INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA)
Download FFIS’s IIJA State Allocations Spreadsheet FFIS continues to populate its IIJA spreadsheet with new announcements on program implementation; each week’s changes are highlighted in yellow. A dedicated tab includes recently issued Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). New allocations are provided for:
- Airport Infrastructure Grants (FY 2024 formula allocations; updated estimates for FYs 2025-2026)
- Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund (updated FY 2023 allocations)
ENERGY
Department of Energy (DOE) Announces Availability of $2 Million for Technical Assistance to States and Tribes Implementing the Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid Formula Grant Program Applications are open to nonprofits, industry organizations, and institutions of higher education to aid states and tribes with planning and decision making. Applications are due February 15. A strategic session for interested parties will be held January 10, 3:30 p.m. ET (register). DOE will also host a Q&A session on the opportunity February 7, 3:30 p.m. ET (register).
ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Awards Nearly $1 Billion to 67 FY 2023 Clean School Bus Grant Program Applicants In April 2023, EPA announced the availability of $400 million for FY 2023. In response to the number of applications, EPA increased available funding to roughly $965 million. The awards will help selectees purchase more than 2,700 clean school buses in 280 school districts. Award data are available here.
HOUSING
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Plans Wind-Down of Affordable Connectivity Program Absent New Funding The agency sent a letter to congressional leaders and released a fact sheet on the program and its funding.
TRANSPORTATION
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA)
Download IRA State Allocations Spreadsheet The spreadsheet, updated weekly, lists state allocations and estimates, summary information on eligibility and other grant features, and links to additional information. No new allocations are provided this week.
HEALTH
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Hosting Webinar on IRA Prescription Drug Benefits The briefing is today at 2:00 p.m. ET and will focus on the new benefits available as of January 1, 2024. Register at the link above.
TREASURY
CORONAVIRUS
Download COVID-19 State Allocations Spreadsheet New allocations are provided this week for:
- FEMA Public Assistance
EDUCATION
Department of Education (ED) Updates COVID Materials Updates include:
- Letter on MOE Requirements – The letter updates governors and chief state school officers on maintenance of effort (MOE) compliance for FY 2022 and FY 2023.
HEALTH
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Releases State Spending Plan Summaries of the American Rescue Plan’s (ARP’s) Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Provisions The state summaries provide information on reported and planned spending to enhance, expand, or strengthen home and community-based services. The information is through the first quarter of FY 2023.
HHS Secretary Reminds Long-Term Care Facilities of COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement The secretary expressed concerns about low vaccine rates among nursing home residents and reminded facilities of their obligation to offer vaccines to residents and staff.
HRSA Sets Deadline for COVID-19 Therapeutics and Testing Supply Programs The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced that health centers must enroll by January 26.
HUMAN SERVICES
ACF Releases Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Report The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) report focuses on implementation and impact and includes data from all grantees through June 30, 2023.
ACF Announces LIHWAP Office Hours ACF staff will be available during three sessions for grantees to discuss any pending questions related to the FY 2023 LIHWAP Annual Report.
ACF Posts FY 2023 and FY 2024 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Matching Rates The table reflects the phase out of the temporary 6.2 percentage-point increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP).
TREASURY
Second Tranche Payments from Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund Available for Eligible Revenue Sharing Counties, Consolidated Governments Submissions are due January 31. A preparation checklist is available here.
Treasury Updates Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Reporting Guidance The update clarifies required SF-425 federal financial reporting. The Portal User Guide was also updated.
OTHER NEWS
BUDGET UPDATE
Congressional Leadership Announces Agreement on Top-Line FY 2024 Discretionary Spending Negotiators reached an agreement on overall defense and nondefense discretionary spending levels, which include $886.3 billion for defense and $772.7 billion for nondefense. The defense figure matches the caps in the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). The nondefense figure equals the caps plus an additional $69 billion agreed upon as part of FRA negotiations but not included in the legislative text. Negotiators modified the accounting mechanisms and offsets to pay for the $69 billion, including a new $6.1 billion rescission of COVID-19 funds. A summary of the agreement is available here.
The agreement will facilitate the allocation of total budget resources among the 12 appropriations bills. It is unknown whether Congress will be able to enact any bills prior to the January 19 expiration of a continuing resolution (CR) that extends FY 2023 spending levels for four of the 12, as shown below.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
House Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) Project Submissions Due to the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee January 12 States should coordinate with their congressional delegations to submit projects for consideration.
EDUCATION
ED Announces $47 Million to Support School Infrastructure Investments Eight grant awards totaling more than $37 million over five years were made under the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) program (Alabama, Arizona, California, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia) and one grant for $10 million over five years was made under the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) program (University of California-Berkeley).
ESSA Title III Grants Return to OELA The administration of state-administered grants under Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) will move from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) to the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA). Title III funding is designed to improve the education of English learners, immigrant children, and youth through supplemental services.
ENERGY
DOE Issues Request for Information (RFI) on Definition for a Zero Emissions Building Responses are due February 5.
DOE Requests Information on Interests and Concerns Regarding Basin-Scale Effects of Carbon Capture and Storage Responses are due February 2.
ENVIRONMENT
EPA Proposes Updates to Clean Air Act Title V Permit Program Regulations Comments are due March 11.
HEALTH
HHS Issues New Nondiscrimination Final Rule to Protect Conscience Rights The final rule strengthens the process for enforcing federal conscience laws and provides additional protections against conscience and religious discrimination.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Offers Application Development Workshops for Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) The workshops will be held regularly through February 9.
HOUSING
HUD Issues Notice on Shortfall Funding Reporting Requirements The notice applies to all grantees of Shortfall Funding during FY 2020 through FY 2023.
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Posts FY 2023 Division of Public Programs Awards List
LABOR
Department of Labor (DOL) Posts Additional FY 2024 Funding Allotments for Work Opportunity Tax Credit This second set of allotments are based on the second CR, which extends funding for DOL through February 2.
DOL Posts Further Guidance on Required Trade Adjustment Assistance Activities During Program Phase-Out
NUTRITION
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Posts Webinar Videos:
- Maternal Health Funding Opportunities Under Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Identifying and Calculating Match for Farm to School Grants
- Planning Sustainable Farm to School Projects
TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Updates Government Transportation Financial Statistics (GTFS) with Data Through 2021 The update provides a set of maps, charts, and tables with information on transportation-related revenue and expenditures for all levels of government and all modes of transportation.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Proposes Amendments to Registration Fees Collected by States for the 2025 Registration Year The fees for the 2025 registration year would be increased by an average of 25%. Comments are due February 8.