Upstate to hire person to help secure federal infrastructure funding

GREELEY — Upstate Colorado Economic Development will hire what it is calling a “grant navigator” to help communities access money — $550 billion nationwide — from the federal infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021.

The state as a whole will hire 14 regional navigators; Upstate was designated as the agency in Northern Colorado that will help manage the use of those infrastructure dollars in the region.

“This is a transformative opportunity, and we want every corner of Colorado to be able to maximize its ability to receive funding from this legislation,” Gov. Jared Polis said when laying out plans for the regional dispersal of the money. “We are excited to partner with local governments and provide support so that Colorado can draw more from this legislation to fix our roads, invest in protecting our water supply, defend against climate change, and develop Front Range Rail,” Polis said.

The navigator position at Upstate will pay between $62,400 and $68,640 per year. The infrastructure dollars will be available over five years.

The navigator will help local cities and counties access the federal dollars; the intent within Colorado is to use the money to augment state spending on infrastructure.

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is the largest investment in American infrastructure in a generation, and collaboration at every level of government will be critical to Colorado’s successful use of these funds,” Sen. Michael Bennet said in a written statement. 

Sen. John Hickenlooper concurred. “Everywhere from the big cities to the smallest towns will benefit from these funds, and these grant navigators will help rural Colorado get its fair share.

The strategy: Navigators working within their regional organizations will become familiar with regional and local objectives and help prioritize use of the money, especially as it relates to rural communities. They’ll follow the progress of grant submissions and provide technical assistance, ongoing monitoring and compliance as needed.

Colorado hopes to receive up to $7 billion from the federal infrastructure law.

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