Kansas City is preparing its coiffeurs to receive funding from the mammoth $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). 

Governor Laura Kelly has announced the formation of the Kansas Infrastructure Hub, which will coordinate the administration and application of funding available through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act (BIL). The Hub will identify statewide and regional infrastructure priorities, strategize on how to maximize investment opportunities, and promote best practices in funding acquisition and distribution.

As Kansas state and local agencies track funds and grant opportunities, the Hub will provide resources and a point of contact. It is not a governing body and will not distribute funds to individuals or organizations.

“Infrastructure creates opportunities, powers businesses, keeps us safe, and connects people to places and each other. It’s the backbone of a healthy economy,” Governor Kelly stated. “By working to ensure we bring the most money possible to Kansas – and that, once we have it, we distribute it effectively and efficiently – the Kansas Infrastructure Hub will have lasting impacts on our state.”

Kansas will receive nearly $3.8 billion in direct funding for transportation, water, energy, and broadband projects. Kansas may receive more funding if it applies for competitive grants.

Julie Lorenz, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation, will lead the Hub. The core committee of the Hub is led by a working group of representatives from the Kansas Departments of Administration, Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Environment, and Transportation, as well as the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Kansas Water Office. The working group will first concentrate on direct funds going to state agencies before collaborating with business leaders to apply for competitive grants.

“BIL is an opportunity to solve long-term Kansas infrastructure issues,” Transportation Secretary Lorenz explained. “We can do that by harnessing the power of collaboration between public and private sectors, eliminating red tape, and strategically applying for grant funds. Working together, we’ll accomplish great things for all Kansans.”

The Hub will also have an advisory group comprised of public and private sector leaders and stakeholders from across the state that will assist in determining funding priorities, identifying barriers to distributing funds, and communicating the Hub’s work to community members.

Governmental, infrastructure, and business leaders have been invited to the Hub’s Kansas Infrastructure Summit on July 13th and 14th in Wichita to learn more about the BIL grant opportunities, discuss strategies for preparing winning grant applications, and share input on Kansas infrastructure priorities. 

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is monumental because infrastructure touches every part of our lives, whether we realize it or not,” explains Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03). “These new investments will bring immediate change and set the foundation for long-term growth felt by generations of Kansans to come. I’m proud to have helped bring these federal dollars home to our state and will keep working to make our communities safer, stronger, and more resilient.”