Funding Opportunities for Municipalities

This edition includes the following upcoming funding opportunities:

• U.S. DOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN)
• U.S. DOT Municipal Project Discretionary Grants – MEGA/Infra/Rural 
• U.S. DOT Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program  
• EPA 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Grant Program
• U.S. DOT Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) 

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 by 11:59 pm on September 28.

U.S. DOT Municipal Project Discretionary Grants – MEGA/Infra/Rural 

Application deadline: August 21, 2023 

This funding source provides a streamlined application process for three grants including large, difficult-to-fund projects, multimodal freight or highway projects of national or regional significance, or expansion of surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas. Eligible projects are conducted for economic, mobility, safety, accessibility, congestion, resiliency, supply and quality of life benefits to the relevant transportation systems. 



The National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) Program provides up to $1.8B for large, complex projects with a minimum project size of $100M that are difficult to fund by other means. There is a minimum non-Federal funding match of 20%. The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program provides up to $3.1B for multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance, prioritizing construction projects. There is a minimum award of $5M and total Federal funding assistance is not to exceed 20%. The Rural Surface Transportation Grant provides up to $675M for projects improving the nation’s rural surface infrastructure. A maximum of 80% or eligible project costs can be from this program – although other federal funds may satisfy the non-Rural share. 

Submit applications through Grants.gov

U.S. DOT Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program  

Application Window Opens: August 14, 2 pm

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, so plan to apply soon after the window opens at 2 pm on Aug 14. 

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

EPA 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Grant Program 

Application deadline: August 22, 2023

This program is available for towns interested in doing their part to combat the climate crisis through reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. The funding source assists municipalities in replacing existing school buses with low and zero-emission (ZE) school buses. Eligible activities include the replacement of existing internal-combustion engine (ICE) school buses with electric, propane, or compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses, as well as the purchase of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) infrastructure and EVSE installations. Funding is anticipated to award up to $400M in this funding round. 



Submit applications electronically through Grants.gov 

U.S. DOT Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) 

Application Deadline: August 18

Improving resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail, is a direct address to the climate crisis facing Connecticut and the Capitol Region in particular. This wide-reaching funding opportunity supports towns in making transportation infrastructure and services more resilient to climate change and extreme weather. Funds may be used to strengthen the transportation system against natural hazards including sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters. Successful projects will center safety, equity, and the resilience of the most vulnerable populations. 



There are four different grant types available through this program. Planning Grants have up to $45M available for developing Resilience Improvement Plans. A minimum award size of $100,000 is suggested, with no maximum. Three types of Resilience Grants are also available, each with a requested minimum award size of $500,000 with no maximum. There is up to $638M available for Resilience Improvement Grants to improve the ability of existing surface transportation to withstand natural disasters, flooding and extreme weather events. Community Resilience and Evacuation Route Grants have up to $45M available for strengthening and protecting evacuation routes. Finally, up to $120M is available for At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants for activities to enhance the resilience of highway and a range of non-rail infrastructure. 

Submit applications electronically through Grants.gov 

Recently Submitted Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Applications 

This year, CRCOG assisted several municipalities with submitting applications for funding through the Safe Streets and Roads for All federal grant. Below is a summary of recent applications: 

• Hartford – Planning & Demonstration Grant for supplemental planning and demonstration activities to: 
• Develop a Strategic Plan to implement priority projects identified in existing transportation plans and initiatives. 
• Conduct a Sidewalk Inventory and Assessment of existing conditions to inform the City’s ADA 504-transition plan to build a safer, more connected pedestrian network. 
• Implement an Automated Traffic Enforcement Pilot Program to address reckless driver behavior.  
• Newington – Planning & Demonstration Grant for a Corridor Study along Cedar Street (Route 175) from the Berlin Turnpike (Route 15) to Fenn Road. 
• Southington – Implementation Grant to construct safety improvements along West Street (Route 229), as recommended in the Corridor Study that was completed in Summer 2022.   
• West Hartford –Planning & Demonstration Grant to implement an automated speed enforcement pilot program, building upon safety planning work being performed by the Town’s Vision Zero Task Force. 
• Wethersfield & Rocky Hill – Planning & Demonstration Grant to conduct a Corridor Study of the portion of Silas Deane Highway (Route 99) from Hartford/Wethersfield Town Line to Parsonage St. in Rocky Hill. 

Request for Project Screening Submissions 

If you’re interested in funding your town’s projects, CRCOG would like to 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. 

Please contact Elizabeth Sanderson with questions, comments or concerns. Thank you!