Funding Opportunities for Municipalities

This edition includes the following upcoming funding opportunities:

• U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program
• U.S. DOT Thriving Communities Program
• U.S. DOT Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program
• U.S. DOT Bridge Investment Program
• U.S. DOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN)
• U.S. DOT FTA Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Pilot Program
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fiscal Year 2023 Discretionary Funding Opportunities

Vision Zero Webinar, "Step by Step, Lane by Lane"

Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Time: 9 am

Location: Online on Zoom

Join us for our Vision Zero Webinar, “Step by Step, Lane by Lane” and learn why communities are increasingly committing to Vision Zero approaches to eliminate fatal and serious injuries on our roadways. Hear how Jersey City successfully achieved Vision Zero. We’ll be joined by Duane Martin (Town of West Hartford), Mike Moorehouse (FHI Studios), Mike Lydon (Street Plans), and Barkha Patel (Jersey City) for an excellent discussion.

CRCOG BIL Workshop Series: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Time: 8:30 am

Location: CRCOG Board Room, 241 Main St., 3rd Floor, Hartford, CT

Join us for an informational seminar to learn more about electric vehicle charging stations. We will review best practices in siting, design, permitting, and construction as well as explore potential funding sources and incentive programs.

Presentations by industry experts will begin at 9 am. Light refreshments will be provided.

CTDOT National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program Webinars

Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Time: 8 am or 7 pm

Location: Online on Zoom

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is preparing to open a grant solicitation for Phase 1 of Connecticut's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. Phase 1 grants will award funding to applicants working to expand Connecticut's electric vehicle charging network by building a strong, reliable, and accessible fast-charging network along the state's interstate highways.

Two informational webinars will provide stakeholders with guidance about applying for grants. These pre-solicitation webinars will outline the application process, identify the state's criteria for grants, and provide time for Q&A.

U.S. DOT Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART)

Grants Program 

Application deadline: October 10, 2023 

U.S. DOT is now accepting applications for Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping Grants for the SMART Program. Up to $50M is available for Stage 1 demonstration projects focused on innovative solutions that make transportation systems safer and more efficient.

SMART projects must involve at least one of the following eight technology areas:

This round, grant awards must be a minimum of $250,000 and maximum of $2M. Examples of projects that may be eligible for funding are provided here. More information about projects that received awards last year is available here.

Submit applications through ValidEval before the application deadline.

U.S. DOT Thriving Communities Program

NOFO Coming Soon!

Expected Application Deadline: December 15, 2023

The Thriving Communities Program (TCP) aims to ensure that disadvantaged communities have what they need to thrive. Communities that have been adversely or disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health policy outcomes will be offered the opportunity to apply for funding to receive technical tools and organizational capacity to compete for federal aid and deliver quality infrastructure projects.

U.S. DOT expects to award $22M through a total of nine awards with up to five awards for each of the two different types of cooperative agreements:

1. TCP-National Capacity Builder (TCP-N), with award amounts projected to be $4-5 million each
2. TCP-Regional Capacity Builder (TCP-R), with awards amounts projected to be $1-2 million each

Capacity Builder Teams will provide "deep-dive technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities across the U.S. to help ensure these communities 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" (Thriving Communities Program Website).

The Notice of Funding Opportunity will likely be posted on Grants.gov on September 22

U.S. DOT Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program 

Application window: Aug 14 - Sep 27, 2023 

This program provides early-stage development assistance for rural and tribal infrastructure projects. Funds can be used to hire staff, procure advisory assistance for financial, technical and/or legal assistance related to evaluate and develop projects that qualify for certain federal funding and financing programs. There is a state cap of $230,000 for FY2022 funds and $360,000 for FY2023 funds, but no local match is required. 

Funding for projects with this grant is dependent not on the classification of the town but of the project area as rural. If you’re curious about the urban-rural development in your town and whether or not your project qualifies for this grant you may benefit from the US Census TIGERWeb mapping tool. The communities of Andover, Columbia, Hebron, Mansfield, Marlborough, Stafford and Willington are wholly outside of the Hartford Urban Area. 

Application window: rolling Aug 14 – Sep 27, 2023 (via. https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/RuralandTribalGrants) 

Applications will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

More information about this funding source may be found here on the CRCOG website.  

U.S. DOT Bridge Investment Program 

NOFO Coming Soon!

To solve a problem, you must first define it. Using data from the CT DOT Master Bridge List, CRCOG has mapped state and local bridges in the region that may be eligible for funding from the U.S. DOT Bridge Investment Program (BIP).

The maps are available to view on CRCOG's BIL Webpage for the BIP.

Although the BIP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has not been published yet, the maps can be used to guide decisions and plan investments, taking advantage of once-in-a-generation funding while it is available.

If you are interested in applying for federal funding through the BIP, then please contact Elizabeth Sanderson. 

U.S. DOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN)

Application deadline: September 28, 2023 

This funding source is directed towards applicants interested in reconfiguring infrastructure to remove transportation barriers and connect the communities they serve. Projects may target localized transportation challenges, walkability, safety, and improving access, resiliency or planning and building capacity in disadvantaged communities. Specific project examples include public transportation, infrastructure removal, ADA-compliant infrastructure, capping and lids, parks and trails, tree canopy cover improvement, roadway redesigns, complete streets reconversions, and main street revitalizations. 

Towns may be considered for two different grants through this one application, each with a 20% non-federal match minimum (with exceptions). The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program offers nearly $200M in funding for community planning (award of up to $2M) or capital reconstruction (minimum award of $5M). The Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Program has over $3B available in funding for community planning, capital construction, and regional partnerships. There are no minimum or maximum awards, and the non-federal match is reduced for disadvantaged communities. More information about the two grant programs can be found here on the CRCOG website. 

Disadvantaged communities, as identified in the White House Council on Environmental Quality Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST): East Hartford, Enfield, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Vernon. Other tools may be used to determine this. 

Submit applications online through ValidEval (Community Planning or Capital Construction) by 11:59 pm on September 28.

U.S. DOE Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants (UPGrants)

Application deadline: April 30, 2024

The Department of Energy (DOE) is investing $100M over fiscal years 2023 through 2026 for UPGrants. UPGrants are demonstration grants that will allow states, local governments, and public utility or agency entities to procure and use commercial or industrial products that are derived from anthropogenic carbon oxides, which are carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions concentrated through human activity. Through innovation we can support a transition to clean energy, curb climate crisis, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Applicants must submit Concept Papers in advance of submitting Full Applications. 

HUD FY2023 Discretionary Funding Opportunities 

Application deadlines vary by program.

HUD has over 20 discretionary grant programs available that support agency initiatives such as Affordable Housing Development and Preservation, Community and Economic Development, Environment and Energy, Fair Housing, Homelessness, Homeownership, Rental Assistance, Supportive Housing and Services:

Exploring Office to Residential Conversions (HUDRD-EORC)

Deadline: October 12, 2023

FY2023 HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program

Deadline: October 12, 2023

Tenant Education and Outreach

Deadline: October 23, 2023

Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRPE) Elements

Deadline: March 28, 2024

Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRPL) Leading Edge

Deadline: April 30, 2024

Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRPC) Comprehensive

Deadline: May 30, 2024

FY2023 and FY2024 Authority to Accept Unsolicited Proposals for Research Partnerships

Deadline: June 30, 2025

Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY2023 Continuum of Care Competition and Renewal or Replacement of Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Grants

Deadline: September 28, 2023

More information about each program is available on Grants.gov or HUD's Grant Information webpage.

Recent Applications

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

CRCOG and three other Councils of Government (COGs) in northern Connecticut collaborated on an application for a discretionary grant from the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) program.

If awarded, funds will be used to develop a multijurisdictional Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP) for the inland, non-coastal municipalities represented by each COG. The plan will assess and determine the vulnerability and risks to local/municipal transportation infrastructure from major natural events.

Projects referenced in a regional RIP may be eligible for reduced local match requirements for future funding opportunities.

Commentary

As my Minnesota Grandfather would say, there are two seasons in Minnesota: Winter and Construction. Representatives of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) named this the Summer of Infrastructure. Construction projects and grant opportunities are plentiful. The Federal government is prioritizing projects that repair roads, improve safety, and make infrastructure more resilient, all while increasing investments in disadvantaged communities. While welcomed, this influx of federal funding can be overwhelming. At CRCOG we are here to help. Information about many infrastructure programs is provided within this newsletter, on CRCOG's BIL Webpage, and in prior emails you may have received.

This funding is critical for us to build better infrastructure in the communities we live, work, and visit. There are no guarantees, but we remain hopeful that the federal funding programs announced in Year 1 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will return next year, and for more years to come.

If you have questions please contact me. If you missed an opportunity this Summer, like Safe Streets and Roads for All, or another program, let's talk and prepare for next year.

In addition, if you would like CRCOG to feature information about a recent application you submitted or an award for funding that you received, then please contact me.

We look forward to sharing your achievements with others in the region, and to hearing about how your community will take advantage of these funding opportunities while they are here.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Sanderson

CRCOG BIL Coordinator/Principal Program Manager

Request for Project Screening Submissions 

If you’re interested in funding your town’s projects, CRCOG can help! We'll screen your projects and help find available federal funding sources.

Please contact Elizabeth Sanderson with the following information:

• Name of municipality
• Point of contact
• Project description
• Location
• Roadway ownership (does the project involve State Right-of-Way)
• Goals/purpose of project
• Anticipated total cost
• , Amount of funding needed
• Type and source of local match
• Description of preliminary work completed