Grow America’s Infrastructure Now (GAIN) is a right-of-center, pro-business advocacy coalition that promotes energy infrastructure projects, including pipelines and export terminals. The group supports federal policies to expand the development of energy infrastructure and reduce regulatory barriers to such projects. GAIN aligns with industry interests in opposing environmental regulations and delays that affect traditional energy infrastructure. The group was once a standalone organization; however, by 2026, it appeared to be managed by DCI Group, a Washington, D.C.-based communications firm. It has received funding from the pipeline company Energy Transfer and has been accused by left-of-center environmental groups of being an astroturf lobbying group. Other members of the coalition as of 2026 included the Ohio Manufacturers Association, Pipeliners Union 798, and the Texas Pipeline Association. ^{1 2}

Background

Grow America’s Infrastructure Now was formed in 2017 as a national expansion of the Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now, a regional group that had advocated for the Dakota Access Pipeline amid protests in 2016 and 2017. The coalition positions itself as an alliance of businesses, trade associations, and labor organizations interested in economic growth through infrastructure. ^{3 1 2}

GAIN operates from Washington, D.C. under the management of the right-of-center public relations firm DCI Group, which handles its communications and strategy. The organization was at one point a standalone 501(c)(4) advocacy organization; however, the standalone organization was no longer listed as a current tax-exempt organization with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as of 2026 and had not filed any tax returns since 2021. ^{4 3}

Activities

Grow America’s Infrastructure Now advocates for policies that facilitate energy infrastructure development, such as streamlining federal permitting processes. The group issued a statement endorsing the first Trump administration’s 2018 infrastructure plan, highlighting potential benefits for energy security and job creation. ⁵

GAIN also conducts public outreach, including commissioning polls on public support for pipelines and domestic energy production. In 2021, the coalition released survey results claiming there was widespread support among Americans for oil and gas transport via pipelines and reduced reliance on foreign energy. The group also organizes media events, such as a 2021 tour of an export terminal in Texas to promote natural gas liquefaction projects. ^{6 7}

GAIN filed an amicus brief in November 2025 with the North Dakota Supreme Court in support of Energy Transfer’s case against Greenpeace entities, which resulted in a multi-million-dollar judgment against Greenpeace related to its coordination of protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The brief opposed allowing Greenpeace to pursue related claims in international courts, describing it as an attempt to circumvent a prior U.S. judgment. The brief was criticized by environmental groups due to Energy Transfer’s financial support of GAIN. ²

Funding and Related Organizations

Grow America’s Infrastructure Now has received substantial funding from Energy Transfer, a pipeline company involved in high-profile projects like the Dakota Access Pipeline. In a 2023 court deposition, Energy Transfer’s vice president for corporate communications testified that the company provided approximately $100,000 per month to support GAIN’s operations. ²

Members of the coalition listed on GAIN’s website as of 2026 included state and local chambers of commerce and trade associations, as well as a pipeline workers’ union. Members included the Ohio Manufacturers Association, Pipeliners Union 798, Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, Michigan Associated General Contractors, Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, and the Texas Pipeline Association. ¹

People

As of 2026, Craig Stevens was serving as spokesman for Grow America’s Infrastructure Now. Stevens, a partner at DCI Group, previously worked on Republican presidential campaigns and served in the George W. Bush White House. ¹

Albert Wynn was acting as a strategic advisor to GAIN as of 2026. Wynn, a former Democratic politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Maryland, served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee during his tenure in Congress from 1993 to 2008. ¹

1. “About Us.” Grow America’s Infrastructure Now. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://gainnow.org/about-us.
2. Zraick, Karen. “Greenpeace’s Fight With Pipeline Giant Exposes a Legal Loophole.” New York Times. December 17, 2025. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/climate/greenpeaces-fight-with-pipeline-giant-exposes-a-legal-loophole.html.
3. “Grow America’s Infrastructure Now (GAIN).” DeSmog. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://www.desmog.com/grow-americas-infrastructure-now-gain.
4. “Grow America’s Infrastructure Now.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed February 13, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/825003779
5. “WTAS: Support For President Trump’s Infrastructure Initiative Announcement.” Trump White House Archives. February 13, 2018. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/wtas-support-president-trumps-infrastructure-initiative-announcement.
6. “GAIN Coalition: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Pres. Biden’s Ban on Russian Oil and Back Increased U.S. Energy Development.” PR Newswire. March 15, 2022. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gain-coalition-americans-overwhelmingly-support-pres-bidens-ban-on-russian-oil-and-back-increased-us-energy-development-301503039.html.
7. “A Lesson From the Permian Basin: Infrastructure Investment or Bust.” Caller-Times. May 11, 2018. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://www.caller.com/story/opinion/2018/05/11/lesson-permian-basin-infrastructure-investment-bust/603292002.