Airys

Photo of Columbus, Ohio — Image Source: Pixabay

AI-powered SaaS to streamline local government access to active funding sources for climate resilience.

About the Technology

Last year, the United States set a troubling record with 28 climate and weather-related disasters, causing damages totaling $93 billion. Local government entities—about 90,000 in total—are tasked with building resilience against these extreme events. Many of these communities are understaffed and lack the resources necessary to secure large-scale funding for resilient infrastructure.

Historic investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offer an unprecedented opportunity for governments nationwide to address climate change impacts. However, equity issues hinder the distribution of federal funds to under-resourced communities, which often lack the capacity to apply for and manage these funding opportunities. Currently, each federal agency—such as NOAA, EPA, and FEMA—has a siloed approach to sharing data and funding programs. Interviews indicate that communities often feel overwhelmed by the complexities of acquiring funding for climate projects and are seeking centralized assistance to navigate the various programs available. Communities and practitioners desire a simplified and user-centric process.

To address this need, Airys, a student team, is developing a web-based software platform that serves as a single access point for federal climate resources. Leveraging AI, the platform connects local governments with active and upcoming grants from all federal agencies. The HIT Fund is supporting the development of the software and the deployment of our tools to communities across the United States.