Regional Councils Leading Public Rollout of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration manages and administers the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program), a competitive grant program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The CFI Program aims to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and

Looking Ahead: A Half Century of CDBG 

Next year, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program will celebrate 50 years of supporting local community building programs such as infrastructure, economic development, housing, and disaster recovery. Since its establishment, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has helped communities across the nation address the most pressing challenges facing residents. While HUD’s

Now is the Right time for Solar!  

The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) supports local solar energy leadership and is a proud partner of SolSmart. SolSmart is a solar energy designation and technical assistance program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that helps prepare communities for the solar energy transition at the local level.  SolSmart offers no-cost technical assistance

NARC Presents the 2023 Regional Leadership and Achievement Awards

The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) presented its 2023 Leadership and Achievement Awards on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 during an awards ceremony held at the NARC 57th Annual Conference & Exhibition.     “As President, I am thrilled and overjoyed to congratulate the exceptional award winners,” said NARC President Jennifer Robinson, Council Member of Cary, NC

Solar Power in Your Community: DOE Office of Energy Efficacy and Renewable Energy Release a Guidebook for Localities to Develop Solar Energy 

In 2022 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) released the Solar Power in Your Community guidebook, which will assist regional and local government officials and stakeholders in boosting solar deployment and overcoming common barriers in today’s market. This marks the third edition of

FCC Releases New National Broadband Map – Understanding the Data Challenge Process 

On November 18, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released the first draft of its new National Broadband Map, a comprehensive, location-by-location view of high-speed Internet availability across the nation. The map is a more detailed and precise reflection of the availability of fixed and mobile broadband services across the country.  The new map can be

It’s NARC Membership Week – Thanks for Being a NARC Member!

The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) annual Membership Week will begin November 14 through November 18.   This week will be all about you, our members, because without your support and leadership, NARC would not be able to do the work we do: bringing regional councils across the country together and advocating for regional

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UPDATED – 2023 Appropriations Blog Series: Week of July 25

The House of Representatives is aiming to pass all 12 appropriations bills before it begins its month long recess on August 1.  The first of two “minibuses” was passed on Wednesday, July 20, and the second is expected to be passed later this week.  The first minibus includes funding for the Transportation, and Housing and