USDOT awards $21.15 million to improve access to federal funding

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced funding through the Thriving Communities Program to help 64 communities across the country have a fair opportunity to access funding opportunities provided by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

The programme provides two years of no-cost intensive technical assistance to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities to help identify, develop and deliver transportation projects that strengthen communities.

In the first year of this programme, a large proportion of the communities that have been selected had submitted previous applications for federal funding that had been unsuccessful in large part, as they did not have the same resources to complete their applications. Thus, the Thriving Communities Program will grow the pipeline of communities that can successfully compete for federal funding. 

The funding will help the selected communities to get technical assistance for a variety of tasks – from preparing application materials and pre-development activities, to deploying innovative community engagement, workforce development and clean technology strategies. Interested communities had also submitted Letters of Interest for support and had been selected through a competitive process. 

“The historic investments we are making in America’s infrastructure must reach the communities that need them the most,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With the new Thriving Communities Program, we are helping under-resourced communities better access federal funding for transportation projects that will create jobs, improve safety and strengthen their economies.”

USDOT awards more than $94 million through SMART Grants Program

The programme has prioritised the selection of disadvantaged communities – especially small, rural, and Tribal communities – that are working to advance projects to improve health outcomes, reduce housing and transportation cost burdens and improve housing conditions, preserve or expand jobs, as well as increase reliable mobility options for disadvantaged communities and households.

“Growing an inclusive and stable economy requires technical assistance that helps communities develop and advance projects that connect people to the resources they need,” said Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Christopher Coes. 

Selected communities will be grouped into four ‘Communities of Practice’ that have been identified by USDOT based on their unique technical assistance needs. 

USDOT’s technical assistance is part of the Thriving Communities Network, an interagency initiative among the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Commerce and Agriculture, as well as the General Services Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Each agency in the Thriving Communities Network is committed to co-ordinating and collaborating to ensure federal place-based technical assistance and capacity building resources are delivered to communities experiencing a history of economic distress and systemic disinvestment.