Local projects left out of recent Continuing Resolution for federal budget

American government is complex with multiple layers even above and beyond the local, state, and federal levels.

In Virginia as well as other states, there’s also the regional level. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is among many entities that put together a capital improvement plan that only includes what funding is available.

The RWSA was among many agencies across the country that had submitted requests to Virginia’s Congressional delegation for consideration for funding through one source of money.

“Congressionally directed spending (CDS) is capped at one percent of all discretionary spending, and there is a ban on congressionally directed spending items to for-profit entities,” reads a page on Senator Tim Kaine’s website.

Senator Kaine and Senator Mark Warner pool their requests which then are approved as part of Congressional approval of the federal budget. Previous awards can be reviewed at the bottom of the page here.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the RWSA Board of Directors, executive director Bill Mawyer broke the news that the agreement earlier this month to keep the federal government open eliminated expected funding for RWSA and everyone else.

“We had told you some months ago that we had been approved and selected for an $880,000 Congressionally directed spending grant that our Senators Kaine and Warner had put us on the list for,” Mawyer said. “They informed us recently that none of that projects in that grant program were included in the continuing resolution that Congress recently passed so the FY25 grant list will not move forward.”

That grant was “to be used to replace deteriorated equipment at the South Rivanna Water Plant to provide clean and safe drinking water for the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia” reads a list of projects under the “Interior and Environment” category.

Applications are still being taken for FY2026 which begins the process over again.

“We’re going to try again,” Mawyer said.

Here’s a list of other projects that will have to queue up again:

• The University of Virginia had sought $1.5 million for biomedical lab space associated with the Manning Institute of Biotechnology.
• The University of Virginia also sought $365,000 to assist with a program to reduce the price of teacher training to help address growing shortages.
• UVA had also asked for $500,000 to expand education programs for the next generation of nurse clinicians.
• Another UVA request was for just over $1 million to assist UVA Children’s Hospital in the expansion of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
• Augusta County had sought $5.935 million for a new public safety radio system to replace one that is aging.
• Greene County had asked for $28,000 for new Automated external defibrillator units for patrol cars in the Sheriff’s department.
• Greene County lost out on another $5.625 million to repair and replace water infrastructure in Stanardsville.
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville had sought just over $1 million for part of the cost of redeveloping Southwood.
• The City of Charlottesville had requested $2.4 million in funding to help with the redevelopment of 501 Cherry Avenue. Piedmont Housing Alliance did not include this funding in its application to Virginia Housing for low-income housing tax credits.
• The Piedmont Community Land Trust, part of the Piedmont Housing Alliance, had sought $1 million to help establish a working capital fund.
• ReadyKids had sought $200,000 to expand its youth mental health counseling.
• The Arcadia Project in Staunton had sought half a million dollars for redevelopment of a blighted theater.
• The Town of Altavista in Campbell County in the Fifth District sought $2.815 million for assistance in refurbishing the wastewater treatment plant there.
• The Valley Community Services Board in Augusta County had sought $2.5 million to help build a crisis stabilization center.
• The Augusta Regional Dental Clinic sought $100,000 for support for an ongoing program to provide dental care to those with low incomes.
• The Augusta Health Foundation sought $3.5 million to expand its emergency room to provide additional capacity. They also sought $5.5 million to support the continuity care clinic and $7,422,000 to purchase a new electronic records system.
• The Jefferson Board for Aging has asked for $409,000 to assist with its work connecting older adults and their caregivers to local services.

Top photo: A rendering of the Paul and Dianne Manning Institute of Biotechnology currently under construction at the University of Virginia. (Credit: UVA)

Before you go: This story was first posted in the March 27, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.