The Department of Transportation is seeking applications for its Thriving Communities Program to develop and implement technical assistance, planning, and capacity building to help improve and foster thriving communities through transportation improvements.
Donor Name: Department of Transportation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/28/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000,000 to $2,000,000
Grant Duration: 36 months
Details:
The goal of the TCP is to ensure disadvantaged or transportation-insecure communities adversely and/or disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health policy outcomes have the technical tools and organizational capacity to comprehensively plan for and deliver quality infrastructure projects and community development projects that enable their communities and neighborhoods to thrive.
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) continues investment in a national technical assistance program (TCP-N) and provides new opportunities for state-, Tribal-, local-, and regional-level community support through the Thriving Communities Regional Pilot Program (TCP-R) that will drive innovation, advance equity outcomes, and build a national pipeline of community-driven infrastructure projects. In its first year, TCP supported deep-dive technical assistance in 64 communities across the country. For the TCP’s second year, DOT seeks to support at least another 45-60 communities through its National program, depending on responses to the Letters of Interest and the size and number of cooperative agreements awarded through this NOFO, and additional communities selected by TCP-R applicants.
Program Types
- Thriving Communities National Capacity Builder Program (TCP-N)
- Funds TCP-N Capacity Builders through cooperative agreements to provide individualized technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support to 15-20 communities located around the country, selected and assigned by DOT, and organized into a Community of Practice. TCP-N Capacity Builders will work with communities to co-design tailored scopes of work based on the community’s individual needs and stage in the transportation planning, design, and development process to be carried out over two years of intensive TCP support. TCP-N Capacity Builders will also facilitate peer learning networks across the communities assigned to their Community of Practice. Evaluation, reporting, resource development, and transition activities will be the Capacity Builders’ focus during the third year of the period of performance.
- Thriving Communities Regional Pilot Program (TCP-R)
- Funds state and local governments and their agencies, Tribal governments, and regional governments or organizations through cooperative agreements to provide support to communities selected by the applicant that are located within their jurisdiction or service area. The focus of this program is to enable state, Tribal, local, and regional governments to support the advancement of transportation opportunities in disadvantaged communities that align with state, Tribal, or regional housing, economic development, public health, climate, and other community development goals. While this program overlaps with the TCP-N Program in scope and purpose, it has a narrower focus on coordination and alignment within a specific geography. TCP-R Capacity Builders will play a coordination and capacity building role rather than providing intensive, tailored technical assistance. TCP-R Capacity Builders will facilitate peer learning across communities in their state, Tribe and/or region to scale program impact and act as a model for other jurisdictions. The first two years of the period of performance will be focused on both individual community support and peer learning, while the third year will focus on evaluation, reporting, resource development, and transition activities.
Funding Information
- Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Congress provided DOT with $25,000,000 for the Thriving Communities Program, to be obligated by September 30, 2025. DOT will also utilize up to $1 million in funds remaining from the 2022 TCP as part of this NOFO, for a total of up to $22 million available.
- DOT will determine the amount of funds to be awarded but anticipates a range of $4,000,000 to $5,000,000 for each TCP-N cooperative agreement; and a range of $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for each TCP-R cooperative agreement. Multiple cooperative agreements are expected, with an aggregate total of approximately $22,000,000.
Period of Performance
- National Capacity Builders: The period of performance for the 2023 TCP-N will be three years (36 months) from the date of execution in DOT’s electronic grants management system, unless the period of performance is extended before expiration
- Thriving Communities Regional Pilot Program: Period of Performance For the 2023 TCP-R Program, the period of performance will be three years (36 months) from the date of execution in DOT’s electronic grants management system.
Eligible Activities
- TCP-N Capacity Builder Cooperative Agreements: Deep-dive technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support that could include, but is not limited to, the following set of activities:
- identifying and responding to funding opportunities that align with projects that implement local community mobility, access, climate and community development goals and regional or statewide plans
- activities to support grant writing, project management, and compliance with grant administration requirements
- conducting project scoping, planning, and pre-engineering studies, market, and other technical analysis
- supplementing local staffing, training, and workforce development capacity
- developing systems or structures that improve compliance with federal grant management, including but not limited to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and procurement requirements
- supporting comprehensive community planning activities that better coordinate transportation with other land use, housing, climate, health, and other infrastructure
- implementing innovative public engagement strategies, particularly to involve traditionally underrepresented voices in the planning, project identification, and prioritization process
- sub-granting to local technical assistance and capacity building partners who bring local expertise and capacity
- building organizational capacity to strengthen relationships between key stakeholders that deepen regional engagement and collaboration, position partners for future funding opportunities, and/or support inclusive planning processes
- evaluating and establishing emerging transportation and planning technologies, data systems, and software
- fostering peer learning and participation within a Community of Practice to advance policies, practices, and projects informed by meaningful public involvement and partnership.
- TCP-R Cooperative Agreements
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- Support provided by state governments and their agencies, Tribal governments, local governments and their agencies, or regional governments and organizations to advance transformative infrastructure in disadvantaged communities that face barriers to infrastructure advancement and implementation. This may include, but is not limited to: identifying funding opportunities that align with transportation goals and advance mobility access, climate resilience, equitable community development, healthy communities in support of regional or statewide plans
- supporting predevelopment planning and scoping of projects that coordinate transportation with other land use, housing, and infrastructure development
- building organizational capacity and strengthened relationships between key stakeholders that deepen regional engagement and collaboration, position partners for future funding opportunities, and/or support inclusive planning processes
- funding planning and technical assistance activities that reform local land use and zoning policies to align transportation infrastructure investment with equitable community development
- establishing pooled resources and/or innovative funding tools that increase community investments in transportation, housing, environment, and health
- supporting regional economic and workforce development that promotes local hiring, access to transit, and jobs in high quality industries
- activities to support grant writing, project management, and compliance with grant administration requirements
- peer-learning, networking, and knowledge sharing on strategies, types of tools, and lessons learned with other communities in the applicant’s state or region
Eligibility Criteria
TCP-N Capacity Builders:
- Non-profit organizations;
- philanthropic entities; and
- other technical assistance providers including academic institutions and private sector organizations with a demonstrated capacity to develop and provide technical assistance, planning, and capacity building to a range of communities located across multiple states and regions
TCP-R Capacity Builders:
- State governments and their agencies;
- Indian Tribes;
- local governments and their agencies;
- governmental planning or transportation organizations working at the regional or metropolitan level; or
- regional planning non-profit organizations
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
