Public Transit & Shared Mobility

Local governments, public housing authorities, redevelopment successor agencies, transit agencies or transit operators, RTPAs, local Transportation Commissions, Congestion Management Agencies, JPAs, school districts, facilities districts, university or community college districts, developer or program operators, and federally recognized Native American tribes.

Integrated land use and transportation projects supporting low-carbon transportation options, including affordable housing, active transportation and transit projects and programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and benefit disadvantaged communities.

The most recent application cycle closed in June 2021.

$405 million is available for Round 6. The maximum award amount is $30 million (no more than $60 million to a single developer per funding round), with a minimum of $1 million for TOD, ICP, and RIPA Project Areas.

26 out of 55 proposals funded in Round 5 (FY 2019/2020).

Applicants must be eligible FTA grantees as of April 21, 2021. Applicants must either be the project sponsor of an eligible transit capital project or an entity with land use planning authority in an eligible transit capital project corridor. Only one application per transit capital project corridor may be submitted to FTA.

Plans which integrate new fixed guideway or core capacity transit capital investments into land use and transportation plans, examine economic development and ridership, foster multimodal connectivity and accessibility, improve transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, enable mixed-use development near transit stations, engage the private sector, identify infrastructure needs, and enable mixed-use development near transit stations.

The most recent application cycle closed on June 21, 2021.

$10 million available in the current funding round (2021). Award amounts range from $250,000 to $2,000,000.

9 projects were accepted in 2020. 1 of the projects was in California.

Government entities, nonprofits, and California Native American Tribes. Other organizations may partner as sub-applicants.

Zero-emission car-sharing and ride-sharing, bike-sharing, and innovative transit services like demand-responsive transit in California’s historically under-served communities.

Applications for eligible Mobility Project Voucher projects are currently being accepted for tribal entities only on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications for Mobility Project Voucher projects for all other applicants closed in October 2020.

$19 million was available for the 2020 application window with $1 million for a new local Clean Shared Mobility Project and $600,000 for expansion of an existing project.

This is the first round of the Voucher Pilot Program. 24 out of 41 eligible proposals for the Community Transportation needs Assessment Vouchers (CTNA) were funded (2020).

Current recipients and subrecipients of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s Formula Grants for Rural Areas (Section 5311)

Projects that develop or strengthen transportation partnerships that improve social determinants of health in rural and tribal communities.

The most recent application period closed on May 10, 2021.

Maximum grant award of $100,000.

Designated recipients that allocate funds to fixed-route bus operators, states, or local governmental authorities that operate fixed-route bus service, and Native American tribes.

Buses and bus facilities capital projects, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing or leasing buses or related equipment, and rehabilitating, purchasing, constructing or leasing bus-related facilities.

Applications are typically accepted on an annual basis. The most recent application period closed in April 2020.

$454.6 million (FY 2020). In 2019, the smallest awarded was $54,000 and the largest award was $17.275 million.

96 projects were funded in 49 states and territories. 5 projects were funded in California (2020).

Public transportation systems, operators of transportation, state or local government entities, consultants, research consortia, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education.

Projects that will improve transit services or facilities in areas of persistent poverty through planning, engineering, or development of technical, or financing plans for projects.

The most recent application period closed in June 2020.

A total of $8,460,386 million was awarded in 2020, with a minimum award of $75,000 and a maximum award of $850,000.

25 projects were funded in 2020, 3 of the projects are from California.

A nonprofit or for-profit Developer of a Qualifying Infill Project; a city, county, city and county, public housing authority, or redevelopment agency and/or successor agencies that have jurisdiction over a Qualifying Infill Area applying jointly with an “owners’ association,”; the governing body of an Indian reservation or rancheria that has jurisdiction over a Qualifying Infill Area or a Tribally Designated Housing Entity that is the Developer of a Qualifying Infill Project.

Construction of new infill development and rehabilitation of infrastructure that supports higher-density affordable and mixed-income housing including but not limited to active transportation, parks and open space, stormwater, street repair, transit, and water-related improvements.

The most recent application period closed on July 12, 2021.

$160 million available for Round 7 (2021). For Qualifying Infill Projects, the minimum grant award is $1 million ($500,000 for rural areas) with a maximum of $7.5 million. For Qualifying Infill Areas with over 200 units, the minimum grant award is $2 million ($1 million for rural areas) with a maximum of $30 million.

21 proposals funded in Round 6 (FY 2019/2020).

Public transit agencies including cities, counties, MPOs, and regional transportation planning authorities that operate transit service, that are designated Transportation Development Act (TDA) recipients, and that have been included in the State Controllers Office list of approved agencies.

Transit agency operating and capital expenditures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility, with a priority of serving disadvantaged communities.

The most recent Allocation Request period closed in April 2021.

$146 million available (FY 2019/2020). Eligible agencies receive 50% of funding as a proportion of population size and 50% based on fare revenue.

Funding is provided on a non-competitive basis through formula grants. 181 projects were funded (FY 2018/2019).

States, local government entities, Native American tribes, and designated recipients.

Purchase or lease of low or no emission buses and related equipment, facilities, workforce development and training.

The most recent application window closed in April 2021.

$180 million is available for FY 2021.

41 proposals funded nationwide. 1 out of the 45 selected proposals was from the State of California (2020).

Federally recognized tribes. However, tribes that are not federally recognized remain eligible to apply to the state as a subrecipient for funding under the State’s apportionment.

Planning, capital improvement projects, and, in limited circumstances, operating assistance for tribal public transit services.

A call for proposals is announced annually. The most recent application period closed August 24, 2020.

$5 million is awarded annually. There is a $25,000 cap on planning grant awards. FTA has the discretion to cap capital and operating awards.

39 applications were awarded funding in 2019. 2 applications awarded funding were from California.

State and local government entities, counties, Native American tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities, and MPOs.

Roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects.

The most recent application period closed on July 12, 2021.

Maximum of $100 million awarded each year to the State of California with a maximum grant award of $25 million per project. Up to $30 million is available for planning grants, including at least $10 million to Areas of Persistent Poverty.

58 proposals were funded (2020). 2 out of the 58 proposals were awarded to applicants in California (2020).

Lead applicants include community-based organizations, federally recognized Native American tribes, and local governments. There must be at least a lead applicant and one sub applicant, either of which must include at least one local government and one community-based organization.

Active transportation, fixed-route transit, and shared mobility projects that increase transportation equity in disadvantaged communities.

The most recent application period closed on August 31, 2020.

$17.75 million is available for up to 3 implementation grants that benefit disadvantaged communities in the current funding round (2019/2020).

This is the first funding round for this program. Therefore, information regarding competitiveness is not currently available.

Lead applicants include community-based organizations, federally recognized Native American tribes, and local governments. There must be at least a lead applicant and one sub applicant, either of which must include at least one local government and one community-based organization.

Community and stakeholder engagement for new or existing clean transportation planning, operations, or infrastructure projects, land use or transportation-focused plan development, capacity building to implement new or enhance existing clean transportation planning, operations, or infrastructure projects that increase transportation equity in disadvangated communities.

The most recent application period closed on August 31, 2020.

$1.75 million is available for planning and capacity building grants in the current funding round (2019/2020).

This is the first funding round for this program. Therefore, information regarding competitiveness is not currently available.

MPOs and RTPAs. Transit agencies, universities and community colleges, Native American Tribal Governments, local governments, counties, CBOs, nonprofits, and other public entities may apply as sub-applicants.

Planning projects that address needs on the State Highway System and multimodal transit planning projects.

Applications are typically accepted on an annual basis, with a call for proposals announced in late summer followed by an application deadline in fall. The most recent application period closed in February 2021. Awards are anticipated to be announced in June 2021.

$1.5 million for state highway system projects and $3 million for transit projects (2020/2021), with a minimum of $100,000 ($75,000 for rural RTPAs for transit projects) and a maximun of $500,000 per award.

11 out of 14 proposals funded (FY 2020/2021).

MPOs.

Local and regional multimodal transportation and land use planning projects that further the region’s RTP SCS (where applicable), contribute to the State’s GHG reduction targets, and assist in achieving the Caltrans Mission and Grant Program Objectives. Formula funding may also be used to administer a regional competitive grant program.

Applications are typically accepted on an annual basis, with a call for proposals announced in late summer followed by an application deadline in fall. The most recent application period closed in February 2021. Awards are anticipated to be announced in June 2021.

$12.5 million will be distributed to the MPOs on a formula basis. Formula grant allocations are listed in section 3.5 of the guidelines.

This program provides formula funding. See Section 3.5 of the guidelines for formula grant allocations by MPO.

CBOs, local governments, nonprofits (including coalitions of associations), philanthropic organizations and foundations, faith-based organizations, community development finance institutions, community development corporations, JPAs, and Native American tribal governments. There must be a minimum of one lead applicant, in addition to co-applicants.

Applicants must implement at least three projects associated with the following strategies: equitable housing and neighborhood development, affordable housing land acquisition, transit access, and mobility, solar installation and energy efficiency, water efficiency, recycling and waste management, urban greening and green infrastructure, land conservation, health and well-being. The list of eligible activities and fundable elements are defined in Appendix B of the Round 3 Program Guidelines.

Funding is typically available on an annual basis. The most recent application period closed in March 2020.

$56.4 million total for two grant awards of $28.2 million for Round 3 (FY 2019/2020)

3 out of 4 proposals funded in Round 3 (2019/2020).

Construction authorities, transportation authorities, and JPAs.

Rail, bus, and ferry transit systems that reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.

Applications are accepted on an annual basis. Typically, a call for proposals is announced in the fall, followed by an application deadline in January. The most recent funding cycle closed in January 2020.

$500 million was awarded in Cycle 4 (2019/2020). Approximately $3 billion will be distributed over the next 10 years.

17 out of 45 proposals funded (2020)

Developers, local governments, and transit agencies.

Low-interest loans and grants for the development of housing and related infrastructure near public transit stations.

The most recent application window closed in July 2020.

$161 million was available in the most recent funding round (2020).

21 proposals funded in round 4 (2021).