Communities, as the heart of local development, should be drivers in planning the development and operation of the infrastructure projects that ultimately serve them. Trust is a key factor, especially in the context of systemic racism and structural disinvestment. IJLA promotes engagement processes that center community in the integrated planning solutions so as to promote necessary investments that truly serve constituents. 

Multi-benefit projects drive job creation in the field of nature-based solutions.  Infrastructure that includes NBS requires a different set of skills to install, operate, and maintain those features than conventional grey infrastructure. As such, the range of skills and technical knowledge in this expanding arena needs to be cultivated across a workforce to better support jobs in green industries. IJLA uplifts recruitment from underserved communities to fill jobs that service NBS projects. 

The county lacks clear and transparent access to general information about infrastructure project opportunities across its departments. Applicants navigate complex regulatory and bureaucratic environs. Moreover, grant funding opportunities are often accompanied by complex requirements. Taken together, the project development process--including permitting, board approvals, and grant specifications--is unnecessarily complicated and burdensome to applicants. Community-based organization in particular often lack the resources to hire an expert to help them navigate a challenging bureaucratic maze. IJLA therefore works to ensure that county infrastructure grant programs are accessible and easy to understand.