On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law. The IIJA supports $1.2 trillion in programming, including $550B in new spending. This guide was produced to support local action that is ambitious enough to meet the scale of IIJA. It is intended to advance the conversation to focus on actionable insights for local leaders.

In 2020, cities faced an unprecedented crisis, and 2021 brought historic federal investment opportunities for recovery. The initiative focuses on establishing 18-month Stimulus Command Centers to coordinate recovery plans and investments. These centers bring together leaders from public, private, and civic sectors to prioritize actions that promote community wealth-building, racial inclusion, and resilient infrastructure.

With the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed, the challenge now shifts from legislation to local implementation. The U.S. faces a delivery crisis due to fragmented federal programs, complex funding processes, and a lack of local capacity. To maximize impact, the country needs a surge in skilled community builders, streamlined project financing, and institutional transformation.

The challenge in small business finance isn’t capital scarcity but its uneven delivery. The $10 billion SSBCI initiative offers a chance to fix this, but states must act fast. Strengthening financial infrastructure, prioritizing underserved entrepreneurs, and leveraging venture capital are key to maximizing its impact for inclusive economic growth.

The election of New York City’s 110th mayor this November could coincide with one of the most economically transformative periods of federal investment since the New Deal or the Great Society. By an accident of history, Eric Adams could become mayor at a time when he’ll have considerable potential to profoundly shape the future of New York.

The economic recovery especially for families and communities of color will need more than just relief from a year of a pandemic; the recovery calls for community equity.

In our report, we advocate for targeted policies and investments that promote homeownership and build community equity as a means to reduce the racial wealth divide and outline actionable steps for policymakers, financial institutions, and community organizations to support sustainable homeownership and community development initiatives that can foster long-term wealth building in historically marginalized communities​.

As Congress debates major spending bills, the success of federal investments will depend on cities and metro areas effectively organizing and deploying funds. Unlike past relief efforts, these new programs will distribute money through various entities, requiring a networked approach to maximize impact.

The upcoming COP 26 summit in Glasgow will emphasize cities' crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and adapting to climate change. A strong focus on urban governance is essential, with Copenhagen serving as a model for sustainable transformation. The city's success is driven by strong local institutions, public-private partnerships, and innovative financial mechanisms such as land value capture and pension fund investments.

The Biden Administration's challenge is not just securing federal funds, but ensuring they are spent wisely to drive lasting, transformative change. Smart spending—targeting impactful projects, leveraging private capital, and focusing on long-term outcomes—is key. Both local leaders and the federal government must collaborate, prioritize strategic planning, and ensure efficient delivery to achieve the intended results.

The $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) by the Economic Development Administration aims to boost regional economies by supporting industry clusters like healthcare, clean energy, and manufacturing. Local coalitions are rapidly developing strategies to foster economic resilience, collaboration, and inclusivity for transformative, equitable outcomes.

Cities are using ARPA’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFR) in different ways. Detroit follows a mayor-led model, while Baltimore prioritizes community-generated projects. Macon, GA partners with philanthropies to enhance funding impact, and Milwaukee takes a slower, community-based approach. Transparency and community involvement vary, but collaboration with other stakeholders and ARPA programs will be key to maximizing impact and ensuring inclusive growth.

The federal government is making historic investments to drive equitable economic recovery through ARPA, infrastructure funding, and workforce initiatives. However, bridging the disconnect between siloed federal programs and holistic local efforts requires new tools.

Buffalo’s East Side Avenues Initiative demonstrates how coordinated, multi-sector investments in small business, placemaking, and workforce development can regenerate disinvested communities.

In collaboration with Accelerator for America, the Nowak Lab released a Federal Investment Guide to the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) in 2021, analyzing the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. Our latest report, Localizing and Sequencing the American Rescue Plan Act, examines how ARPA funds have flowed to Philadelphia, estimating the city could receive over $9.2 billion across 60+ programs.

In April 2021, the Nowak Metro Finance Lab and Accelerator for America released the Federal Investment Guide to the American Rescue Plan (ARPA). The guide broke down The Biden Administration’s COVID relief package from a “bottom-up” perspective: summarizing over 84 individual programs, flowing from 19 federal agencies and through seven different distribution channels.

Our hope is that local leaders can put ARPA funds toward driving equity and inclusion in the recovery.

State and local collaboration is essential for effectively deploying ARPA funds, particularly the $350B State and Local Fiscal Relief Fund (SLFRF) and the $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Transparent allocation, coordination, and leveraging local networks can maximize impact, drive inclusive recovery, and ensure long-term economic resilience.

Are states deploying SSBCI funds effectively?

Our report draws on examples from Pennsylvania, Kansas, Montana, Georgia, West Virginia, Colorado, and Alaska to illustrate their strategies and success in fostering small business growth and economic development.

With support from the Irvine Foundation, this report proposes changes in historically underutilized business (HUB) procurement policy to close the nation’s racial wealth gap. With at least one large infrastructure measure at the federal level in the offing, the HUB Project provides specific, actionable recommendations to change our country’s paradigm to ensure that a generational investment in infrastructure is also a generational investment in small and minority owned businesses.

As Congress negotiates the next COVID-19 relief package, a new proposal suggests using unemployment insurance to encourage entrepreneurship, alongside traditional employment.

Currently, unemployment benefits focus on salaried jobs, but five states—Delaware, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, and Oregon—have implemented Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) programs that support unemployed individuals pursuing entrepreneurship.

As of July 15, 2021, most states have received their first half of the total flexible funding offered by the American Rescue Plan (ARPA).

The allocation of funds across various sectors including health, housing, and education. To effectively utilize the funds over the long term and maximize economic and social benefits, local leaders must plan strategically.

The STL 2030 Jobs Plan was developed in response to St. Louis' long-standing economic stagnation, decentralization, racial inequities, and government fragmentation. The plan aims to drive inclusive economic growth, emphasizing quality job creation, racial equity, and global competitiveness.

A key initiative, the STL Pledge, mobilizes anchor employers to invest locally, support small businesses, and revitalize the urban core.