Governor Polis, in partnership with the State Legislature and Department of Local Affairs, announced the IIJA and IRA Grant Writing and Technical Assistance Program to help local governments access funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
“We want to ensure that Colorado continues to punch above our weight in drawing down critical federal funds. By offering support for grant writing and project planning, local governments and Tribes will have more tools to access funding and create a stronger future for our great state,” said Governor Jared Polis.
Funding for this program comes from SB22-215 and SB23-283, sponsored by Senators Zenzinger and Bridges and Representatives Bird and Sirota, which established the IIJA Cash Fund.
The program offers four assistance options, ranging from independent review to full grant writing support and project planning assistance. Applicants can request a combination of project planning and grant writing support in a single application.
Counties, Municipalities, Special Districts and Tribes with limited budgets and grant writing capacity, especially those identified as disadvantaged or disproportionately impacted communities, are eligible to apply. Tools such as the Climate and Economic Justice (CEJST) Screening Tool, the federal Notice of Funding Opportunity guidelines, U.S. Census, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and and Environment Enviroscreen can be used to demonstrate community needs. The assistance is available only to apply for federal funds available through IIJA and IRA.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to carefully review the program guidelines before applying to maximize the benefits of this opportunity. The link to the application can be found within the program guidelines.