3 Videos: What can federal investment do for you?

Hey friend, 

We all know that people across the country, especially in rural communities, care deeply about reducing long-term energy costs, creating jobs, and rebuilding local infrastructure after years of economic disruption.

And yet, poll after poll shows us that Americans know little to nothing about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and how they stand to bring more than $464 billion (with a b!) dollars to rural communities to do just that.

To my neighbors in that camp — let me tell you: If you care about infrastructure, your food system, healthcare, broadband, saving money on your utilities, there is something in the IRA, ARPA, or BIL for you.

And if you're still not convinced, or wondering what's in it for you, let me share a few examples from our storytelling program, which highlights the clear economic and community benefits that we all stand to gain from these federal laws.

The stories of success aren’t simple, but there are thousands of them. People like you and me across the country are putting in the work to access resources to see community dreams realized. And while government alone is not the solution in these cases, they remind us that when we roll up our sleeves and are equipped with the right tools: we can make progress.

Let me show you some examples: 

Maybe there’s a piece of aging infrastructure in your town that is a safety hazard or an economic disruptor. 

That was the case for the good folks of Garibaldi, Oregon, where the ocean eroded the town’s jetties making it too dangerous for ships to dock, interrupting multi-generational fishing operations. With less traffic, many local businesses were forced to close, jeopardizing the economic health of the port. Robert Browning, a local captain, is optimistic about infrastructure improvements made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: 

Or perhaps your town’s main street and housing stock are hurting from the departure of an industry – and could use some new life. 

Manny Guzman can relate. His boom-and-bust hometown of Superior, Arizona, is using Inflation Reduction Act Funding to strengthen their local economy by cleaning up and flipping abandoned properties and building a revolving loan fund with the proceeds. Through this effort, Manny hopes to build a revitalized, diversified community – whether or not mining returns.

And lastly, I would reckon you’d like to see more access to locally grown food for low income residents in your community.

A local farm and co-op would too, so they’re taking matters into their own hands. The Greenbush Growing Cooperative is participating in a new food assistance program in rural Wisconsin, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act through the USDA, which allows underserved communities to access organic vegetables from local farms and avoids food waste. And they’re already seeing the financial and social benefits from the program – which creates more predictability for their operation in a turbulent market.

After watching these videos, we hope you might share how these programs might benefit you and your town, through locally-owned businesses continuing to thrive, individuals being able to make a living and care for their families in the communities they love, and providing goods and services that help stabilize and grow local economies. At the end of the day, it’s about making sure we all have what we need to take care of ourselves and our communities.

And if you’re still not sold — we’ve got more stories coming your way in 2025. 😉

In gratitude, 

Resource Rural