The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new details about the design of the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), a first-of-its-kind, national-scale competitive grant program created by the President's Inflation Reduction Act. This program will leverage public investment with private capital and finance clean energy projects that reduce pollution and energy costs,  increase energy security, and create good-paying jobs.

The federal government is giving Pennsylvania $6 million to create priority climate action plans. The commonwealth will receive up to a $3 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant through the program set up by the Inflation Reduction Act. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will each also get a grant of up to $1 million.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced nearly $300 million for nine small and medium-sized bridge projects in both rural and urban areas in eight states and the District of Columbia. The grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Bridge Investment Program are an integral part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda to rebuild our infrastructure and grow our economy from the middle out and bottom up.

The USDA announced $1 billion in grants to increase equitable access to trees and green spaces in urban and community forests where more than 84% of Americans live, work, and play. The funding is part of the USDA's Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program from the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to help increase tree cover in urban spaces and boost equitable access to nature while bolstering resilience to extreme heat, storm-induced flooding, and other climate impacts. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 5 higher education institutions to serve as Centers of Excellence for DOE's Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) Program and will receive a combined $18.7 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. DOE also announced a $54 million funding opportunity to expand the IAC Program to community colleges, trade schools, and union training programs, and create new Building Training and Assessment Centers at higher ed institutions.

The Thriving Communities Program funds tailored technical assistance to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities, helping them better access historic infrastructure investments and deliver transformative projects. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced funding through the Thriving Communities program to help 64 communities across the country have a fair shot to access historic funding opportunities provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service will issue by mid-year a notice of funding opportunity for $9.7 billion in financial support for rural electric cooperatives. The program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, will make loans and grants to help rural electric co-ops purchase renewable energy, renewable energy systems, and other clean energy systems.

The Department of the Interior announced $20 million for four small surface and groundwater storage projects in California and Utah. These projects, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are essential tools to help conserve water and increase the efficiency of water use in the Colorado River Basin.

The U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance that provides detailed information about the bonus under the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy projects and facilities located in communities that have driven and historically been at the forefront of energy production. Developers can receive a bonus of up to 10 percentage points on top of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and an increase of 10 percent for the Production Tax Credit (PTC).

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded almost $15 million to 13 nonprofit organizations, in addition to state governments, to assist in undertaking comprehensive programs that make safety and functional home modifications and limited repairs to meet the needs of low-income elderly homeowners that allow them to age in place.

 Maple Hill Creamery, America's original 100% grass-fed organic dairy company, announced finalization of the award of $20 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to grow markets for sustainable, regenerative, grass-fed organic dairy farming. The funding is part of the USDA's Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, supporting pilot projects that will help build and expand opportunities for consumers to purchase food grown in a climate-friendly way.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $46 million in the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which has funded farmer-driven grants and grassroots education programs resulting in climate-smart solutions for farms and ranches in every state and island protectorate since 1988.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of up to $125 million through two new programs, the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, that will create more options for meat and poultry farmers by investing in independent, local meat and poultry processing projects that increase competition and enhance the resiliency of the food supply chain.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is announcing the second set of communities to receive grants and housing vouchers to address homelessness in unsheltered settings and rural communities. This announcement includes $171.2 million in grants for 115 new projects in 29 Continuum of Care (CoC) communities and adds to the first set of grant awards announced in February. This will bring the total value of grants to $486 million to 62 CoC communities.

To help workers access new, high-quality career opportunities in rural communities, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $44.2 million in funding for Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities initiative demonstration grants.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) has awarded over $1.73B in grants to 603 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) across the country through the CDFI Equitable Recovery Program (CDFI ERP).

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) has awarded over $1.73 billion in grants to 603 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) across the country through the CDFI Equitable Recovery Program (ERP). These funds will strengthen the ability of CDFIs to help low- and moderate-income communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and invest in long-term prosperity.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $40 million for 31 new projects through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. Additionally, USDA is announcing a $19 million investment in two projects focused on nutrient management funded through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and two new formal partnerships to further nutrient management implementation.

Nebraska's Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) has added a Meat and Poultry Processing Loan program to its current loan offerings through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program. Independent meat processors have access to $15 million in loan capital through the program's loan fund, which can be used for expansion of existing processors, start-up of new processors, real estate and equipment, facilities updates, and working capital.

The Biden administration is betting on a coal country renaissance that's driven by renewable energy investments. Senior administration officials announced new policies that aim to ensure that rural regions hit by mine closures and shuttered power plants can get an economic boost from new federal cash for energy and infrastructure funding.