Accessing Federal Infrastructure Dollars: A Conversation with NLC Executive Director Clarence Anthony

01/11/23 • 45 min

Why local governments are the best stewards of federal funding opportunities.
How investment decisions can help address issues of inequity and expand upward mobility and opportunities for all residents.
How specific cities like Tacoma, Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; and Union City, Georgia are using their federal funds, included in NLC's ARPA Investment Tracker.
How small and mid-sized communities in particular can get access to technical assistance for grant writing to apply for federal funds.
Why it’s so important for communities to gather community input on the front end of city projects and then communicating intentions and results across various channels to a diverse public.

Resources

Zencity 360: essential tools to help government agencies improve services, build community trust, and increase overall satisfaction, from our partner recently named a 2023 GovTech100 company.

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined initiative and conferences

ICMA's Strategic Planning in Small Communities: A Manager's Manual

Why local governments are the best stewards of federal funding opportunities.
How investment decisions can help address issues of inequity and expand upward mobility and opportunities for all residents.
How specific cities like Tacoma, Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; and Union City, Georgia are using their federal funds, included in NLC's ARPA Investment Tracker.
How small and mid-sized communities in particular can get access to technical assistance for grant writing to apply for federal funds.
Why it’s so important for communities to gather community input on the front end of city projects and then communicating intentions and results across various channels to a diverse public.

Resources

Zencity 360: essential tools to help government agencies improve services, build community trust, and increase overall satisfaction, from our partner recently named a 2023 GovTech100 company.

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined initiative and conferences

ICMA's Strategic Planning in Small Communities: A Manager's Manual

Previous Episode

Building Resilient Cities with Duluth Mayor Emily Larson

In this episode of CitiesSpeak, NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony sits down with Emily Larson, Mayor of Duluth, Minnesota to talk about how the city of Duluth is addressing big issues from revitalizing its downtown core coming out of the pandemic to addressing the impacts of climate change and building a more sustainable community.

Next Episode

10K Match for Resident-driven Small Community Engagement

Sue Lessard, town manager, Bucksport, Maine, tells a familiar tale of a small town struggling after a major industry closed its doors. With renewed focus on economic development but still searching for a way to reshape the town's identity, local government determined how to get out of the way when it comes to community engagement - Community Heart and Soul.

Jane Lafleur explains that it is a resident-driven process that relies on in-person interviews along with other digital methods to engage the entire population of a town. This identifies what is most loved about the community, the future the residents want for it, and how to achieve it. Local government can secure grant funding and provide the infrastructure.

The result is participation based on positives, not complaints, and real data to inform council decisions.

Resources

Apply for a $10,000 seed grant for communities under 30,000 population

Obtain Community Heart and Soul's free intro book or email them at [email protected]

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined initiative and conferences

ICMA's Strategic Planning in Small Communities: A Manager's Manual