Call for Projects: Transportation Authority

Call for Projects: Transportation Authority 

There are no Transportation Authority Calls for Projects currently open.

Call for Projects: Other Funding Opportunities

Call for Projects: Other Funding Opportunities

Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program

Application deadline: January 22, 2025

Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program: The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced the availability of $37.7 million in competitive grant funding for the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program in FY 2025-26. This program offers grants to support local and regional multimodal transportation and land use planning projects that contribute to the state’s climate and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals, improve community accessibility, and benefit under-resourced communities.

The program includes three funding categories:

  1. Sustainable Communities Grants ($29.5 million - $17 million competitive & $12.5 million formula to MPOs) to encourage local and regional planning that supports state goals, implements Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) (where applicable), and to ultimately achieve the State’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 40 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2050, respectively.  Eligible applicants include cities, counties, transit agencies, and Native American Tribal Governments. A minimum 11.47% local match is required, though Native American Tribal Governments may be exempt.
  2. Climate Adaptation Planning Grants ($3.7 million) support local and regional identification of transportation-related climate vulnerabilities through the development of climate adaptation plans, as well as project-level adaptation planning to identify adaptation projects and strategies for transportation infrastructure. Up to $1 million is reserved for projects led by Native American Tribal Governments. A minimum 11.47% local match is required for most applicants, with exemptions for Native American Tribal Governments.
  3. Strategic Partnerships Grants ($4.5 million) funds transportation planning studies in partnership with Caltrans that address the regional, interregional, and statewide needs of the State Highway System, and assist in achieving the Caltrans Mission and Grant Program Objectives. A sub-category funds transit-focused planning projects that address multimodal transportation deficiencies. Eligible applicants include MPOs and RTPAs. A minimum 20% local match is required for most applicants, with the exception of transit projects which require an 11.47% local match.

Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program

Application deadline: January 30, 2025

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the availability of $1.5 billion for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) competitive grants under the Local and Regional Project Assistance Program. Eligible projects include surface transportation infrastructure projects that improve safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism, state of good repair, partnership and collaboration, and innovation. Eligible applicants include states and the District of Columbia; a unit of local government; a public agency or publicly chartered authority established by 1 or more States; port authorities; federally recognized Tribal Governments; transit agencies; and a multi-State or multijurisdictional group of entities. The minimum award size is $5 million in urban areas ($1 million in rural areas) and the maximum award size is $25 million. Federal funding through RAISE may account for no more than 80% of total project costs, except in rural areas, historically disadvantaged communities, and areas of persistent poverty. This grant program supports projects that drive sustainability and equity while promoting innovative solutions to enhance transportation infrastructure across the U.S.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative Grant

Application deadline: January 31, 2025

Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative Grant: Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced an opportunity for cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States with populations of 50,000 or more to apply for Asphalt Art Initiative grants up to $100,000 USD to help improve street safety, activate public spaces, and engage community residents. The Asphalt Art Initiative grant program supports projects that demonstrate the impact of asphalt art and encourages cities to develop their own processes for implementing these low-cost activations effectively. The Asphalt Art Initiative grant program is designed to fund visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities with the following primary goals: 1) Improving street and pedestrian safety, 2) Revitalizing and activating underutilized public space, and 3) Promoting collaboration and civic engagement in local communities. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025. Winning cities are expected to be announced in spring 2025 for projects installing in 2025-26.

Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program

Application deadline: February 24, 2025

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of up to $876 million in competitive grant funds for FY 2024-2025 through the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program, with potential funding for FY 2026. The PROTECT Program funds projects that aim to make surface transportation systems more resilient to natural hazards, such as climate change, sea level rise, heat waves, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters. Eligible projects include planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. The program also seeks to showcase innovation and best practices that can be replicated across the nation.

Grant Categories:

  1. Planning Grants (funding amount unspecified, but likely up to $45 million total): Eligible projects include resilience planning, predesign, design, technical capacity building, and evacuation planning and preparation.
  2. Resilience Improvement Grants (up to $638 million available): Eligible projects involve construction activities to improve the ability of existing surface transportation assets to withstand natural disasters and extreme weather or to increase the resilience of infrastructure to changing conditions, such as sea level rise, flooding, and wildfires.
  3. Community Resilience and Evacuation Route Grants (amount not explicitly capped, but likely around $45 million): Eligible projects include strengthening and protecting evacuation routes, expanding capacity, installing intelligent transportation and communication systems, and ensuring access to critical destinations such as hospitals and intermodal facilities.
  4. At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants (up to $120 million available): Eligible projects address risks to highway and non-rail infrastructure from coastal flooding, erosion, wave action, storm surge, or sea level rise, with the goal of improving safety and reducing long-term costs by avoiding future maintenance or rebuilding expenses.

Eligible applicants include states, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), units of local government, political subdivisions of states, special purpose districts, or public authorities with a transportation function.

Grant awards:

  • Planning Grants have a minimum award of $100,000, with no local match required.
  • For the other categories, the minimum grant award is $500,000, with a 20% local match requirement.
  • There is no maximum grant award for any category.

This funding opportunity is designed to support projects that improve the resilience of critical transportation infrastructure, ensuring continued operation and rapid recovery during and after natural disasters, with a special focus on disadvantaged and rural communities.

Bridge Investment Program

Application deadline: August 1, 2025

Bridge Investment Program: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced the availability of up to $9.62 billion in Large Bridge Project competitive grant funding for FYs 2023-2026 of the Bridge Investment Program (BIP). The program focuses on existing bridges to reduce the overall number of bridges in poor condition, or in fair condition at risk of falling into poor condition. Eligible projects must have already completed preliminary engineering. Eligible applicants include a state or a group of states; a metropolitan planning organization; a unit of local government or a group of local governments; a political subdivision of a state or local government; a special purpose district or a public authority with a transportation function. The minimum grant award is $50 million and the maximum award is 50 percent of the total eligible project costs up to $3 billion. 

Bay Area Vanpool Program

Application period: Continuous

MTC’s recently established Bay Area Vanpool Program is offering direct subsidies to new and existing vanpools, thanks to an infusion of over $9.5 million approved by MTC in July of 2018 for the next five years. Qualifying vanpools that rent their vehicles through Enterprise (the preferred vendor for the Vanpool Program) are eligible for a $350/month subsidy. Vanpoolers can pay for their remaining vanpool costs with pretax dollars, further reducing the cost of their shared commute.

Learn how to join a vanpool, start a new one, or see if your existing vanpool qualifies for the subsidy.
Learn how vanpool groups can apply for subsidies.

Carl Moyer Program

Application Period: Continuous

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has up to $10 million available for the Carl Moyer Program. This program funds equipment or vehicle replacement, engine replacement, power system conversion, and battery charging or fueling infrastructure. It aims to reduce emissions in the communities most impacted by air pollution. Eligible equipment includes:

  • Trucks and Buses
  • Public School Buses
  • Off-road Equipment
  • Agricultural Equipment
  • Marine Vessels and Equipment
  • Locomotives

Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Maximum funding amounts depend on the type of project. Projects required by law or contract are ineligible. Public or private entities that will operate the equipment within the Bay Area may apply. New project types and increased grant amounts are available for the purchase of hybrid, zero- and near-zero-emissions equipment, and for fueling and charging infrastructure as part of alternative-fuel or battery-electric project types.

Community Health Protection Grant Program

Application Period: Continuous

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has up to $40 million available for the Community Health Protection Grant Program, which follows the same guidelines as the Carl Moyer program, with a few caveats, including those projects must be in eligible areas, such as “Eastern San Francisco”. Please see the information for the Carl Moyer Program above, as well as the Air District Community Health Protection Grant Program website for additional information.

Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program

Application Period: Applications accepted on a rolling basis

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced $100 million available for the Expedited Project Delivery (EPD) Pilot Program. The program aims to streamline project delivery of new transit infrastructure and encourages innovative partnerships. State and local government authorities may apply. Eligible projects include fixed guideway capital projects, small start projects, or core capacity improvement projects that have not entered into a full funding grant agreement with FTA. Projects under this program must include public-private partnerships, be operated and maintained by employees of an existing public transportation provider, and have a federal share not exceeding 25 percent of the project cost. 

FTA intends to award up to eight grants under this announcement, subject to funding availability. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified whether their application was approved within 120 days of submittal.

Hybrid Voucher Incentive Program

Application Period: Continuous

The California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Hybrid Voucher Incentive Program (HVIP), provides vouchers to California purchasers and lessees of eligible zero-emission, hybrid and low NOx medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses. The program is meant to accelerate the adoption of clean vehicle technology. Voucher amounts range between $45,000 and $150,000, depending on the vehicle's weight. Increased voucher amounts are available for transit buses and vehicles that provide service in disadvantaged communities. Any purchaser of an eligible vehicle may apply for funding, with a limit of 200 vouchers per fleet. Vouchers are applied at the point of sale. A total of approximately $1.7 billion is available. The funding allocation is broken down into multiple categories:

  • HVIP Standard: $265 million
  • Zero-Emission Public Transit Buses: $70 million
  • Zero-Emission Public School Buses: $135 million
  • Zero-Emission Drayage Trucks: $157 million
  • Innovative Small E-Fleets: $35 million
  • Local Education Agency School Bus Replacement Grants: $1.125 billion, to be awarded in $225 million increments between FY 23/24 and FY 27/28.

Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust — Zero-Emission Class 8 Freight and Port Drayage Trucks Category

Application Period: Continuous

On August 18, 2020, the Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust released the first solicitation for freight and port drayage truck projects. $27 million is available on a first-come, first-served basis to fund the replacement of Class 8 freight trucks (including drayage trucks), waste haulers, dump trucks, and concrete mixers with zero emission technologies. Both public and private entities that own and operate eligible vehicles may apply. The program will fund up to 100% of project cost for government owned equipment and up to 75% of cost for non-government owned equipment. Per piece of equipment, maximum funding is $200,000. 

The program is currently oversubscribed. Applications will continue to be accepted in order to generate a back-up list of applications. Projects placed on the back-up list will only be considered if returned or additional funds become available.

Volkswagen Mitigation Trust — Zero-Emission Transit, School, and Shuttle Bus Program

Application Period: Continuous

The Volkswagen (VW) Mitigation Trust was established as part of a settlement with Volkswagen for using illegal emission testing defeat devices in certain VW vehicles, resulting in excess NOx emissions. $130 million in first come, first served funding is available to replace high-polluting transit and shuttle buses with new battery-electric or fuel-cell buses.  There is no longer funding available for school buses.  Government and non-government vehicle owners as well as agencies that lease or rent applicable buses to third parties are eligible to apply.  The old bus to be replaced must have a fuel type of gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG); an internal combustion engine; and an engine model year of 2009 or older.  The maximum funding per entity is capped at $3,250,000 and the maximum funding level for each vehicle varies based on the bus and fuel types, ranging from $160,000 to $400,000 per vehicle.  Matching funds are required for all non-government owned purchases (at least 25 percent).

Additional Resources

View Caltrans' 2021 Guide to Transportation Funding in California (PDF) for an overview of transportation funding sources and apportionments.

View Caltrans' Division of Local Assistance June 2022 Transportation Funding Opportunities Guidebook (PDF) for information about state and federal funds available for local public agency projects.

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has created a list of programs that may fund active transportation projects and elements, to serve as a resource for cities, counties and agencies looking to fund valuable active transportation projects in their communities.

Contact

For more information or assistance with Prop L or other federal, state, or regional funding opportunities, contact Anna LaForte, Deputy Director for Policy & Programming

Federal Aid Project Delivery

Introduction

This is a resource page for sponsor agencies who currently or potentially may use federal funds to implement their transportation projects in San Francisco, focusing on Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds.

Funding Opportunities

Project Delivery Policies and Status Update Reports

Federal funds come with strict timely-use-of-funds requirements, especially on the obligation and reimbursement, at various levels⁠—federal, state, and regional. It is critical for sponsors to adhere to the requirements to avoid risk of losing funds.

Caltrans Programs and Procedures References

Caltrans, with its delegated authority from FHWA, develops procedures for and conducts review of a majority of FHWA-funded projects. Also see Caltrans District 4 page and the Training Resources section (below) for materials from past training.

  • Local Assistance Program Guidelines (LAPG) provides a description of federal and state programs, including:
    • Introduction/Overview: Ch 1 Introduction/Overview (PDF); Ch 2 Financing the Federal-Aid Highway Program (PDF); Ch 3 Federal-Aid Routes & Functional Classifications
    • Most commonly used funding programs: Ch 4 Surface Transportation Program (STP); Ch 5 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ); Ch 9 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
  • Local Assistance Procedures Manual (LAPM) describes procedures and documents required to use federal and state funds. This link gives a compilation of "packages" required by phase.
    • Introduction/Overview: Ch 1 Introduction/Overview; Ch 2 Roles/Responsibilities
    • Authorization/Agreement/Invoicing: Ch 3 Project Authorization; Ch 4 Agreements; Ch 5 Invoicing
    • Environmental: Ch 6 Environmental Procedures
    • Preliminary Engineering: Ch 7 Field Review; Ch 8 Public Hearings; Ch 9 Civil Rights and DBEs; Ch 10 Consultant Selection; Ch 11 Design Standards; Ch 12 PS&E
    • ROW/Utility Coordination: Ch 13 ROW; Ch 14 Utility Relocations
    • Construction: Ch 15 Advertise and Award; Ch 16 Administer Contracts
    • Completion (and after): Ch 17 Project Completion; Ch 18 Maintenance; Ch 19 Oversight and Process Reviews; Ch 20 Audits and Corrective Actions
    • LAPM forms in word documents
  • Updates

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

Transportation projects that receive federal funds, are subject to a federally required action, or have a regionally significant air quality impact must be included in the TIP. 

2023 TIP update 

Non-exempt project [update to reflect Plan Bay Area 2050]
Primer & latest schedule
General
  • MTC TIP page, including MTC Guide to TIP and TIP revision schedule and status (2023 TIP)
  • MTC Fund Management System (FMS, online database for TIP)
  • FMS Funding Report page, which generates reports showing obligation status by funding program by county
  • Air Quality (AQ) PM 2.5 ("fine particulate matter") Conformity Requirement: MTC, with the help of project sponsors, must conduct a project-level hot spot analysis for "projects of air quality concern."
    • MTC memo (PDF) on quantitative analysis requirement (12-12-11)
    • MTC instruction (PDF) to submit AQ PM 2.5 info (03-08-12, as part of the 2013 TIP Update)

Other Federal and State Agency Resources

Training Resources

FAQ

Contact

Nick Smith, Senior Transportation Planner