Rural America will receive billions in funding for all types of infrastructure projects in 2023
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By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc.
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America’s rural regions have never been as high a funding priority as the country’s urban areas. That’s understandable considering the population delta. However, that scenario is changing somewhat. Recent federal funding programs are reversing decades of neglect in America’s rural regions… especially when it comes to infrastructure repair. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated billions in funding for rural America. The programs all have different qualifications but funding for non-urbanized areas is designated for much needed improvements to water infrastructure, high-speed internet, transportation, and other public infrastructure assets. At the federal level, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Transportation (USDOT) are overseeing some of the largest rural funding programs. Over the last year, alone, these agencies have earmarked billions of dollars for rural projects of varying scope. USDA funding is available for utilities, internet access and other aspects of life in rural areas. Federal money distributed through USDOT is earmarked for mobility projects. In 2023, there will be an abundance of mobility contracting opportunities in parts of the country that fall into the non-urbanized category. |
