'Boot camp' for cities under 150,000 is aimed at helping them win infrastructure grants; second round starts in April

(Photo by Brandon Bell, Getty Images)

Smaller cities may doubt their chances of winning a fair portion of the $1.2 trillion authorized by the new infrastructure law, but there's a new program to help them compete. "The National League of Cities, with support of philanthropic backers, is trying to change that dynamic and give smaller cities a better shot at winning federal dollars," reports Bill Lucia of Route Fifty. "The group is running a series grant application 'boot camps' for 30 different infrastructure law programs. The new initiative, open to cities with fewer than 150,000 residents, kicked off late last year, with a second round about to get underway later this month."

Robert Blaine, director of the league's Institute for Youth, Education and Families, told Lucia, “There are the usual suspects, the larger cities that have these federal grant-writing teams, that have historically been able to pull down these federal dollars. When you look at small to midsize cities, they just haven't been able to compete.”

Lucia explains: "Each boot camp is tied to a specific grant program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. NLC chose the 30 it is focused on by considering factors like: Can cities apply for the money directly, rather than going through states or other entities? How much money is available? And does the program fund the types of projects that would produce significant results or improvements for communities?"

The boot camp training aids towns applying with a good 'fit' in mind. "A key component in the NLC program is a tool that the group has built to provide census tract level data for cities, providing insights into various issues, including disparities among residents and which neighborhoods are most underserved," Lucia writes. "Cities can use this information to help design their grant applications so that they are a good fit with the goals of the federal funding programs."

The census-tract data is combined with reaching out for expert help. "Blaine said that the No. 1 piece of feedback he’s heard from cities participating in the program is that having this data has been especially helpful. Having access to the finance curriculum that is part of the boot camps has also been valuable for participants," Lucia reports. "Blaine noted that cities can schedule 'office hours' with people who are experts in how local budgets need to be aligned with different agencies’ guidelines for grant proposals." 

Localities are urged to sign up. "The boot camps are free to cities, with Bloomberg Philanthropies and a number of other foundations and philanthropic organizations providing financial support for the initiative," Lucia notes. "The next round of boot camps will start in May and NLC expects recruiting for it to get underway around April. Cities interested in participating in the initiative can find more information here."