Ohio is sending $17.5 million to 32 communities across the state to fix water and sewer systems, roads and other infrastructure, with towns from Medina County to Trumbull County among the winners. The money splits into two pots: $10 million in Critical Infrastructure grants for 22 communities and $7.5 million in Neighborhood Revitalization grants spread evenly across 10 others.
According to cleveland.com, the Critical Infrastructure grants range from $250,000 to $500,000 per project and are aimed at high-priority work with community-wide impact. The Neighborhood Revitalization side is more uniform, with each of the 10 recipient communities receiving exactly $750,000. The funding falls under the state's 2026 Community Development Block Grant projects, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik said the money will go toward flood and drainage fixes, sidewalks and park upgrades.
Lodi and Liberty Township Among the Winners
In Medina County, the village of Lodi will receive $500,000 to upgrade its storm sewer lines, a project meant to improve drainage and reduce flooding for 2,840 people, per the same report. In Trumbull County, the funding includes $317,645 to help Liberty Township install catch basins, manholes and drainage pipes to curb flooding, with the township's project described as benefiting 124 people.
That Trumbull County figure echoes an earlier description of the same corridor's troubles. Months before the state announcement, The Vindicator reported that the Trumbull County Planning Commission was seeking a competitive 2026 Community Development Block Grant for a planned $317,645.90 storm drainage infrastructure project on Frederick Street in Liberty. The slight difference between that planned figure and the $317,645 award now on the books isn't explained in available reporting.
Governor Frames Grants as Foundation-Building
Gov. Mike DeWine framed the latest round of awards as part of a broader push to shore up local infrastructure statewide. The investments being made today build a better foundation for the future by helping local partners make essential improvements, DeWine said, according to the same report.
Elsewhere in Ohio, similar Critical Infrastructure money has gone toward water-system work. In Logan County, the village of Rushsylvania received a $500,000 Critical Infrastructure grant for water tower repairs, a project covering both interior and exterior work expected to benefit roughly 430 residents, as reported by Peak of Ohio.
Recent State Funding Rounds
Ohio awarded grants in prior years, though the scale has shifted. A state announcement attributed to the Ohio Department of Development described nearly $13.8 million benefiting 26 communities in 2025 for projects including upgraded water and sewer infrastructure, flood and drainage improvements, road and sidewalk reconstruction, and park enhancements.
A year before that, the Office of the Ohio Governor announced more than $18.2 million in Neighborhood Revitalization and Critical Infrastructure grants awarded to 34 communities in September 2024, covering water and sewer upgrades, road and sidewalk replacement, park improvements and other local needs. And in September 2023, the state awarded more than $13.8 million to 23 communities for projects ranging from new community centers to fire hydrants, according to a separate announcement from the Ohio Department of Development. Those full lists of recipient communities and detailed project breakdowns for the 2026 round have not been made available in reporting so far.
