Funding Resources for Your Community
Securing funding is often the first and most critical step in any infrastructure project. Louisiana communities have access to a range of federal, state, and local programs — and MML&H has over 57 years of experience helping clients navigate the process from application to construction.
Administered By
USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
Eligible
Rural communities with populations of 10,000 or less; public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized tribes
Funding Type
Low-interest loans (up to 40-year terms), grants, and loan/grant combinations
Application
Provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage in eligible rural areas. This is one of the most widely used programs for rural water and sewer projects in Louisiana.
Administered By
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) via LA DOTD Aviation Division
Eligible
Public-use airports included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)
Funding Type
Grants — typically 90% federal share for eligible projects
Application
Provides federal grants for planning and development of public-use airports — including runway and taxiway improvements, lighting, navigation aids, and safety enhancements. Projects are prioritized through DOTD's state priority system.
Administered By
USDA Rural Development — Rural Housing Service
Eligible
Public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized tribes in rural areas with populations of 20,000 or fewer
Funding Type
Low-interest direct loans (up to 40-year terms), grants for low-income communities, and loan guarantees
Application
Provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas including hospitals, medical clinics, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings, and schools. Grants are limited to the most financially distressed communities.
Administered By
Delta Regional Authority — coordinates with the Office of the Governor and Local Development Districts
Eligible
Communities and organizations in DRA-designated parishes in the lower Mississippi River Delta region of Louisiana
Funding Type
Grants — SEDAP funds basic infrastructure, transportation, workforce and business development; CIF targets flood control and public/transportation infrastructure
Application
DRA invested nearly $6.8 million into Louisiana communities in 2025 alone, improving water and sewer systems, transportation infrastructure, and supporting business development and job training. SEDAP provides direct investment in community-based projects, while CIF targets physical infrastructure for safer, more resilient communities.
Administered By
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ)
Eligible
Municipalities, parishes, sewer districts, and other public entities with wastewater or stormwater needs
Funding Type
Low-interest loans; principal forgiveness available for disadvantaged communities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Application
Provides below-market-rate financing for wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and nonpoint source pollution control projects. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law supplemental funding has significantly increased available subsidy for eligible Louisiana communities.
Administered By
Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Office of Public Health
Eligible
Public water systems — including municipalities, rural water systems, and water districts
Funding Type
Low-interest loans; principal forgiveness for eligible systems
Application
Finances drinking water infrastructure improvements including treatment plant construction and upgrades, distribution main replacement, and storage facilities. Loans are repaid into the revolving fund to finance future projects.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA)
Eligible
Non-entitlement municipalities and parishes — note that some cities (Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Monroe, Lake Charles, etc.) that receive direct HUD allocations are not eligible
Funding Type
Grants — approximately $11 million available statewide per program year for Public Facilities
Application
Funds construction or renovation of public infrastructure including water, sewer, solid waste facilities, streets, and flood control projects. Projects must include at least $350,000 in construction costs and primarily benefit low- to moderate-income residents.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA)
Eligible
Non-entitlement local governments — infrastructure must support a specific business location or expansion
Funding Type
Grants — up to $1,100,000 for publicly-owned infrastructure; up to $1,100,000 for purchase, rehabilitation, or construction of a publicly-owned building
Application
A set-aside of LCDBG funds used to provide grants to local governments for infrastructure improvements that facilitate the location of a specific business. Examples include sewer, water, and street/road access on public property to private industrial or business site boundaries.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA)
Eligible
Non-entitlement municipalities and parishes in Louisiana
Funding Type
Grants — Villages up to $25,000 · Towns up to $35,000 · Cities up to $50,000 · Parishes up to $100,000
Application
Designed to fill the gaps where federal or other state funds are not available. Priority is given to projects addressing basic health and safety needs such as fire and police protection, sewer and water improvements. A $500,000 emergency set-aside allows grants up to $300,000 for urgent situations.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA)
Eligible
Non-entitlement municipalities and parishes in Louisiana
Funding Type
Grants — same population-based tiers as LGAP (Villages up to $25,000 through Parishes up to $100,000)
Application
Provides funding specifically for rehabilitating, improving, and constructing community water system projects to provide safe, clean drinking water. Uses the same application portal and process as LGAP.
Administered By
Division of Administration (Office of Facility Planning and Control) and DOTD for transportation projects
Eligible
State agencies, governmental entities, and pre-registered nonprofits
Funding Type
State General Obligation Bonds — project amounts vary
Application
Non-state entities: applications due November 1st to be considered in the following year's legislative session —
FP&C Capital Outlay Page
Provides state bond funding for construction or renovation of public facilities and infrastructure. Includes sub-programs for highways, airports, flood control, and port facilities. Projects are prioritized through the legislative process.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA), in coordination with LDH and LDEQ
Eligible
Public water and sewer systems in Louisiana — requires a 25% local match (non-state sources)
Funding Type
Grants — Phase 1 (federal ARPA funds) and Phase 2 (state funds)
Application
Created to address Louisiana's aging water and sewer infrastructure using federal pandemic recovery funds and state appropriations. The program has received overwhelming demand — over 600 applications seeking more than $1 billion in grants. Projects are scored by LDH (water) and LDEQ (sewer) and reviewed by the Water Sector Commission.
Administered By
Office of State Parks, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (federal funds from the National Park Service)
Eligible
State and local governments for acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities
Funding Type
Grants — typically 50/50 federal/local match
Application
Contact the Office of State Parks for current cycle information
A federal-state partnership providing matching grants for the acquisition and development of public parks, recreational areas, and open spaces. Used extensively in Louisiana for community parks, boat launches, trails, sports facilities, and recreational improvements.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA)
Eligible
Non-entitlement municipalities and parishes in Louisiana
Funding Type
Grants
Application
A set-aside within the LCDBG program that funds community improvement projects. Contact OCD-LGA for current availability and application details.
Administered By
Office of Community Development — Local Government Assistance (OCD-LGA)
Eligible
Non-entitlement municipalities and parishes — approximately $6 million available statewide for FY 2026
Funding Type
Grants (LCDBG funds)
Application
Provides grants to clear blighted properties in eligible communities. Funded through the LCDBG program, this set-aside supports demolition and clearance of deteriorated structures to improve community health, safety, and appearance.
Administered By
Keep Louisiana Beautiful, sponsored by the Lieutenant Governor's Office
Eligible
Louisiana communities, government entities, and Keep LA Beautiful affiliates
Funding Type
Grants — five grant programs available
Programs
Trash Receptacles Grants, Beautification Grants, Healthy Communities Grants, Greener Grounds Grants, and Community Affiliate Grants
Five state-funded grant programs supporting litter reduction, community beautification, public health improvements, green space development, and community partnership building across Louisiana.
Administered By
Louisiana Economic Development (LED)
Eligible
Public entities (economic development organizations, municipalities, redevelopment authorities, political subdivisions); private sites may qualify with additional requirements
Funding Type
Revolving capital fund — $1M to $25M per project; structured as forgivable loans, performance-based partnerships, or infrastructure investments
Application
A $150 million state-led program (created by Act 365 of the 2025 Legislative Session) designed to transform underutilized land into development-ready, infrastructure-prepped sites. Funds can be used for utility extensions, rail and road access, remediation, wetland mitigation, demolition, and land acquisition. As sites are sold or leased, the state recovers its investment for future projects.
Administered By
Louisiana DOTD — Office of Multimodal Commerce, Ports and Waterways Division
Eligible
Any Louisiana public port authority
Funding Type
State Transportation Trust Fund grants — nearly $1 billion funded to date across 247 projects
Application
Applications due to DOTD by the 1st of March, June, September, and December for funding in the following fiscal year —
DOTD Port Priority Program
Funds construction, improvement, rehabilitation, and expansion of publicly owned port facilities, including intermodal facilities and industrial park infrastructure projects that meet a definite market need. Eligible projects include wharves, cargo handling equipment, utilities, railroads, access roads, and buildings that are integral to port operations.
Administered By
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), DOTD Flood Control Program, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and individual Levee Districts
Eligible
Levee districts and local sponsors of flood control and coastal protection projects
Funding Type
Federal cost-share through USACE; CPRA Annual Plan funding (FY 2026: record $1.98 billion); State Capital Outlay; local levee district taxes and assessments
Application
Funds construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of levees, floodgates, pump stations, and coastal protection infrastructure across Louisiana. Projects are typically cost-shared between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local sponsors, with CPRA coordinating hurricane protection and coastal restoration efforts. CPRA's FY 2026 Annual Plan includes 133 active projects statewide.
Organization
Communities Unlimited — a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and RCAP southern regional affiliate
Eligible
Small, rural community water and wastewater systems — emphasis on Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas
Funding Type
Loans up to $750,000 with terms up to 15 years; also provides pre-development and construction loans
More Info
A nonprofit CDFI that provides loans and technical assistance to help rural communities make repairs and improvements needed to maintain safe drinking water and wastewater services. Also provides managerial guidance, operations training, GIS mapping, rate analysis, and help accessing federal funding programs.
Organization
Government Capital Corporation (GCC) — a public finance firm established in 1992
Eligible
Government entities including municipalities, parishes, school boards, special districts, and public safety agencies
Funding Type
Municipal financing, equipment leasing, tax-exempt bonds, and capital improvement financing
More Info
A leading public finance firm offering a broad range of financing solutions for government entities. Since 1992, GCC has funded thousands of financings totaling billions of dollars across education, healthcare, municipal, and public safety sectors. Services include equipment financing, capital improvement funding, and complex finance structures.
LITACorp
Louisiana Infrastructure Technical Assistance Corporation — a nonprofit partnership between LMA and PJAL. Provides free technical assistance, grant writing, engineering support, and a $20 million Matching Funds Grant Program to help rural and economically distressed communities access federal infrastructure funding.
Visit LITACorp →
Louisiana Rural Water Association
On-site technical assistance for water and wastewater systems — including operator training, leak detection, smoke testing, rate studies, and energy efficiency assessments.
Visit LRWA →
Communities Unlimited
Provides managerial, technical, and financial assistance to rural water and wastewater systems across Louisiana. Services include operations training, GIS mapping, rate studies, and infrastructure lending.
Visit Communities Unlimited →
USDA Rural Development — Louisiana
The local RD office helps communities determine eligibility, prepare applications, and navigate federal requirements for water, waste disposal, and community facility projects.
Visit USDA-RD Louisiana →
Coordinating & Development Corporation
Works with northwest Louisiana communities to identify funding sources and assists with LCDBG applications and grant administration.
Visit CDC →
How MML&H Can Help
Navigating funding programs can be complex. With over 57 years of experience, we've helped hundreds of Louisiana communities successfully fund and deliver infrastructure projects.
- Identifying the best funding source for your project
- Preparing Preliminary Engineering Reports (PERs) and Environmental Reports
- Developing cost estimates and engineering plans for your application
- Managing compliance (Davis-Bacon, Buy America, environmental review)
- Coordinating with funding agencies through construction and closeout
Contact Us About Your Project
Information on this page is current as of March 2026. Funding programs, eligibility, and deadlines are subject to change. Contact us or visit the linked agency websites for the most up-to-date information.
