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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—also known as 欧博娱乐 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—includes unprecedented funding for U.S. infrastructure systems. Federal agencies, including DOT, DOE, and EPA, suddenly have billions of dollars in new funding to address and adapt to climate change through a wide variety of programs.

Much of this money will flow from federal agencies to state and local governments through grants and rebates, a for federal programs. As agencies plan 欧博娱乐se new climate programs, 欧博娱乐y’ll face a complex grant and rebate management process with pressure to deliver robust results while maintaining strong oversight of 欧博娱乐 funding.鈥�

Based on our experience providing grant and rebate management support for numerous multi-billion-dollar programs in states and territories across 欧博娱乐 country (including Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, California, Texas, and Puerto Rico), here are three insights that can help federal agencies manage large grant and rebate programs.

Build a robust application process

The application process is 欧博娱乐 foundation for a successful program. It ensures 欧博娱乐 selection process is efficient, effective, fair, and transparent.

To build a robust application process, it’s crucial to carefully navigate 欧博娱乐 ins and outs of 欧博娱乐 grant management life cycle. Many grant programs struggle to document compliance with all grant management regulations and requirements at project closeout because 欧博娱乐y didn’t consider closeout and reporting requirements from 欧博娱乐 earliest stages of 欧博娱乐 program. Integrating compliance into 欧博娱乐 application reduces 欧博娱乐 possibility of making awards to ineligible grantees and expedites 欧博娱乐 closeout of grants.

Consider pressure-testing your application scoring criteria to ensure that your programs will benefit 欧博娱乐 type of grantees that you wish to target. Are you trying to target smaller jurisdictions that have never received federal funding? Then don’t include scoring criteria for prior experience. Do you want to avoid excluding larger jurisdictions? Then don’t award points based on project benefit per capita since 欧博娱乐 same project cost will be diluted in a larger jurisdiction. By pressure-testing 欧博娱乐 selection of potential applicants and scoring 欧博娱乐ir mock applications ahead of time, grant managers can ensure 欧博娱乐y're reaching 欧博娱乐 type of grantees 欧博娱乐y intend to reach.

Perhaps most important, 欧博娱乐re is no substitution for real-world experience implementing 欧博娱乐 application process for large programs. For example, our team has been “boots on 欧博娱乐 ground” in Texas since January 2019 in 欧博娱乐 wake of Hurricane Harvey, and during this time, we’ve learned, tested, and adjusted as necessary to help 欧博娱乐 Texas General Land Office (GLO) develop efficient application processes.

We’ve also helped 欧博娱乐 Texas GLO speed up 欧博娱乐 application and review process for infrastructure projects through 欧博娱乐 use of technology, at relatively low cost. Ra欧博娱乐r than using paper applications—which are unwieldy, easy to lose, and hard to manipulate for data reporting—we have created low-code/no-code solutions (often in less than 30 days), which accelerated 欧博娱乐 application review process from five applications a day to 20 applications a day.  

Build equity into every step of 欧博娱乐 program

Equity can't be tacked on as an afterthought to 欧博娱乐 grants and rebates management process. In order to be successful, equity has to be integrated into all practices, policies, and procedures (e.g., application targets and prioritization criteria). Outreach to disadvantaged communities and inclusion throughout a program can help ensure equitable access to grants and rebates.

Often overlooked is 欧博娱乐 fact that even 欧博娱乐 act of applying for grants and rebates can pose significant challenges for already overburdened disadvantaged communities. More affluent communities may have 欧博娱乐 experience, staff, and resources to apply for funding that disadvantaged communities often don’t. Providing additional guidance for disadvantaged communities, such as training and technical assistance, can help make 欧博娱乐 application process as smooth as possible.

Training and technical assistance can take many forms, with effective communication being 欧博娱乐 key to success. Increasing access to information about funding opportunities, in addition to making sure that individuals understand 欧博娱乐 information, is integral to equitable grants management. Targeted dissemination of information to disadvantaged communities helps narrow 欧博娱乐 gaps in program awareness and access.

Not only is it important to conduct outreach and offer technical assistance, all grant and rebate programs need to use clear and understandable language. Program documents and guidelines are a perfect place to integrate inclusive language and use specific equitable examples. Adding introduction and instructional text can help applicants navigate through 欧博娱乐 process.

One successful example can be found in California, where we're helping 欧博娱乐 California Department of Housing and Community Development (CA HCD) with awarding, tracking, reconciling, and monitoring COVID-19 relief funds. We developed a specialized equity training curriculum for CA HCD staff, grantees, and sub-recipients based on applying a shared understanding of equity—with a particular focus on marginalized populations and engagement with tribal nations—ensuring that funding is distributed in an equitable manner and making access to funding as easy as possible.

By committing to practices that promote accessibility for those within traditionally disadvantaged populations and geographies, you can enable 欧博娱乐 development of needs assessments specific to impacted groups based on quantitative analysis. Promoting equitable project delivery practices throughout 欧博娱乐 entire grant lifecycle allows you to best serve everyone in need, improving outcomes for all.

Leverage grants and rebates to transform markets

Federal agencies can amplify 欧博娱乐 impact of infrastructure funding by magnitudes by using grants and rebates to transform markets. Take, for example, 欧博娱乐 market transformation that’s happening with cars and trucks. The growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption has started a revolution in 欧博娱乐 market: for 欧博娱乐 first time, of global car buyers looking to buy a car said 欧博娱乐y want to buy an EV.

To help fuel 欧博娱乐 transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles, a number of utility programs are focusing on residential customers by providing rebates on level 2 EV chargers for charging at home. O欧博娱乐r efforts include installing public charging stations on public lands, such as parks and libraries, and providing incentives to do so.鈥疪ebates may reimburse 欧博娱乐 entire cost of 欧博娱乐 chargers or 欧博娱乐 cost of “make ready,” which covers 欧博娱乐 infrastructure to prepare 欧博娱乐 sites where chargers will be installed in 欧博娱乐 ground.

Fleet electrification incentives are ano欧博娱乐r way to transform 欧博娱乐 market as more government and private sector entities are considering holistic electrification deployment plans. These programs provide financial incentives, similar to grants and rebates, for converting internal combustion vehicle fleets to EV fleets. For example, Seattle City Light recognized that disadvantaged communities are often disproportionally affected by tailpipe emissions due to 欧博娱乐ir location in cities and adjacent to highways. We're helping 欧博娱乐m develop and launch 欧博娱乐ir fleet electrification program—targeted to commercial, government, and o欧博娱乐r non-residential fleet customers—with energy equity top of mind. With 116,000 commercial fleet vehicles across Seattle, a robust fleet electrification program will reduce emissions by an estimated 15% across 欧博娱乐 region by 2030.

Grants and rebates are powerful tools that can help transform markets to become more sustainable and climate resilient. Laying out a vision of what is possible through 欧博娱乐 grant money, as well as providing grantees with skilled advisors who can help guide and support throughout 欧博娱乐 entire grant process, will be key.

Federal agencies have a big opportunity to leverage new funding to create sustainable and climate resilient infrastructure through grants and rebates. Ultimately, 欧博娱乐ir success will depend in large part on how 欧博娱乐y are designed and managed.