Federally impacted school districts have limited bonding capacity to generate revenue for school facilities due to the presence of nontaxable Federal property. Since 1950, the Federal government has recognized its obligation to support construction and facilities needs for federally impacted schools, with money allocated by formula and competitive grants through Section 7007 of the Impact Aid statute. Funding for this section of the law falls far below what is required to meet federally impacted school districts’ needs. NAFIS promotes awareness of those needs and advocates for increased funding to meet them.
Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act One-Pager (3/9/24)
This one-pager offers a summary and overview of S. 2808/H.R. 6698, the Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act (IAIPA). Targeted to congressional staff, it was distributed at the 2024 NAFIS Spring Conference.
Sign-on Letter to Secretary Cardona Requesting Extension for Spending on School Construction and Capital Projects (1/21/22)
NAFIS joins 30+ organizations in a letter sent to Secretary Cardona asking him to consider how the Department can extend the timeline school districts have to expend funding for school construction and capital projects under the American Rescue Plan through December 2026.
NAFIS Letter to Secretary Cardona Requesting Impact Aid Construction Funding in Reconciliation Bill (8/18/21)
NAFIS requests that Impact Aid school construction funding be included in the FY 22 budget reconciliation. We also request that if funding is made available, the regulations prohibiting teacher housing projects be waived for competitive grant applications.
Sign-on Letter Urges Congress to Include School Construction Funds in Infrastructure Plan (7/28/21)
NAFIS joins more than 130 organizations on the [Re]Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC) letter requesting $100 billion in direct grants to improve the nation’s public school facilities be included in a reconciliation bill on a broader infrastructure package.
NAFIS Letter to the Hill Urges Congress to Include Impact Aid School Construction Funding in Infrastructure Plan (6/2/21)
NAFIS requests that Impact Aid school construction funding be included in the infrastructure proposals currently being considered by Congress.
Sign-on Letter Urging President Biden to Include Funding for Public School Facilities in the American Jobs Plan (5/13/21)
NAFIS joins more than 120 organizations on the [Re]Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC) letter urging President Biden to include public school facilities in any legislation to modernize our nation’s infrastructure. With the $100 billion in grants and $30 billion in bonds in the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act, states and school districts will be able to leverage these federal funds to modernize nearly 10,000 of our nation’s worst school facilities. This work will create good-quality jobs. It will improve communities and the daily lives of millions of students and school staff.
H.R. 1886, S. 945: The Impact Aid Infrastructure Act (4/19/21)
This legislation would authorize a one-time time infusion of $1,000,000,000 – to be expended over three years.
Impact Aid Infrastructure Act One-Pager (4/19/21)
This one-pager gives a summary and overview of H.R. 1886, S. 945: The Impact Aid Infrastructure Act.
Statement of Support for Economic Justice Act (11/10/20)
NAFIS supports the Economic Justice Act, which uses funding previously appropriated through the CARES Act for a broad range of community investments, including $115 billion for a “Down Payment on Building 21st Century Infrastructure.” The bill includes $119,568,765 for Impact Aid construction spread over three years.
Sign-On Letter on Need to Include Funds for Emergency School Facilities Repairs in Federal COVID-19 Relief (7/15/20)
NAFIS joins more than 40 organizations on the [Re]-Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC) letter to congressional leaders in support of including $10 billion for emergency school facilities repairs in the next COVID-19 emergency relief package. The letter specifically encourages targeting these funds to the neediest school districts – including a set-aside for Impact Aid school districts.
Sign-On Letter on Need to Include Rebuild America’s Schools Act in Federal COVID-19 Relief (5/7/20)
NAFIS joins more than 85 organizations on the BASIC coalition’s letter to congressional leaders in support of including the Rebuild America’s Schools Act as a part of COVID-19 recovery stimulus packages.
Sign-On Letter in Support of Federal COVID-19 Relief for Rural Communities (5/6/20)
NAFIS joins more than 250 organizations on a letter to congressional leaders in support of COVID-19 stimulus provisions focused on the unique needs of rural communities. Specifically, the letter requests access to clean and safe drinking water and wastewater facilities, secure and dependable transportation, reliable and affordable power, healthcare, housing, and broadband and research institutions with state-of-the-art facilities.
Sign-On Letter on Need to Rebuild School Infrastructure (1/23/20)
NAFIS joins 35 organizations on the Rebuild America’s Schools coalition’s letter to House leadership supporting their commitment to investing in the nation’s infrastructure and urging them to include schools in the House infrastructure package.
Impact Aid Infrastructure Act Sign-On Letter (8/14/19)
Eighteen organizations join NAFIS in urging members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 3647, the Impact Aid Infrastructure Act, which would invest in the facilities of federally impacted school districts.
Impact Aid Infrastructure Act (7/10/19)
Proposed legislation would provide a one-time infusion of funds into the Impact Aid Construction program to address the significant backlog of infrastructure projects in federally impacted school districts.
Rebuild America’s Schools Act Endorsement Letter (2/25/19)
NAFIS supports the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2019, which includes a $172 million infusion into Impact Aid Section 7007 to help address the backlog of infrastructure projects in federally impacted school districts.
Statement for the Record – Senate Indian Affairs Committee Roundtable, School Infrastructure Needs in Indian Country: Examining Opportunities for Success (7/26/18)
NAFIS recommends a one-time, $1 billion investment in the Impact Aid Section 7007 line item to address the significant backlog of needs for public school facilities educating American Indian students.
NAFIS School Construction Report (8/28/17)
Foundations for Learning: The Facilities Needs of Federally Impacted Schools describes the troubling findings of a survey of NAFIS member school districts’ facilities needs. Many federally impacted school districts have facilities in dire conditions and lack the local resources to upgrade them. More than $4.2 billion in projects are identified as “the most pressing construction need.” Health and safety, heating and cooling, roofing and capacity complications are widespread, and there is a lack of funds for technology and modernization to support 21st century learning environments. The mounting costs and risks of deferred maintenance on student well-being and academic potential are concerning.
- Download the full report, Foundations for Learning: The Facilities Needs of Federally Impacted Schools
- Download the School Construction Overview Infographic
- View the accompanying School Construction Press Release
- View opening statements from school district leaders at the NAFIS Capitol Hill briefing Press release from Hill briefing
Rebuild America’s Schools Act Endorsement Letter (5/16/17)
NAFIS expresses support for the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2017, which includes language to allocate $100 million for Impact Aid Section 7007.
FY09/10 ARRA Impact Aid Discretionary Construction Program
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $100 million funds for the Impact Aid construction line item. ARRA funds were distributed through discretionary grants (60 percent) and through a formula to school districts highly impacted with Indian lands and military students (40 percent). 179 school districts in 26 states received funding through the Formula Grants and 24 school districts in 12 states were awarded Discretionary Construction Grants. NAFIS advocated strongly for this funding based on the federal obligation and existing federal program and administrative capacity to administer the funds.
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