-
DOT launches “Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-making Virtual Training” series on March 6 from 12:00-3:00 p.m. Facilitated by DOT public involvement experts, this training will provide an overview of key public involvement concepts, approaches, and strategies from DOT’s Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making. The training will be interactive, providing opportunities for participants to engage in more in-depth discussion in break-out rooms. The training has limited capacity and not all requests will be accommodated if registration exceeds capacity. DOT will prioritize those who have not attended a past Meaningful Public Involvement training. DOT will host a series of additional trainings open to the public throughout 2024; if you are unable to attend this training, you will be added to a “wait list” and will be invited to attend future trainings. Registration is required to attend – register here by March 1, 2024 to be considered for the March 6 webinar.
- DOT hosted its first quarterly Navigator webinar of 2024 on February 14, which included opening remarks from Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg and covered key resources on the DOT Navigator, provided information about environmental review for electric vehicle (EV) chargers, and spotlighted the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s Low or No Emission Grant Program – now accepting applications until April 25. Find the presentation slides and webinar recording on the DOT Navigator webinars page, along with presentations and recordings from all past Navigator webinars.
-
On February 14, DOT published the 2023 update of its Equity Action Plan. The 2023 update of the DOT Equity Action Plan outlines new actions DOT is committing to across the following five focus areas: Wealth Creation; Power of Community; Proactive Intervention, Planning, and Capacity Building; Expanding Access; and Institutionalizing Equity. The highlighted actions are efforts DOT is undertaking to address key disparities, including disproportionately high traffic fatality rates among Black people and Tribal communities, high transportation insecurity and cost burdens experienced by low-income households and rural communities, and underrepresentation of Black-, Hispanic-, and women-owned small businesses receiving DOT direct contracts. The document also features dozens of recent accomplishments across each focus area since the publication of DOT’s first Equity Action Plan in 2022. A number of resources are available on the Equity Action Plans, including a White House Fact Sheet, White House Equity Action Plan Progress Report, the White House’s Equity webpage with Equity Action Plan snapshots, and copies of Equity Action Plans from across the Federal government.
- DOT updated the Data and Mapping Tools Navigator page to include information on several tools, including the Freight Analysis Framework, National Highway Freight Network, Port Performance Freight Statistics Program, the National Highway System website, Federal Rail Administration (FRA) Safety Map, FRA Grade Crossing Inventory, and the Justice40 Rail Explorer. Find these and a number of other data and mapping tools related to climate, equity, safety, transportation analysis, and other specialized analysis on the Navigator.
-
The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation is hosting a webinar on February 27 at 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET on Curbside EV Charging Strategies. Participants will learn about best practices, challenges, and strategies for effectively planning, deploying, and operating EV curbside charging projects. Register for the webinar here, and view past webinar recordings.
- DOT’s Climate Change Center is hosting a 2024 webinar series on climate change and transportation topics, ranging from greenhouse gas reduction strategies to climate resilience activities to research and technology advancements. The next webinar on March 25 will focus on Transit-Oriented Development. Registration is open for all webinars – register here!
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!
-
Today, DOT opened the call for applications for the $1.256 billion Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. SS4A was created in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help communities both plan and carry out projects that help reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our highways, streets, and roads. The SS4A grant program is a major action that supports funding to advance DOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, which launched in 2022 to address the high number of traffic deaths happening across the country. SS4A funds will help communities in the development of road safety action plans and improve unsafe roadway corridors by implementing effective interventions. Additionally, these funds can be utilized to test out safety features such as separated bicycle lanes or curb extensions at intersections. View the SS4A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The NOFO clarifies that Tribal Transportation Program and Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds may be used as non-Federal match. In support of the legislative consideration to fund activities that will significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries, the Department may prioritize SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grant applications with a quantitative fatality rate of 17.0 fatalities per 100,000 persons or greater. View the non-exhaustive list of eligible applicants that would receive this award consideration. Applications for Implementation Grants are due by May 16. Planning and demonstration grant applicants will have three opportunities to apply with the deadlines of April 4, May 16, and August 29.
Closing Soon!
- 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.
Other Grant Opportunities
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
FTA is offering $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) is a discretionary grant program administered by the Maritime Administration. 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. Find more information about the $450 million available for FY 2024. Applications are due by April 30, 2024.
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 USDOT endorsement.
-
The Rural Business Cooperative Service (RBCS), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), issued a notice to invite applications for grants to provide technical assistance for passenger Rural Transportation systems under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. Grant funds will provide technical assistance for RT systems including designated funds to provide technical assistance to RT systems operating within Tribal lands of Federally Recognized Native American Tribes. Applications are due by April 1, 2024.
-
USDA Rural Development provides Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) grants to eligible public bodies and private, nonprofit organizations (such as states, counties, cities, townships, incorporated towns, villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and Tribes located on Federal or state reservations) to provide technical assistance and/or training in support of essential community facilities programs. Learn more about USDA’s Community Facilities TAT.
-
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) offers a number of funding opportunities, including the Economic Recovery Corps, Equity Impact Investments, Local Technical Assistance, Planning, and Research and National Technical Assistance.
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.
|
