CASE Construction Equipment is accepting entries for the 2018 Dire States Equipment Grant. Launched in 2016, this is the third year the construction equipment manufacturer will provide one community with $25,000 in free equipment use to offset the costs of building or repairing a critical piece of local infrastructure. Eligible projects include road/bridge repair or construction, utility pipe replacement, erosion control along lakes and rivers, wastewater system improvements and park/recreational construction -- anything from one of the 16 American Society of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Report Card categories.
Last year, the grant went to Quincy Township, Pa., for replacement/repair work on the Old Forge Bridge—a deteriorating bridge in an important location that risked access to residents by fire departments, ambulances, police, school buses, and other essential services. The year before that, it went to Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District in Tioga County, N.Y., which used the grant to supplement its Environmentally Sensitive Stream Maintenance Program.
The grant is named for CASE’s infrastructure awareness and advocacy initiative, Dire States, which evolved from a national tour in 2013 that focused on raising awareness of America’s ailing infrastructure into active campaigning for specific programs and legislation.
All local governments in the U.S. are eligible to apply. For rules and submission criteria and to apply, visit DireStates.com/Grant. The deadline for entry is March 30, 2018; winners will be announced in April.
