April 17, 2026 - Grants Alert - DCIP
HOT GRANT ALERT - DCIP Program Now Open!
The U.S. Department of Defense has opened the FY 2026 Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), Applications are due June 25, 2026. With $230 million available nationally, this is a significant opportunity worth reviewing against your current infrastructure priorities.
One thing worth knowing upfront: success in this program is closely tied to how well a project is aligned with the priorities and needs of the supported military installation. How that relationship is documented and framed in the application is often what separates competitive proposals from the rest. If you're considering applying, now is the time to start strengthening that installation relationship, and TFG can help facilitate those connections to make sure your project is positioned as strongly as possible before the deadline.
A summary of the program is below, along with a link to our full TFG Profile Summary for additional detail.
FY 2026 | U.S. DoD Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation
Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP)
$230 million available | 30% match
Application Due June 25, 2026
DCIP funds infrastructure improvements in communities that support a military installation, including transportation, schools, hospitals, emergency response facilities, and utility projects (e.g. water, wastewater, telecommunications, electric, and natural gas). Eligible applicants are state and local governments; not-for-profit, member-owned utilities may participate as sub-recipients.
Projects must be construction-ready, off-installation (with limited exceptions), and supported by the relevant installation commander. Only hard construction costs are eligible. Soft costs such as planning and design can count toward the local match. The 30% cost share requirement is waived for projects in rural communities (under 100,000 population) and for projects with a national security justification.
The funding priorities for this program are as follows:
- Projects that will enhance the readiness of a military department or mission assurance at a military installation
- Projects that will enhance military family quality of life at an installation
- Projects that will enhance military installation resilience
- Projects that will contribute to the training of cadets enrolled in an independent ROTC program at a covered educational institution
Your NSDA Membership Includes Access to TFG
Through NSDA's partnership with The Ferguson Group, member districts have access to one of the most experienced federal grant consulting teams in the country. TFG has worked with local governments and special districts for over 42 years. Their win rate on the Defense Community Infrastructure Program is 3x the national average.
TFG maintains the largest proprietary database of successful grant applications outside of the federal government, including DCIP applications.That knowledge is now available to your district as an NSDA member.
Whether you have a project ready to go or just want to assess fit, TFG is available to help NSDA members think through next steps. The sooner you connect, the stronger your application can be.