Summary
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), signed in November 2021, authorized $1.2 trillion in infrastructure spending over five years — including approximately $550 billion in new federal investments. By 2026, the majority of IIJA formula grants have been distributed to states, but competitive discretionary grant programs continue accepting applications across transportation, water, broadband, energy, and resilience. State and local governments, tribal nations, metropolitan planning organizations, and eligible nonprofits are the primary recipients.
RAISE Grants: Multimodal Transportation
The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program — formerly known as BUILD and TIGER — is the U.S. Department of Transportation's flagship discretionary grant program for surface transportation projects. RAISE awards up to $1 billion annually for road, bridge, transit, rail, port, and multimodal projects that deliver significant local and regional impact. Awards range from $1 million to $25 million for most projects, with rural areas receiving at least 50% of available funding per fiscal year. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, tribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities. The FY2026 NOTICE of Funding Opportunity is typically published in early calendar year with applications due 60–90 days later. Key selection criteria include safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnership. Projects must be "shovel-ready" — applicants should demonstrate environmental review completion or near-completion and a clear path to construction within two to three years of award.
Bridge Formula Program and PROTECT Grants
The IIJA's Bridge Formula Program (BFP) distributed $26.5 billion over five years to states through formula apportionment for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, and preservation. While the formula funds are allocated by FHWA to State DOTs without competitive applications, sub-grants from states to local governments and tribal nations for bridge projects do require application. Local governments with structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges should contact their State DOT bridge program manager to understand eligibility and application timelines for state-administered bridge funds. The PROTECT (Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation) program provides $8.7 billion over five years — divided between formula grants to states and competitive resilience improvement grants. The competitive Resilience Improvement Grant Program accepts applications from state and local governments, transit agencies, and tribal governments for projects that reduce the vulnerability of transportation infrastructure to natural hazards, sea level rise, flooding, and extreme weather. Awards range from $2 million to $100 million or more for large corridor resilience projects.
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
Administered by FEMA, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program is the primary pre-disaster mitigation grant program for state and local governments and tribal nations. BRIC provides up to $1 billion annually for projects that reduce the risk from natural disasters before they occur — including flood mitigation, wildfire risk reduction, earthquake retrofits, and community lifeline improvements. BRIC has three tiers: Capability and Capacity Building (CCB) activities (up to $2 million per state/tribe per year, for planning, training, and outreach), Projects (competitive grants of up to $50 million federal share), and direct technical assistance. States submit applications on behalf of local governments and tribal nations through their State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO). Sub-applicants (counties, cities, local governments) must be identified in the state's Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible. Federal cost share is typically 75% federal / 25% non-federal for most applicants, with enhanced cost shares available for small and impoverished communities (up to 90% federal share).
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is a closely related FEMA program that activates after major disaster declarations, providing post-disaster mitigation funding as a percentage of total FEMA disaster assistance provided (up to 20% under standard HMGP, or up to 25% under HMGP Post Fire or 15% for Flood Mitigation). HMGP funds flow from FEMA to state Emergency Management Agencies, which run competitive sub-grant processes. Local governments and nonprofits seeking mitigation funding after a federal disaster declaration should contact their State Emergency Management Agency immediately after the declaration, as application windows are time-limited.
Water Infrastructure: Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF
The IIJA provided $55 billion for water infrastructure — the single largest federal investment in clean water in U.S. history. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF, CFDA 66.458) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF, CFDA 66.468) received massive capitalization increases. IIJA added $12 billion to CWSRF and $11.7 billion to DWSRF over five years, on top of annual appropriations. EPA capitalizes the SRFs through grants to states; states then lend money to utilities, municipalities, and other eligible borrowers at below-market rates. The IIJA also added significant principal forgiveness provisions — disadvantaged communities may receive portions of their SRF loans as grants (no repayment). A separate $15 billion DWSRF allocation specifically targets lead service line replacement, and $5 billion addresses PFAS and emerging contaminants. Utilities, water districts, municipalities, and tribal water systems should apply through their State Drinking Water or Clean Water program office. The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA, CFDA 66.202) provides low-interest direct federal loans (not grants) for large water infrastructure projects of $5 million or more — a complementary tool for large-scale projects.
BEAD: Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment
The IIJA's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, administered by NTIA, allocated $42.45 billion to states and territories to build broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities. BEAD funds flow from NTIA to state broadband offices through formula grants; states then run subgrant competitions for internet service providers (ISPs), cooperatives, municipalities, and tribal entities to deploy last-mile broadband infrastructure. By 2026, most states are in active subgrant application phases. ISPs, electric cooperatives with broadband arms, rural telephone companies, municipalities, and tribal entities seeking BEAD subgrants should contact their State Broadband Office (e.g., ConnectMaine, BroadbandNC, Arizona Commerce Authority, etc.) for current application status. A separate $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act (DEA) program funds digital inclusion programs — Digital Equity Planning Grants, State Digital Equity Capacity Grants, and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program — for libraries, nonprofits, community anchor institutions, and state agencies focused on digital literacy and device access.
Key Takeaways for Applicants
- RAISE grants (up to $25M) are the most accessible large competitive infrastructure grants for local governments — FY2026 NOFO expected early in the calendar year via grants.gov and DOT.gov.
- BRIC pre-disaster mitigation grants (up to $50M) require coordination through your State Hazard Mitigation Officer — local governments must be in their state's Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible.
- Water SRF programs (CWSRF, DWSRF) offer principal forgiveness for disadvantaged communities — contact your State Water program office for current application cycles and capitalization grant terms.
- BEAD broadband subgrants are administered by state broadband offices — ISPs, cooperatives, and municipalities should monitor their state broadband office website for application timelines.
- All federal infrastructure grant applications require active SAM.gov registration and a UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) — begin this process early as it can take 7–10 business days.