The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and other federal and state funding programs are bringing unprecedented transportation and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure funding to North Carolina. As a result, EV infrastructure planning is top of mind for many Centralina communities. To assist our member communities in tracking the variety of funding programs available and capitalizing on these historic opportunities, the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition has developed resources that support these planning and funding activities on a regional level.

Advocacy and Appropriations: The U.S. House of Representatives is in recess until September 13. The Senate is in session until August 5 before breaking for the rest of the month. Centralina has historically scheduled meetings during the August-long recess with the region’s congressional delegation while lawmakers are in the state. Given the changes that will occur in November primarily as a result of redistricting, we have decided to hold these meetings after the elections. Centralina’s members should still take advantage of opportunities to advocate for local and regional priorities when seeing Members of Congress locally. The best strategy in these encounters is to keep your message short and sweet.

On March 31, 2022, NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus and partners held a reentry event designed to simulate one month in the life of someone who has just been released from prison, navigating their way through the system while trying to comply with all the requirements of supervised release. This event provided an opportunity for over 70 individuals associated with our service providers, non-profits, government, health and human services and workforce partners to experience the barriers one faces when getting reestablished after returning from incarceration, treatment and/or homelessness.

Capitol Hill Recognizes the Importance of Regional Councils: As Congress works through the appropriations process, it funds numerous competitive grants in multiple agencies. When these grants list local governments or non-profit agencies as eligible applicants, regional councils and councils of governments are often left out.

Every year Congress must pass spending legislation to fund the government. This is handled by the 12 subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee that are in charge of deciding how federal funding will be distributed among all programs within all federal agencies. The process officially starts with the Administration submitting to Congress the President’s budget for that fiscal year. The President’s budget details a vision for spending, but Congress decides where the money will flow.