Funding Resources for Your Community

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

Rolling basis — contact the Louisiana USDA-RD state office

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

Coordinated annually through DOTD's Airport Priority Program · FAA AIP Info

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

Accepted year-round — USDA Community Facilities — Louisiana

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

Contact your Local Development District for assistance — DRA SEDAP · DRA CIF

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

Intent-to-File applications accepted annually — check LDEQ for current cycle dates

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

Loan Application Packages accepted on a rolling basis — LDH DWRLF Program

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

FY 2026–2027 cycle underway — OCD-LGA LCDBG Programs

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

Contact OCD-LGA to arrange a meeting before completing the application — LCDBG Economic Development

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

FY 25–26 applications closed Feb 28, 2026 — OCD-LGA LGAP Info

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

Same portal and cycle as LGAP — OCD-LGA CWEF Info

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

Phase 2 FY 25–26 cycle open — OCD-LGA Water Sector Program

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

OCD-LGA LCDBG Programs

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

OCD-LGA LCDBG Programs

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

First round of 19 sites selected in early 2026 — OpportunityLouisiana.com/FastSites

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

Coordinated through USACE, CPRA, and DOTD — CPRA Annual Plan

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

Communities Unlimited Lending

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

govcap.com · Municipal Finance · Public Sector Services

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.