Best Public Infrastructure Grants in Pennsylvania

The Main Street Matters program aims to revitalize downtown areas and surrounding neighborhoods through grants for planning, business support, and aesthetic improvements. Eligible entities include local governments, redevelopment authorities, and nonprofits. Funding supports various projects, such as building rehabilitation and infrastructure improvements, with a minimum 50% match required. This initiative promotes community development, safety, and sustainability, helping districts recover from disasters while fostering vibrant local economies.

The Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE), initiated by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, aims to enhance access to natural gas by funding the construction of pipelines to business parks and industrial sites. This initiative is designed to create new economic base jobs and support the growth of local economies, ensuring that residents and businesses benefit from affordable energy solutions. PIPE reflects Pennsylvania's commitment to fostering a resilient and innovative economy.

The Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program supports Pennsylvania's public school districts and area career and technical schools by funding facility improvement projects. Grants range from $500,000 to $5 million, covering essential upgrades such as roof repairs, HVAC systems, plumbing, and energy-saving initiatives. This program aims to create safer, more accessible learning environments, enhancing educational opportunities for all students in the Commonwealth.

RBC Foundation – USA aims to enhance community quality of life by supporting non-profit organizations that promote diversity and positive change. In 2023, it awarded over $2.8 million in grants, prioritizing youth programs for ages 15-29, arts access for diverse populations, and mental well-being initiatives. The foundation encourages sustainable projects that foster economic independence, providing critical support for education, mental health, and cultural enrichment, thereby making a significant impact across various communities.

The Community Traffic Safety Grants, initiated by the Road to Zero Coalition, aim to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2050 through innovative, evidence-based approaches. The program invites proposals from Road to Zero Coalition members, particularly non-profits and government entities, to implement effective countermeasures that enhance traffic safety and address mobility disparities. Projects should be replicable and scalable, demonstrating measurable outcomes and contributing to a positive safety culture on U.S. roads.

The Quality of Life Grant, funded by Lehigh County, aims to enhance community well-being through civic, cultural, and recreational initiatives. This grant supports volunteer-based activities that promote citizen engagement and participation in the arts and physical wellness. By fostering opportunities for meaningful involvement, the grant seeks to improve the overall quality of life for residents, making it a vital resource for community development and enrichment.

The BUILD Grant Program, managed by the USDOT, focuses on enhancing surface transportation infrastructure with substantial local impact. It supports a variety of project sponsors, including state and local governments, in pursuing complex multi-modal initiatives that are often challenging to fund through traditional grants. Established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this program reflects a commitment to sustainable and equitable infrastructure development.

The TTP Bridge Program aims to enhance the safety and accessibility of bridges in Tribal communities, addressing the urgent need for infrastructure improvements. With aging bridges affecting economic development and children's transportation, this program allows federally recognized Indian Tribes to apply for funding for planning, construction, and rehabilitation of bridges. By focusing on TTP bridges in poor condition, the initiative seeks to strengthen economic foundations and ensure better connectivity with markets, benefiting both families and communities.

The Industrial Energy Storage Systems Prize, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, offers $4.8 million to promote innovative thermal energy storage solutions for the industrial sector. With three phases from 2025 to 2026, participants can win cash prizes by developing cost-effective concepts to enhance energy efficiency. This initiative encourages the adoption of sustainable technologies to address energy demands while reducing the strain on the electric grid, supporting the overall decarbonization goals of the industry.

Arnold Ventures is dedicated to enhancing lives in America through evidence-based policies that address social injustices. Their Evidence and Evaluation team seeks to discover and evaluate solutions for pressing social issues by funding rigorous causal research. This initiative focuses on studies that employ quasi-experimental methods to assess the impact of programs and policies in key areas like education and public finance, ultimately guiding effective resource allocation and policy reform.

The SEARCH Grant provides essential support for very small, financially distressed rural communities by funding predevelopment feasibility studies and technical assistance for water and waste disposal projects. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes. Funds can be used for feasibility studies, design analysis, and technical help in securing financial assistance, ensuring improvements in rural infrastructure and community health.

The Region Grants Open Grant Round: Community Vitality, supported by Land O'Lakes Foundation, aims to enhance the vibrancy of dairy communities in the East and West Regions. With a total investment of $500,000 annually, grants ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 are available for organizations focused on rural development, education, and community resources. Eligible applicants must have a 501c3 status and serve specific geographic areas, ensuring support reaches those in need.

The Allegheny County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program supports vital community development projects aimed at benefiting low- to moderate-income individuals. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the program encompasses a wide range of initiatives, including housing development, infrastructure improvements, and workforce development. Eligible applicants include local governments, authorities, and both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. All projects must align with HUD’s objectives and contribute to community revitalization efforts.

Transportation Research and Policy

Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice.

The Infrastructure team has been investing in efforts to build better, faster, and lower-cost infrastructure with a focus on housing, energy, and transportation. For transportation, we are investing in policymaking and research that tackles the inefficiencies that make U.S. transportation infrastructure so difficult and expensive to build. 

Purpose

Transportation policy represents an avenue for improving the systems moving people, goods, and services. The Infrastructure team is seeking proposals evaluating the effectiveness and/or benefits of existing transportation or transportation-adjacent policies on outcomes for communities in the United States.

Eligible Projects and Topic Areas of Interest

This Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to bolster the knowledge base of potentially effective policies, programs, and interventions by funding efforts that align with key AV Infrastructure policy areas.

AV is primarily focused on traditional surface transportation — road and public transit — but is open to proposals in aviation, maritime, passenger and freight rail, trucking, and more.

We seek proposals for: 1) research, expanded data sets, or analysis; 2) administrative or legislative policy reforms at the federal, state, or local level; or 3) models of effective implementation including proposals for implementing agencies to partner with researchers or program evaluators to conduct baseline and post-intervention research on implementation effectiveness that will advance the knowledge base and provide illustrative examples within, but not limited to, the following topic areas:

• Transportation Capital Investment Reform. Evaluating how capital funding is prioritized and selected at the federal, state, or regional level, including discretionary grant programs and formula-based funding. What reforms could ensure projects deliver higher public returns?

• Cost Estimation, Oversight, and Accountability. Why do major transportation projects frequently exceed budgets and timelines, and how can we identify strategies to improve transparency, cost realism, and performance oversight?

• Access in Mobility Outcomes. Measuring how current transportation investments affect access to jobs, services, and economic opportunities for workers and families, and what policy changes could improve access.

• Performance-Based Project Selection. How can public agencies shift from current, politically driven allocations to datadriven, performance-based decision-making on capital project selections?

• Institutional Barriers to Reform. What organizational, legal, or procedural hurdles prevent DOTs and MPOs from adopting better practices (e.g., outcome-based planning, integrated land use/transportation policy)?

• Permitting and Permit Reform. How do current local, state, and federal permitting practices affect project cost, quality, timeline, and other concerns?

• Intergovernmental Dynamics. How do federal, state, and local funding structures and requirements enable or constrain effective transportation investment? What governance structures would improve outcomes when it comes to transportation planning and project delivery?

• Data Sets and Root Causes of High Delivery Costs. Expanded data sets on unit costs and/or research illuminating the root causes of why transportation and transit projects cost so much and take so long to deliver. What policy and practice changes could manage project delivery risks and improve the likelihood that projects will be delivered on s chedule and on budget?

• Domestic Content. How do Buy America and domestic content requirements affect the cost, speed, innovation, and effectiveness of transportation infrastructure projects?

• Procurement Process. How do current procurement practices affect project cost, quality, innovation, and accountability — and what policy and regulatory reforms could improve outcomes?

• Other. AV also welcomes innovative proposals on other transportation issues that align with our mission.

These research, policy development, and implementation proposals can be relevant to federal surface transportation reauthorization legislation or federal administrative changes; state reforms to Departments of Transportation; and/or local-level reforms relevant either to regional transportation agencies, transit agencies, or municipal governments.

The FY25-FY26 Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) grant program aims to enhance transportation through the deployment of innovative technologies. It focuses on improving safety, mobility, and efficiency while fostering economic competitiveness. Projects funded will prioritize core infrastructure improvements and address roadway congestion, aligning with the Trump Administration's goals. The program emphasizes economic opportunities and community benefits, ensuring that selected projects contribute positively to families and communities, ultimately enhancing their quality of life.

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA: Capital Improvement Grants

Any request to support a project that seeks to improve a facility is considered a capital improvement. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Range improvements
• Berm improvements
• Clubhouse/Classroom facility improvements
• Shelter structures/covered firing lines/pavilions
• Road improvements
• Commercial-grade trap machines (see section regarding trap machines, below)
• Any other permanent improvement to an organization’s property or facility

The Grant Program considers requests for certain trap machines to be a capital improvement to the facility. Specifically, requests for commercial grade trap machines that have a capacity of 300 clays and up.

The Impact Aid Discretionary Construction Grant Program (84.041C) offers $19M in funding to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to address urgent school facility needs. This initiative supports repairs, renovations, or replacements required to maintain safe educational environments. Grants cover projects that improve accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ensure that facilities meet health standards. The program aims to enhance learning conditions by responding effectively to emergency situations.

About Boeing

A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.

The Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company

One of the largest employee-managed funds of its kind in the world, the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company has empowered employees to make a greater impact by pooling their tax-deductible donations for more than 60 years. Employee-led grantmaking committees at 20 Boeing sites provide combined employee donations to nonprofits in their communities through ECF grants.

Charitable or educational organizations can apply for grants from the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company.

Puget Sound Chapter

The Employees Community Fund (ECF) of Boeing Puget Sound is a pooled fund consisting of recurring payroll contributions from generous Boeing employees. It funds local nonprofits that help thousands of families and individuals in the Puget Sound region where Boeing employees live and work.

ECF focus areas

ECF makes grants to 501(c)(3) Health & Human Service nonprofits such as food banks, job-training programs, shelters, transitional housing, mental health services, and low-income medical clinics. ECF seeks the direct client benefit of each grant to ensure that our employees’ contributions directly help those in need.

ECF funding criteria

ECF has two distinct grant categories – Supporting Grants and Capital Campaign Grants.

ECF of Boeing Company: Puget Sound Chapter Supporting Grants

Consideration is given to nonprofits/agencies that are performing well and are seeking to upgrade, replace or modify elements of their infrastructure.

• Supporting grants cannot exceed $50,000. The requested amount cannot be more than 10% of an agency’s gross annual revenue.
• Supporting grants will be considered only for agencies benefiting residents in the Puget Sound Region.
• Supporting grants help agencies continue to effectively provide services through enhanced direct client benefit by aiding them in procuring and/or paying for items such as:
  • Equipment (ex. office, kitchen, industrial, furniture, etc.)
  • Vehicles used to support clients and/or transport food and/or goods (cost of vehicle and accommodations, tax, and licensing only; operating expenses, such as insurance, fuel, etc. is not allowed)
  • Phone systems
  • Cell phones for direct client use
  • Remodels and/or renovations (must hold at least a 10-year lease or own the building)
  • Purchase or construction of new buildings
  • Computers or tablets for direct client benefit and/or use
  • Software for direct client benefit and/or use (ex. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device)
  • Information Technology expenses, without which procured tools would not work
  • External improvements for client safety (i.e. security system, exterior lighting, improved ADA accessibility, new or refinished pavement or concrete)
• Supporting grants which are accepted must be spent as approved within nine (9) months.

The Affordable Rural Cooperative (ARC) Energy Program, initiated by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), aims to enhance rural electric systems through substantial funding of approximately $175 million. This initiative focuses on increasing emission-free nuclear power and improving transmission infrastructure efficiency, promoting long-term reliability and affordability. Eligible entities include electric cooperatives serving rural areas and their subsidiaries. The program aligns with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, thus fostering a sustainable energy future.

The BJA FY 2026 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR)—Formula Grants Program aims to support states and local governments in enhancing their DNA analysis capabilities. By providing funding for existing crime laboratories, this initiative seeks to increase the processing capacity for DNA samples, thereby reducing the backlog in forensic DNA analysis and ensuring timely entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Applications are due by November 5, 2026.

The FY 2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) FAA Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program offers up to $100 million for airport traffic control tower projects. This initiative aims to support airports in modernizing and repairing aging infrastructure, ensuring safety and efficiency in air traffic management. Eligible projects may involve construction, rehabilitation, or installation of essential air traffic control equipment, enhancing the operational capabilities of the nation's airports.

SC Johnson Grants aim to enhance community welfare through charitable contributions, focusing on health, sustainability, and opportunity. Since 1937, the company has committed five percent of its pretax profits to support registered charities and nonprofit organizations, especially in areas where it operates. The grant program prioritizes initiatives addressing healthcare access, environmental conservation, and educational equity, ensuring that efforts align with the values of community service and corporate responsibility.

The Smart Growth America Community Connectors Grant Program supports small and mid-sized cities in addressing divisive infrastructure caused by dangerous roads. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this program aims to reconnect communities through temporary street safety projects while fostering skills and partnerships. Eligible teams must represent populations of 50,000 to 500,000 and include both government and community-based organizations. Priority will be given to projects benefiting low-income communities historically affected by disinvestment.

The Area Development Grant Program, managed by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), supports economic growth in Appalachia through investments in critical infrastructure and workforce development. Targeting 423 counties across 13 states, the program encourages local communities to collaborate with state governments to identify and implement impactful projects. Key focus areas include enhancing utilities, promoting entrepreneurship, and strengthening local leadership. This initiative aims to uplift the 26 million residents of Appalachia, fostering sustainable economic opportunities.

The GM Corporate Giving Grants support U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations focused on STEM education and transportation initiatives. Applications are accepted from January to September, with a requirement to submit requests at least three months before the program’s start date. GM emphasizes charitable contributions in the communities where it operates, ensuring that organizations align with its values. The grant amount is not limited and is assessed based on the proposed program's merit and needs.

The IMPACT: Quality of Place initiative aims to enhance community well-being, encourage civic pride, and stimulate tourism in Erie County by supporting community centers. These centers are crucial hubs that offer vital services such as job training, education, and nutrition to residents, including children and seniors. By funding capital improvements and programming, the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority seeks to strengthen these community assets and ensure they continue to serve diverse populations effectively.

The Mellon Foundation's Economic Development Grant Program aims to address economic disparities in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania by enhancing workforce skills and creating job opportunities. The program focuses on talent development, workforce systems, and community building, advocating for innovative education and training that aligns with future job markets. It seeks proposals that promote 21st-century skills, foster entrepreneurship, and support underrepresented groups, ultimately driving economic independence and community vitality.