Federal Infrastructure Communications Initiative: Investments for an Equitable Future

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), authorizes $1.2 trillion in federal funding, the largest-ever allocation for infrastructure. Alongside the other major legislation (the Inflation Reduction Act, for example), IIJA represents a once-in-a-generation, $4 trillion opportunity to support sustainable economic development, mitigate climate change, lay the foundation for high-quality jobs––and advance equity for communities of color and other underserved populations.

Despite the enormous potential for impact, little information is available on new infrastructure and other projects, and very few Americans know about the benefits their communities will reap. Trust in government remains low, especially in communities where past infrastructure projects have caused harm, from freeways isolating communities of color and people working to make ends meet to lack of access to safe drinking water.

In response, Hyphen in 2022 undertook a three-phase, non-partisan project, the Federal Infrastructure Communications Initiative, to research and test the most effective messages for increasing the public’s awareness of equitable federal infrastructure investments. Hyphen partnered with People’s Action Institute to:

Ensure the public, especially communities of color, knows and values the current and potential impact of the largest federal investment in history; become engaged and connected at the local level; and strengthen their participation in civic life.
Increase the visibility of IIJA and IRA programs and resources that combat climate change and create jobs in ways that advance racial equity.
Encourage state and local governments to draw down more federal dollars and put these dollars to work towards changing people’s lives and creating more equitable outcomes, particularly for low-income workers, families, and communities.

Together, Hyphen and People's Action Institute piloted the combination of targeted digital ads and face-to-face organizing in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, highlighting “the three E’s”––Equity, Environment, and Economy––messages that found deep resonance in the testing. In partnership with HIT Strategies, another survey, also in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, was conducted, revealing that voters of color are more likely to vote in 2024 when they are effectively informed about the federal investments being made in their communities and how these investments connect to their votes. For more information on this survey, see the news release and report summary.

State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

As part of the American Rescue Plan, SLFRF provided $350 billion in flexible funding to support state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments in their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Billions remain to be allocated and spent. To ensure that these funds are
expended equitably and effectively, Hyphen served as a thought partner to the Treasury Department, identifying gaps and opportunities where remaining SLFRF funds can be leveraged to benefit underserved communities. We partnered with America Achieves to organize a
philanthropic briefing that featured speakers from the White House and the Treasury Department, and brought new philanthropic players to the conversation. And we developed a philanthropic investment strategy to increase the equitable allocation of unobligated and unspent SLFRF dollars in key jurisdictions, highlighting the need for training, technical assistance, and peer learning to help local governments across the country obligate and spend their remaining SLFRF funding effectively and equitably. Building the capacity of local governments laid the groundwork for them to maximize the benefits of IIJA, CHIPS, and IRA for historically underserved communities.

Climate, Workforce, and Equity

In 2022 and early 2023, Hyphen engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including major foundations, the Department of Transportation (DOT), other federal agencies, and civil society organizations to identify opportunities for philanthropic co-investment alongside the federal government’s historic levels of funding. Together, the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will deploy $3.8 trillion to American communities––offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make progress on climate, equity, and workforce advancement, particularly among populations and geographies that do not typically succeed in accessing federal funds. Hyphen developed a roadmap for philanthropic investment and convened stakeholders to discuss and strategize about catalytic funding opportunities.

Hyphen’s efforts planted seeds which are taking root: philanthropic leaders are taking steps to pool and align their resources to maximize the reach and impact of these historic federal investments. Having catalyzed philanthropic action, the Hyphen team has completed its work in this arena. We will continue to provide ad hoc strategic advice, and our primary focus is on strategic communications and narrative initiative to amplify public understanding of the value and impact of federal infrastructure investments.

Vaccination Outreach

To increase the vaccination rates in the U.S. South, Hyphen partnered with the Southeastern Council on Foundations (SECF) to engage its member foundations to support vaccination outreach and education, using a $1 million commitment from Made to Save to secure additional funding. As a result of our work, approximately a dozen funders in Arkansas and Tennessee allocated additional funding to increase vaccinations in communities hardest hit by Covid and/or that have low vaccination rates in their states.

Humanitarian Relief for Refugees

and Asylum Seekers

An unprecedentedly high number of children and families from Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa are seeking asylum at the southern U.S. border, creating urgent humanitarian needs. And in August 2021, the United States began the process of resettling the roughly 65,000 Afghans forced out of their home country and now making the United States their new home. Many of these Afghan allies and their families aided American diplomatic, military, or civic agencies as interpreters, translators, and other personnel—and are at high risk of persecution by the Taliban.

In response, Hyphen partnered with Welcome.US to establish the Welcome Fund to support and connect Afghans and others fleeing their homelands to welcoming communities across the United States. The Fund supports efforts that enable individuals from all walks of life to welcome those seeking refuge. It also funds innovative, systemic solutions that create a more sustainable and integrated infrastructure for welcoming newcomers in need of help.

Hyphen also supported the FWD.us Education Fund to organize the National Dignity for Families Fund to secure and direct philanthropic funding to support humanitarian efforts in border communities, destination states, and at the national level. The Fund addresses urgent humanitarian needs and supports systems change. FWD.us Education Fund is covering all staffing and operational expenses; 100% of all contributions go to support programs.

Similarly, Hyphen worked with the California Governor’s Office and the James Irvine Foundation to conceptualize and organize the California Dignity for Families Fund, which is managed and led by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees and the Tides Foundation.