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35 | Page January 2 4 I ssueUSDOT Rural and Tribal Planning GrantsThe U.S. Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau recently announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program. Established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program offers $27 million in technical assistance grants for rural and tribal transportation project planning and design. No local funding match is required. Grants can be used to hire staff or consultants for conducting feasibility studies, preliminary engineering and design, environmental reviews, revenue forecasting, financial feasibility analyses, statutory and regulatory assessments, and the drafting and negotiation of agreements. In a previous NOFO, the Bureau awarded $3.4 million in grants for 13 projects covering initiatives such as studies on transit service feasibility, bicycle and pedestrian trail connections, and roadway safety improvements.Eligible applicants include:%u2022 Local governments or political subdivisions in rural areas%u2022 Urbanized areas with populations under 150,000 (per the 2020 Census)%u2022 State governments applying on behalf of a rural project%u2022 Federally recognized Indian Tribes%u2022 The Department of Hawaiian Home LandsApplications will be accepted starting Tuesday, March 4 and are due by April 3. USDA Rural Water Improvement GrantsU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has announced funding to expand access to clean drinking water and modern wastewater systems in rural areas. USDA is offering grants through the Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program for nonprofit organizations and nonprofit Tribal lending institutions. To learn more, read full Stakeholder Announcement.USDA RUS High Energy Costs GrantsThe Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces a notice of funding opportunity, subject to appropriation, of up to $10 million in competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities where the average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275% of the national average. Eligible projects also include on-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and the implementation of energy efficiency and energy conservation projects for eligible communities. Projects cannot be for the primary benefit of a single household or business. Grant funds may not be used for the preparation of the grant application, operating costs, or for the purchase of any equipment, structures, or real estate not directly associated with the provision of community energy services. FEMA Announces BRIC, Flood Mitigation Funding The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) annual grant program is making $750 million available for projects that protect people and infrastructure from natural hazards and the effects of extreme weather events. The Flood Mitigation Assistance program is making $600