*Photo by Codrut Tomescu's Images from Canva
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has been signed into law (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or BIL). The IIJA is a massive investment in roads, bridges, and water pipes, and when combined with the Build Back Better Framework is estimated to add an average of 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years. The IIJA will create and award new formula and competitive grant programs and bolster existing competitive grant funding programs. About $550 billion of the $1.2 trillion law is new spending which will be spread out over five (5) years.
There are several program application deadlines coming up in the 3rd quarter of 2022 that you may want to be aware of and details can be found in the table below.
| IIJA Application Deadlines | ||
| Eligible Uses | Eligible Applicants | Deadline |
| Bridge Investment Program (BIP) | ||
| Competitive, discretionary funding program that focuses on existing bridges to reduce the overall number of bridges in poor condition, or in fair condition at risk of falling into poor condition. | States, local and tribal governments, federal lands management agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations. |
- Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) |
| Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program | ||
| Grant funding for broadband planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs. | All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. | - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Letter of Intent due July 18, 2022 - Initial planning funds application due August 15, 2022 |
| Restoring Fish Passage Through Barrier Removal | ||
| Grant funding to provide federal finance and technical assistance to fish passage through the removal of dams and other in-stream barriers for native migratory or sea-run fish. | States, counties, cities, townships, tribes, institutions of higher education, and other organizations. | - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Applications are due on August 15, 2022. |
| Passenger Ferry Grant Program | ||
| Grant funding to improve the condition and quality of existing passenger ferry services, support the establishment of new passenger ferry services, and repair and modernize ferry boats, terminals, and related facilities and equipment. | States, counties, cities, townships, special districts, and tribes. | - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - NOTE: This program shares the same NOFO with the Passenger Ferry Grant Program and the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program. - Applications are due by 11:59 PM EST on September 6, 2022. |
| Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program | ||
| Grant funding for the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferries, the electrification of or other reduction of emissions from existing ferries, and related changing or other fueling infrastructure (for which the applicants will maintain satisfactory continuing control) to reduce emissions or produce zero onboard emissions under normal operation. | States, counties, cities, townships, special districts, tribes, and any public entities engaged in providing public transportation passenger ferry service in urban areas. | - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - NOTE: This program shares the same NOFO with the Passenger Ferry Grant Program and the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program. - Applications are due by 11:59 PM EST on September 6, 2022. |
| Ferry Service for Rural Communities | ||
| Grant funding for capital, operating, and planning expenses for ferry services to rural areas. | States and territories. | - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - NOTE: This program shares the same NOFO with the Passenger Ferry Grant Program and the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program. - Applications are due by 11:59 PM EST on September 6, 2022. |
| Safe Streets for All Program | ||
| Competitive grant Funding to support local initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets, commonly referred to as "Vision Zero" or "Zero Death Initiative". | Metropolitan planning organizations, political subdivisions of a state, federally recognized tribal governments, and a multijurisdictional group of entities. | -Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM (EDT) on September 15, 2022 |
| Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program | ||
| Competitive grants for construction, improvement or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure | States, political subdivisions, public utility districts, and regional planning councils. | -Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on September 30, 2022 |
| Marine Debris | ||
| Grant funding to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. | States, counties, cities/townships, special districts, tribes, and other organizations. | -Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Applications are due on September 30, 2022 |
| Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program | ||
| Grant funding to restore community connectivity by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development. | States, units of local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, metropolitan planning organizations, nonprofit organizations, and facility owners. | - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Applications are due at 11:59 PM EDT on October 13, 2022. |
For rural communities that may not be used to managing this amount of funding, the Biden Administration has published the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Rural Playbook that contains links to more opportunities specifically for rural awards.
If you’re looking for resources that can help you write a competitive grant application, turn a proposed project into a working project plan, or even get advice on how to ensure you are allocating your awarded funding in an equitable way, we have resources for you.
*Photo by Codrut Tomescu's Images from Canva