Guide to Local Recovery Update: March 23
The federal government has released new recovery resources for cities, including a common application for three infrastructure grants, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) reporting guidance for smaller cities, multiple related webinars, and a cybersecurity factsheet. The National League of Cities released several recovery resources as well, including two webinars.
U.S. Department of Transportation releases “common application” for three grant programs
The U.S. Department of Transportation has created a “common application" for three grant programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: National Infrastructure Project Assistance, Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects, and Rural Surface Transportation.
The programs are separate for the purposes of awards, but cities can apply for all three with one application. The Transportation Department will evaluate common applications using criteria such as safety, freight movement, economic impact, climate change, equity, innovation, and so forth.
The Transportation Department will hold several webinars on the programs in the coming weeks, as well as other opportunities. Applications are due May 23.
New ARPA resources for small cities
The American Rescue Plan Act delivered $8 billion in direct, flexible aid to cities of all sizes. As part of that funding, cities are required to report on their expenditure of those funds. Until recently, small municipalities — generally those with less than 50,000 residents — were watching federal webinars intended for larger cities. This created confusion about which requirements apply to small cities.
In response to sustained advocacy, the U.S. Department of the Treasury posted links to resources specifically for smaller cities, officially known as non-entitlement units of local government. These resources include:
- An overview of compliance and reporting guidance.
- Step-by-step guidance on the reporting process.
- Chief Recovery Officer Jacob Leibenluft’s recent remarks about the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds’ status and progress.
More information about the reporting process is available on the Treasury Department’s website.
Additional federal recovery resources
Senior White House and Treasury Department officials are holding a three-part webinar series on how local leaders can help residents access tax credits made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act. The first workshop, scheduled for Mar 28, will focus on best outreach practices available resources available to local governments.
The White House will host its final “Infrastructure School” webinar tomorrow. Unlike ARPA, the federal infrastructure package includes competitive and noncompetitive funding, making these webinars, along with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law guidebook, a critical resource for city leaders. The March 24 webinar will focus on broadband.
The federal government is also focused on ensuring that local infrastructure operators, governments, and businesses are ready for potential cybersecurity threats. To help those organizations prepare, the White House released a fact sheet detailing the steps individuals can take to protect critical infrastructure and data.
Additionally, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is hosting several webinars in connection with the six new broadband grants authorized and funded by the federal infrastructure law. The series will cover the agency’s various broadband programs and help applicants prepare high-quality grant applications. The next webinar is scheduled for April 6.
New NLC resources
The National League of Cities (NLC) has updated its COVID-19: Local Action Tracker. The update includes new data on the ways cities across the country meet community needs over the course of the last two years of the pandemic. NLC is also hosting two March 31 webinars; one on how cities can use ARPA funding to boost civic engagement and another on the broadband programs created by the federal infrastructure law.
City officials looking for additional information about the American Rescue Plan Act, the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, or additional recovery tools can visit the Cal Cities Guide to Local Recovery portal.