Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced the launch of a $50 million 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. 

With initial funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Emerson Collective, and the Ford and Kresge foundations, the Local Infrastructure Hub: Support for U.S. Cities and Towns to Put Federal Funding to Work for Residents aims to connect city leaders to experts to develop clarity and direction in the application process for federal infrastructure funding by addressing two primary barriers: understanding the more than 400 funding opportunities offered by the federal government and which ones are appropriate for their municipality; and developing competitive funding applications. In addition, the program will focus on helping traditionally underserved cities and towns prepare competitive proposals. 

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 midsize 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.

“For smaller cities and towns, submitting strong applications for federal infrastructure money is easier said than done, so foundations and city networks are stepping up to help,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and a former New York City mayor. “The Local Infrastructure Hub is a first-of-its-kind resource for local leaders, and its experts will help small towns and cities compete for and win the funds they need to build stronger, more sustainable, and more equitable communities.” 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/mguttman)