Cities Need Data to Secure and Maximize Federal Funding

To secure and maintain federal funding for projects and programs, local governments need data to identify priorities, support grant applications, and monitor and track progress.

1 minute read

January 17, 2023, 7:00 AM PST

By Clement Lau


Close-up of two people pointing at a printed city map with pencils with a laptop in the background

Andrey_Popov / Looking at a city map

With the availability of various federal funding sources, cities and counties have an unprecedented opportunity to deliver much-needed projects and programs that serve residents, especially the most vulnerable.  Specifically, funding is now available through the American Rescue Plan Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.

In this article, Elliot Flautt of Tyler Technologies explains the five ways that data helps local governments secure and maximize funding:

  1. Application and allocation: Data is needed to identify priority projects and create compelling grant proposals.
  2. Resident engagement: Dashboards have to be created to inform the public about how money is being used and the progress on projects.
  3. Federal reporting: Data is required to comply with financial, performance and compliance reporting requirements.
  4. Outcomes: Cities and counties have to develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of projects launched with federal funding.
  5. Bench-marking and contextualization: Local governments need to use a variety of data, including those from the federal government and third-party sources, to get a more complete picture of recovery and also to benchmark themselves against other cities/counties.

For more information, please read the source article.

Wednesday, January 11, 2023 in Cities Today

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Two Rivian trucks charging at Rivian branded charging ports.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate

The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

May 22 - CALmatters

Metal U.S. Geodetic Survey marker in stone in Arizona.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency

The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

May 22 - Wired

Close-up of 10 mph speed limit sign.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law

Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.

May 22 - The Urbanist