Office of the Under Secretary for Policy: Safe Streets and Roads for All Funding Opportunity

The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants. Funds for the 2023 SS4A grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to support planning and demonstration activities, as well as projects and strategies to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators.

Donor Name: Office of the Under Secretary for Policy

State: All States

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 07/10/2023

Size of the Grant: $10,000,000 – $25,000,000

Grant Duration: 12 months

Details:

The SS4A program provides funding for two main types of grants: Planning and Demonstration Grants for comprehensive safety action plans, including supplemental safety planning, and/or safety demonstration activities; and Implementation Grants. Planning and Demonstration Grants are used to develop, complete, or supplement a comprehensive safety action plan, as well as carry out demonstration activities that inform an Action Plan. Implementation Grants are used to implement strategies or projects that are consistent with an existing Action Plan and may also bundle funding requests for supplemental planning and demonstration activities that inform an Action Plan. To apply for an Implementation Grant, an eligible applicant must have a qualifying Action Plan; for what constitutes a qualifying Action Plan.

Types of Grants

Planning and Demonstration Grants
- Planning and Demonstration Grants have three different types of activities:
  - Develop an Action Plan;
  - Conduct supplemental safety planning to enhance an Action Plan; and
  - Carry out demonstration activities to inform the development of, or an update to, an Action Plan.

The three different types of activities under Planning and Demonstration Grants can either be bundled together into one application, or an applicant may choose to request funding for only one of the activities. Applicants may only apply for a single grant type, but both grant types have the option to include Planning and Demonstration projects under them. The development of, or updates to, an Action Plan must be the intended end result of each supplemental planning and demonstration activity.

Implementation Grants
- Implementation Grants fund projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan that address roadway safety problems. Implementation Grants may also fund supplemental planning and demonstration activities, as well as planning, design, and development activities for projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan. DOT encourages Implementation Grant applicants to include supplemental planning and demonstration activities in their application. Applicants must have an existing Action Plan to apply for Implementation Grants or have an existing plan that is substantially similar and meets the eligibility requirements of an Action Plan. If applicants do not have an existing Action Plan, they should apply for Planning and Demonstration Grants and NOT Implementation Grants.

SS4A Grant Priorities

This section discusses priorities specific to SS4A and those related to the Department’s overall mission, which are reflected in the selection criteria and NOFO requirements. Successful grant applications will:

Promote safety to prevent death and serious injuries on public roadways;
Employ low-cost, high-impact strategies that can improve safety over a wide geographic area;
Ensure equitable investment in the safety needs of underserved communities, which includes both underserved urban and rural communities;
Incorporate evidence-based projects and strategies and adopt innovative technologies and strategies;
Demonstrate engagement with a variety of public and private stakeholders; and
Align with the Department’s mission and Strategic Goals such as safety; climate change and sustainability; equity and Justice40; and workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation.

The Department seeks to award Planning and Demonstration Grants based on safety impact, equity, and other safety considerations. For Implementation Grants, DOT seeks to make awards to projects and strategies that save lives and reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries; incorporate equity, engagement, and collaboration into how projects and strategies are executed; use effective practices and strategies; consider climate change, sustainability, and economic competitiveness in project and strategy implementation; and will be able to complete the full scope of funded projects and strategies within five years after the establishment of a grant agreement.

Additional award consideration will be made for Implementation Grant applicants that have a high percentage of funds that benefit underserved communities, are in rural areas, request less than $10 million in Federal funds, and/or support geographic diversity amongst the Implementation Grant award recipients.

Funding Information

Planning and Demonstration Grants: For Planning and Demonstration Grants, award amounts will be based on estimated costs, with an expected minimum of $100,000 and an expected maximum of $10,000,000 for all applicants.
Implementation Grants: For Implementation Grants, DOT expects the minimum award will be $2,500,000 and the maximum award will be $25,000,000.

Period of Performance

DOT expects to obligate SS4A award funding via a signed grant agreement between the Department and the recipient, as flexibly and expeditiously as possible, within 12 months after awards have been announced.

Eligible Activities

Broadly, eligible activity costs must comply with the cost principles set forth in 2 CFR, Subpart E (i.e., 2 CFR § 200.403 and § 200.405). DOT reserves the right to make cost eligibility determinations on a case-by-case basis.
Eligible activities for grant funding include the following three elements:
- Developing a comprehensive safety action plan or Action Plan
- Conducting planning, design, and development activities for projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan; and
- Carrying out projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan.

Eligible Applicants