FY 2026 Defense Community Infrastructure Program

The Defense Community Infrastructure Program is administered by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation within the U.S. Department of Defense to strengthen the relationship between military installations and surrounding communities by addressing infrastructure deficiencies that directly impact military readiness, resilience, and quality of life. The program provides competitive federal funding to support infrastructure projects that are owned by state or local governments or not-for-profit, member-owned utility providers. Its statutory authority allows the agency to issue grants, enter cooperative agreements, and supplement other federal funding sources to improve infrastructure that supports military missions and service members. The primary purpose of the program is to invest in community infrastructure that enhances military installation readiness, supports mission assurance, improves resilience against environmental or operational disruptions, or contributes to military family quality of life. Eligible project types include transportation systems, schools, hospitals, emergency response facilities, and utility infrastructure such as water, wastewater, telecommunications, and energy systems. Projects must directly support a military installation and address a clearly defined deficiency in the surrounding community infrastructure. All funded projects must be construction-ready and capable of completion within five years of award. Funding for this program totals 230000000 for the fiscal cycle, with individual awards ranging from a minimum of 250000 to a maximum of 20000000. The funding is allocated across priority categories, including readiness and mission assurance, military family quality of life, and other top-ranked projects. Only hard construction and renovation costs are eligible for reimbursement, including construction, inspection, and contingency costs. Soft costs such as planning, design, permitting, and project management are not eligible for reimbursement but may be included as part of the required local cost share contribution. Applicants must meet strict eligibility requirements. Eligible applicants include state governments, local governments, and not-for-profit, member-owned utility services. Projects must be owned by one of these entities and must not be located on military installations unless under a qualifying real estate agreement. A local cost share of at least 30 percent of total project cost is generally required, although exceptions exist for rural communities or projects deemed critical for national security. Applications must demonstrate financial readiness, site control, and the ability to complete the project within the required timeline. The application process is conducted through Grants.gov and requires submission of a complete proposal package including a Standard Form 424, a summary of proposer eligibility, a detailed description of community-installation need, and a construction readiness plan. Proposals must include a letter of support from the benefiting installation commander, detailed project budgets, timelines, and evidence of permitting and environmental compliance planning. The agency evaluates proposals using criteria focused on community-installation need, construction readiness, and prioritization for military family quality of life projects. Proposals are reviewed through a competitive scoring and ranking process, with final selections approved by senior Department leadership. Selected applicants are invited to submit full grant applications following the proposal phase. Key deadlines include a proposal submission deadline of June 25, 2026, with anticipated invitations for full applications around August 11, 2026, and final award execution required before September 30, 2026. The program requires ongoing reporting, compliance with federal regulations, and adherence to requirements such as the Build America, Buy America Act. For additional information, applicants can access program resources and updates through the official program website or contact the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation via email. The program represents a significant federal investment in strengthening infrastructure that directly supports military missions and enhances the communities that host service members and their families.

Focus heavily on demonstrating direct impact on military installation readiness or quality of life and provide strong installation commander support with quantified impacts