Grant Opportunities
Billions of dollars will be flowing to states and municipalities through multiple pieces 
of federal legislation. NMPP Energy is monitoring energy-related opportunities for our member communities, as well as our own four agencies, where benefits could flow to members. We are partnering with national and state organizations to understand and evaluate potential grants so we can communicate with members as opportunities that are a good fit for our member communities come available.
We’ve created this page to provide information and resources to assist you in taking advantage of these funding opportunities.
Guidance is still being developed for many programs. Many of the initial funds will flow to states who will further determine best uses and application processes. We’re monitoring these activities and advocating for simplified processes on behalf of small communities, recognizing that resources to apply are limited but needs are great.
This is a marathon and not a sprint. There will be multiple opportunities to apply over the next five-plus years, and feedback on failed applications can be helpful to improve future applications.
Where do I Begin?
There are things you can do NOW!
- Complete registration of your community on several federal websites so you’re prepared to apply when the opportunity is right. Applications often have short deadlines once released, so completing these steps ahead of time is VERY IMPORTANT. Click here for grant registration requirement information.
- Begin scoping your projects now. Complete whatever engineering studies or other evaluations are needed, so you know what you need and want to ask for in the grant. Planning is 80% of grant writing. Think about your project, objectives, your goals, who you’ll partner with, how you’ll evaluate the impact, and what you want to accomplish with use of these funds.
Articles of Interest
- Congress Gives Cities More Flexibility for Recovery Funds
- Best Infrastructure Grants for Small Citites
- Thinking Holistically and Regionally: Implementing Federal Funding for Utilities
- Understanding and Accessing Federal Funds Available to Public Power Utilities
- 10 Tips for Understanding Grants
Grant Opportunities and Grant Resources
Local Infrastructure Hub
The Local Infrastructure Hub is a national program that was created to help local leaders navigate federal infrastructure funding opportunities and to provide resources to help cities successfully apply for funding. It includes a tool for searching funding opportunities targeted to communities.
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is the federal government's central location for grant seekers to fund and apply for federal funding opportunities. The website also handles grant application submissions to many federal agencies.
Grants.gov also contains helpful training resources and videos, including step-by-step explanations of registering and setting up your application workspace, a self-help knowledge base, and links to other help.
Legislative Summary
American Recovery Act of 2021 (also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Pac
kage or the American Rescue Plan)
A $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill to speed up the country’s recovery. Many of these funds went directly to households, businesses, and specific plans, but state and local fiscal recovery funds were also sent to states and allocated by various entities or state legislatures.
Cities serving a population of < 50,000 are considered non-entitlement units (NEUs) and receive their funds from the State. More information is available here.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021-2022
This law will invest billions in our national infrastructure and provide opportunities specific to rural communities for broadband, transportation, roads and bridges, water, airports, electric vehicle charging, energy, and resiliency.
This Technical Assistance Guide identifies programs, processes, and resources to support communities seeking to access and deploy federal funding.
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (also called the Build Back Better bill)
This legislation is a $750 billion package addressing healthcare, energy and climate, and tax reform supporting these priorities. Here is a summary of the energy and climate investments contained in the bill.
State Opportunities
Colorado 
Colorado Department of Local Affairs Local Community Funding Guide
Colorado Local Match Program (IIJA)
Kansas
Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
North Dakota
North Dakota Department of Commerce
Iowa
Wyoming
FAQ
What is Justice40 that is associated with many grant opportunities?
Justice40 is an initiative of the Biden administration which directs 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments—including investments in clean energy and energy efficiency; clean transit; affordable and sustainable housing; training and workforce development; the remediation and reduction of legacy pollution; and the development of clean water infrastructure—to flow to disadvantaged communities (DACs). This includes many rural communities.
Interim Implementation Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative provides a definition of disadvantaged communities. The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) will help Federal agencies identify communities to support everyone receiving the benefits intended from federal programs.
Acronym Glossary
Click here for a glossary of grant terminology.
Connect with Us
If you have questions regarding grant opportunities, please contact Sarah Jones at sjones@nmppenergy.org.