasive plants, insect infestation, and disease; reduce wildfire risk; improve forest ecosystem health; and measure ecological and economic benefits.
Deadline: November 30, 2024 - Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support
The Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support programming provides financial assistance grants for projects that support underserved and small-acreage forest landowner participation in emerging private markets for climate mitigation and forest resilience. The Inflation Reduction Act provides the Forest Service $450 million for Forest Landowner Support opportunities to:- Provide cost share payments to underserved forest landowners for implementing climate mitigation or forest resilience practices on their land.
- Support the participation of underserved forest landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience.
- Support the participation of forest landowners who own less than 2,500 acres of forest land in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience.
- Provide payments to private forest landowners in priority landscapes for implementing key forestry practices that measurably increase carbon sequestration and storage.
There are three tracks based on proposed budgets for this program which are: - Track A: Budgets greater than or equal to $2 million and less than $25 million
- Track B: Budgets less than $2 million
- Track C: Budgets greater than $5 million and less than $50 million
Deadline: August 21, 2024
- 2024 Brownfield Grants
Grants offered by the Brownfields Program may be used to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and petroleum. There are a number of Brownfields grants that local governments are eligible for, they are:
– FY 2024 Multipurpose Grant Guidelines Multipurpose (MP) Grants provide funding to conduct a range of eligible assessment and cleanup activities at one or more brownfield sites in a target area.
– FY 2024 Cleanup Grant Guidelines Cleanup Grants provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the applicant.
– FY 2024 Community-wide Assessment Grant Guidelines Assessment Grants provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
– FY 2024 Assessment Coalition Grant Guidelines *Municipalities can apply only as non-lead members.
Deadline: November 13, 2023 - Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grants
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program provides $5 billion in grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution. To allow for efficient management of the competitive process, EPA requests submittal of an informal Notice of Intent (NOI) to Apply by February 1, 2024 to CPRG@epa.gov. Please include in the body of the email the dollar amount of the anticipated funding request and one to two sentences about the scope and sector(s) of the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures likely to be included in the potential implementation grant application.
Deadline: April 1, 2024
Grant Resources
Local Infrastructure Hub
The Local Infrastructure Hub is a national program that was created to inform cities of federal infrastructure funding opportunities along with other resources to help cities successfully apply for funding.
GRANTS.GOV
Grants.gov is a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. In addition, the website currently handles grant application submissions to many federal agencies.
