Since the passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act earlier this year, there are billions of dollars available for local governments to update crumbling infrastructure. However, accessing those funds is not always as easy as it sounds when navigating the grant application process and accompanying bureaucracy feels more like a funhouse Odyssey than a walk in the park. Luckily, a new joint venture will launch this summer designed to help small and mid-sized cities secure the federal bag.

Local Infrastructure Hub, a collaboration between the US Conference of Mayors (USCM), the National League of Cities (NLC), and Results for America will go live July 1^st as reported by American City & County. According to the organization’s statement, “The Local Infrastructure Hub brings together leading experts in policy and innovation in a program that includes information, resources, and technical assistance to help cities access this once-in-a-lifetime funding opportunity.” The article also notes that a sizable portion of this venture was made possible through investments by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Emerson Collective, as well as the Ford and Kresge Foundations.

Additionally, Results for America and USCM will provide a series of webinars designed to help local leaders properly digest all the information surrounding almost 400 options for funding and how they can make their applications more competitive.

With so much potential funding available for local infrastructure projects right now, it is paramount that local leaders are able to secure their fair share and provide for their constituents. More importantly, smaller communities need to be able to effectively navigate the twists and turns of federal guidelines to ensure they will get the most build for their buck. In that sense, the Local Infrastructure Hub could prove to be a valuable resource for leaders in smaller communities.

To see how things are progressing, check out the Local Infrastructure Hub website and be sure to sign up to receive regular updates.