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Join DOT next week on February 14 at 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET to hear from Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg and other DOT leaders about new electric vehicle grant opportunities and technical assistance resources. Register here to attend the webinar! The webinar agenda includes:
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USDOT Technical Assistance Resource Spotlight
- Eliminating roadway fatalities is a top priority for DOT. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s Proven Safety Countermeasures (PSCs) in Rural Communities resource guide highlights a subset of the PSCs with direct application in rural areas, including considerations, crash reduction effectiveness, case studies, and other resources. The guide also features a Desktop Reference table of PSCs that may be considered in rural communities and compares Safe System Roadway design hierarchy alignment, relative cost, unpaved road applicability, relative crash reduction, and typical service life. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) also has published a digital Countermeasures That Work Reference Guide for State Highway Safety Offices to help select effective, science-based traffic safety countermeasures to address highway safety problem areas in their States. This guide includes information on numerous behavioral strategies that are proven to help reduce traffic accidents and fatalities, with focused strategies for addressing young drivers and older drivers who both have higher rates of injury and involvement in crashes.
- The new Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy is a tool that characterizes engineering and infrastructure-based countermeasures and strategies relative to their alignment with the Safe System Approach, toward the goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. The purpose of the hierarchy is to help transportation agencies and practitioners identify and prioritize countermeasures and strategies when developing transportation projects.
- FHWA released an updated NEVI Formula Program Q&A that answers questions about the NEVI program, North American Charging Standard connectors, technical requirements, eligible expenditures, operation and maintenance costs, program administration costs, right-of-way, utility planning, public engagement, tribal consultation, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program applicability, permitting and environmental review, air quality conformity, contract administration and procurement, and technical assistance.
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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced nearly $110 million in funding to eight public transportation providers and state Departments of Transportation in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Texas to help communities recover from recent natural disasters. The support, provided through FTA’s Public Transportation Emergency Relief (ER) Program, will help agencies repair damaged equipment and facilities and recoup costs for evacuation and rescue operations following floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes that occurred in 2017 and 2020-22.
The USDOT Discretionary Grants Dashboard provides communities with an overview of discretionary grant opportunities that can help meet their transportation infrastructure needs. The Dashboard also includes Federal grant programs outside of DOT that may be of particular interest to rural communities. The below list spotlights just a few of the currently open funding opportunities – visit the Grants Dashboard to find more or check out the calendar of open and upcoming grant opportunities!
New and Notable!
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On February 8, 2024, FTA announced the availability of $1.5 billion in FY 2024 funding to support state and local efforts to buy or modernize buses, improve bus facilities, and support workforce development through its Low- or No-Emission Program. The funding opportunity will advance FTA’s priorities of strengthening U.S. bus manufacturing, containing vehicle costs, and accelerating the delivery of new vehicles. The opportunity introduces streamlined application requirements for tribes requesting less than $1 million, making it easier for tribes with relatively small requests to apply. FTA will host two webinars on February 22 and March 5, 2024 to provide information to potential applicants, including a review of program eligibility, an overview of the evaluation criteria and selection considerations, and the submission process. Register for both webinars here. Applications are due by April 25, 2024.
- The Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) discretionary grant administered by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has published a preliminary Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) making $450 million available for FY 2024. Funds for the PIDP are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port. MARAD will be updating its NOFO on or before February 16, 2024. View the FY 2024 PIDP Short Form NOFO.
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Opening Soon! Applications for the next round of Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants are anticipated to open in February 2024. Federally recognized Tribal governments that apply can use Tribal Transportation Funds for non-Federal match. Subscribe to email updates to be notified when additional information is available.
Opportunities Closing in February
- FTA is accepting applications for approximately $4.7 million in competitive grant funding for projects that improve access to vital transportation services for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals through the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program, which supports projects that improve transportation coordination and enhance mobility, including access to non-emergency medical transportation. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria outlined in the NOFO. Applications are due February 13, 2024.
- DOT is offering $1.5 billion in grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program for FY2024. Information on How to Apply for RAISE Grants is available on the RAISE website. This is one of the Department’s most popular and flexible programs in that it can fund a wide range of transportation planning, pre-construction activities, and capital projects. The RAISE NOFO is available here and the deadline for applications is 11:59 PM EST on February 28, 2024. View recordings of past webinars that have covered a number of important topics, including how to craft a compelling narrative, developing a benefit-cost analysis for RAISE capital projects, and a focused session for rural and tribal applicants.
Opportunities Closing in March
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DOT is offering $2.97 million through its new Mobility Equity Research Initiative, which seeks to advance research and technologies that support the Department’s goal of expanding accessibility and mobility to underserved communities, including people with disabilities, older Americans, and rural and disadvantaged communities. DOT is seeking proposals that will produce research results and tools that build on or complement existing data and systems such as those found on https://equity-dot.gov/. This competition is open to institutions of higher education, public research entities, 501(c)3 nonprofit research entities, and consortia thereof. Applicants must be established and located in the United States or its territories or on Tribal lands. Applications are due by March 5, 2024.
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DOT is offering a $25 million funding opportunity for its Rural Autonomous Vehicle (RAV) research program. Accredited universities are eligible to apply for this competitive, six-year cooperative agreement program. Recipients will use RAV program funding to conduct research regarding the benefits and responsible application of automated vehicles and associated mobility technologies in rural and Tribal communities. The RAV program funds collaborative research and pilot deployment activities to support a future rural transportation system that is safe, advances American competitiveness, and supports good-paying jobs. More information about the competition is posted on the RAV NOFO Questions and Answers page, and you can find a recording from the informational webinar held in January here. Applications are due by March 13, 2024.
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FHWA is accepting applications for $9.7 billion in multi-year funding to improve the nation’s bridges through the competitive Bridge Investment Program’s “Planning” and “Bridge Project” categories, which fund bridge planning, repair, and replacement projects under $100 million. FHWA has provided a Bridge Project Application Template and Planning Grant Application Template and highly encourages applicants to use the templates for their applications. Visit FHWA's Website to find more information, including an informational webinar recording. Technical assistance is also available to recipients who receive Bridge Investment Program grants. Applications for this round of planning and bridge project funding must be submitted by March 19, 2024 via Grants.gov.
In preparing your application for any of the above programs, be sure to read the specific Notice of Funding Opportunity and related program materials to ensure your project and organization are eligible and you are meeting other program/application requirements. General information to help prepare for DOT applications can also be found on the DOT Navigator, including the Discretionary Grant Preparation Checklist for Prospective Applicants.
With the goal of passing along outside resources specifically designed to build local capacity, especially for disadvantaged urban, rural, and tribal communities, to successfully develop transportation projects and funding applications, the DOT Navigator Bulletin includes opportunities that have been shared with the Department. Their inclusion does not indicate DOT endorsement.
- Last week, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the White House Domestic Policy Council hosted a day-long arts and culture summit: Healing, Bridging, Thriving. Among the resources shared is a new publication by the National Assembly of State Art Agencies providing best practices on incorporating the arts in transportation projects and planning processes.
- The Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) announced that EPA is launching its first ever artist-in-residence program, in partnership with the NEA. EPA anticipates embedding a minimum of six artists within national estuary or urban water locations over 18 months with the goal of integrating arts and culture into key EPA program areas, deepening local relationships and trust, increasing community buy-in and support, and elevating the voices of underrepresented people.
- EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) is accepting applications for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds for environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments. The deadline to apply is November 21, 2024, with applications accepted on a rolling basis.
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The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a $6 million opportunity through its Rural Capacity Building (RCB) program. Eligible national non-profit entities may apply to the RCB program, which enhances the capacity and ability of rural housing development organizations, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), rural local governments, and Indian tribes (eligible beneficiaries) to carry out affordable housing and community development activities in rural areas for the benefit of low- and moderate-income families and persons. The program aims to empower and strengthen communities in rural areas. Questions regarding specific program requirements for this program should be directed to Anupama Abhyankar at CapacityBuilding@hud.gov. Applications are due by March 25, 2024.
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HUD’s Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance (DCTA) Program maintains a library of resources relevant to DCTA recipients and smaller distressed communities. It features a wide range of reports, webinars, guidance, and funding opportunities useful to small governments, tribal organizations, and non-profits. The resources and new additions can be found on the DCTA Program Resources page. Local governments can also request in-depth technical assistance tailored to their specific needs via this form available through the DCTA webpage.
If your organization has new Thriving Communities-supportive technical assistance resources or upcoming trainings that you would like to have spotlighted in the Navigator Bulletin, please send a note to USDOTAssist@dot.gov for consideration in future updates. Their inclusion does not indicate DOT endorsement.
A number of new DOT grant funding opportunities will be posted over the next few months. The following materials can help you prepare.
The full suite of DOT technical assistance resources can be accessed at Search Technical Assistance Resources | US Department of Transportation.
If you have information or resources you would like to be considered for inclusion in future USDOT Navigator biweekly bulletins, reach out to USDOTAssist@dot.gov.
Click the link below to join the listserv or visit the USDOT Navigator to find information and resources on applying for USDOT grants and planning for and delivering transformative infrastructure projects and services.
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