USDOT announces new, $30 million technical assistance and capacity building opportunity for local governments Counties are directly eligible to apply to USDOT as both recipients and providers of technical assistance over a two-year period
On October 6, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the availability of funding through the new Thriving Communities program. The program, which was established by the FY 2022 omnibus, will provide up to $25 million through USDOT for eligible entities, including counties, interested in offering and/or receiving technical assistance (TA).
Over two years, the program will provide in-depth TA to counties and other eligible entities struggling with staffing and resource shortages by funding “capacity builders” who will assist communities selected by USDOT throughout the process of a federal grant application. A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for capacity builders is open now through November 22, 2022.
USDOT anticipates entering into three or more cooperative agreements with capacity builders funded in the range of $3.5 to $6 million. The NOFO identifies three cohorts the department will use to organize the TA needs of different communities:
- Main Streets focuses on interconnected transportation and other related issues within tribal and rural communities (defined as outside an urbanized area with a population under 50K)
- Complete Neighborhoods focuses coordinating transportation with housing, economic development (must be covered by a Metropolitan Planning Organization)
- Networked Communities focuses on communities located near major transportation assets, like ports and rail facilities, to address issues of mobility, access, housing and others
Alternatively, to apply for assistance through the program, counties may submit a letter of interest by December 6, 2022. Counties are eligible both as recipients and providers under the program at a 100 percent federal cost share for covered activities.
County officials, who are investing billions in infrastructure provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, welcome efforts by our federal partners to improve local competitiveness for federal grant funds. This unique opportunity will enable counties to not only provide critical assistance through partnerships to entities in need, including other counties, it will also provide access to in-depth, hands-on TA from qualified experts for small, rural or otherwise disadvantaged communities. To learn more about the Thriving Communities program, visit USDOT’s program page.
