Local Infrastructure Hub is a project of the National League of Cities (NLC) and Bloomberg Philanthropies ¹ that provides resources to aid communities, local governments, and nonprofits to navigate and access public funding from the Biden administration-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. The Hub states that its “special focus” is to help “traditionally underserved cities and towns.” ²

Founding and History

Local Infrastructure Hub was announced on May 17, 2022, as a joint project of the National League of Cities (NLC), a left-leaning network of more than 19,000 American communities engaging in federal policy advocacy, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, a $7 billion foundation created by left-leaning billionaire and former New York City Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael R. Bloomberg. The Hub was founded to connect nonprofits, cities, academics, and policy networks in support of communities attempting to access billions of dollars in federal funding through nearly 400 funding opportunities in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. ³

Activities

Local Infrastructure Hub features a large repository of online resources guiding towns and local communities in how to navigate the Biden administration-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including tips for how to access federal infrastructure funding in various categories. ⁴ Resources are provided by the Hub itself as well as by external organizations like the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Results for America, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, National Association of City Transportation Officials, African American Mayors Association, and the National Urban League. ⁵

The organization has a webinar and pages detailing provisions of the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant program within the bill, ⁶ a pool of federal funds focused on, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity” especially among “disadvantaged communities.” ⁷

Likewise, Local Infrastructure Hub provides guidance to access so-called Clean Energy Tax Incentives and leverage points to advance “workforce equity” through the infrastructure law. ⁸

To aid organizations and entities seeking access to federal infrastructure funding, the Hub has a grant search platform allowing viewers to view federal grant opportunities by department, type of infrastructure project, or eligible applicants. ⁹ The Hub also featured case studies of winning applications for federal fundings to assist those seeking to funding to craft the most competitive application. ¹⁰

 

Besides the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, Local Infrastructure Hub also features information and resources on the Biden administration-backed Inflation Reduction Act, including how to use the law to advance a left-of-center climate change agenda ¹¹ as well as how nonprofits can access public funding from the legislation. ¹²

Funding

From November 2022 to October 2023, Local Infrastructure Hub received $1 million from the Ford Foundation via the New Venture Fund, a funding and fiscal sponsorship nonprofit that makes grants to left-of-center advocacy and organizing projects. ¹³ The Hub began with an initial $50 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Emerson Collective, Ford Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation. ¹⁴ Other donors include the Ballmer Group. ¹⁵

The organization’s website is sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. ¹⁶

Partners

Local Infrastructure Hub lists several partner organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, Results for America, and Delivery Associates. ¹⁷ Additional partners include the Irban Tech Hub of the Jacobs Technion-Corne Institute at Cornell Tech and U.S. Digital Response. ¹⁸

1. “NLC, Bloomberg Philanthropies Unveil the Local Infrastructure Hub.” NLC: National League of Cities. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.nlc.org/post/2022/05/17/nlc-bloomberg-philanthropies-unveil-the-local-infrastructure-hub/.
2. “About.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/about/.
3. “NLC, Bloomberg Philanthropies Unveil the Local Infrastructure Hub.” NLC: National League of Cities. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.nlc.org/post/2022/05/17/nlc-bloomberg-philanthropies-unveil-the-local-infrastructure-hub/
4. “Resources.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/resources/.
5. “NLC, Bloomberg Philanthropies Unveil the Local Infrastructure Hub.” NLC: National League of Cities. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.nlc.org/post/2022/05/17/nlc-bloomberg-philanthropies-unveil-the-local-infrastructure-hub/.
6. “Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/resources/reconnecting-communities-and-neighborhoods-grant-program/.
7. “Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rcnprogram
8. “Resources.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/resources/.
9. “Funding Opportunities.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/funding-opportunities/.
10. “Winning Applications.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/resources/winning-applications/.
11. “Cities Advancing Climate Action: Unlocking the Potential of the Inflation Reduction Act.” Labor Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/resources/cities-advancing-climate-action-unlocking-the-potential-of-the-inflation-reduction-act/.
12. ^[1] “Funding Opportunities for Nonprofits Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/resources/cities-advancing-climate-action-unlocking-the-potential-of-the-inflation-reduction-act/.
13. “Core support for the Local Infrastructure Hub, a national program designed to connect cities and towns with the resources and expert advice they need to access federal infrastructure funding.” Ford Foundation. Accessed August 7, 2023.
14. “NLC, Bloomberg Philanthropies Unveil the Local Infrastructure Hub.” NLC: National League of Cities. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.nlc.org/post/2022/05/17/nlc-bloomberg-philanthropies-unveil-the-local-infrastructure-hub/.
15. “About.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/about/.
16. “Local Infrastructure Hub.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/.
17. “Core support for the Local Infrastructure Hub, a national program designed to connect cities and towns with the resources and expert advice they need to access federal infrastructure funding.” Ford Foundation. Accessed August 7, 2023.
18. “About.” Local Infrastructure Hub. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://localinfrastructure.org/about/.