All photography provided by MRCTI.org
The Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative is an association of local governments from across the Mississippi River Valley that came together in 2012 to create a new, influential, and independent voice for the Mississippi River region of Middle American.
MRCTI addresses priorities set by member mayors through five major programs:
Our Mission
There are 124 Mississippi River main stem cities and towns. These riparian population centers are soundly River-centric. MRCTI gives a common voice to cities along the World’s most vital working river, and by virtue of doing so, it spans political and economic interests. That is, it taps a natural source of the longed-for integration of transportation, farming, manufacturing, municipal, and environmental interests to implement solutions.
The MRCTI builds the capacity of member mayors to undertake effective local initiatives to attract jobs, move to sustainable economies, and achieve local environmental protection goals.
Ultimately, this work protects and restores the Mississippi River as a natural system. MRCTI is a Mayor-led, Mayor comprised effort empowering over one hundred cities along the waterway to act for its continued prosperity.
“Finally, the ecological health of the Mississippi River and its economic importance to the many people that make their living or seek their recreation is based on [establishing] a healthy river system.
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“Thank you, MRCTI for all your assistance to the City of St Louis and all the cities in our great corridor.”
“Mayors of the MRCTI developed one of the nation’s first technical assistance tools to help Mississippi River Cities better access the Jobs Act.”
“I could not have secured a major water infrastructure grant for my city without MRCTI. ”
“MRCTI was instrumental in helping my city secure a broadband grant for my city.”
“Thanks to MRCTI, I have a better stormwater management plan with an EPA grant to it further, ”
Led the effort to enact a full-river ecosystem restoration program
Developed and led the effort to pass and fund the Resilience Revolving Loan Fund, or STORM act
Restored the Marine Highway Grant Program from zero to over $10 million in annual funding
Worked wit Congress to form the first bi-cameral Mississippi River Caucus
Deployed the Corridor’s first Environmental Impact Bonds for natural Infrastructure
Secured over $10 million in federal grant funds benefiting twelve cities in 2022 alone.
Deployed the first citizen science plastic tracker app for the Mississippi River
Past Years
Formed the first bi-cameral Mississippi River Caucus alongside U.S. Congress
Established and Signed first-ever Memorandum of Common Purpose with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Continued Preserving and supporting the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Progam
Established the River’s first corridor-wide non-federal sustainable development fund
Assembled a partnership between 7 world trade centers and 18 community foundations.
Preserved SRFs above $2 billion for FY 2015