With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the opportunities to access federal funds for those big projects that have been in the idea or planning stage to become realities have increased substantially. But, applying for a federal grant is an intense process. The list that follows are resources to help with all phases of the grant application process:
- The DOT Navigator is a new web site intended to be a hub for information for grant applicants and agencies seeking technical assistance.
- ROUTES: Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success is an initiative to address disparities in rural transportation infrastructure by developing user-friendly tools and information, aggregating DOT resources, and providing technical assistance. The ROUTES Initiative aims to ensure rural transportation infrastructure’s unique challenges are considered in order to meet priority transportation goals of safety, mobility, and economic competitiveness.
- The Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs resource provides guidance for calculating a BCA including instructions and current data.
- The BIL prioritizes funding to disadvantaged communities. Various factors contribute to this rating. The Federal Tools to Determine Disadvantaged Community Status site will help see where these areas are in your jurisdiction.
- How a project impacts the climate is another focus area specific to BIL. The Checklist for a Strong Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience Grant Application guides decision-making and project planning in this area.
- The Nebraska Association of Counties shares the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Rural Playbook with additional information for applying the BIL to rural places.