Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants - Strategic Partnerships

The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program, initiated by the California Department of Transportation, aims to enhance the state's multi-modal transportation system while addressing climate change. Funded by Senate Bill 1, it allocates approximately $25 million annually to support local and regional planning initiatives. The program emphasizes partnerships with Metropolitan Planning Organizations and offers grants ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, fostering strategic projects that improve transportation infrastructure and promote sustainable communities.

The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program was created to support the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) Mission: Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment. The California Legislature passed, and Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed into law, Senate Bill 1 (SB 1, Beall, Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017) – The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, a transportation funding bill that provides a reliable fund source to maintain and integrate the State’s multi-modal transportation system. In addition to the $9.5 million in traditional State and federal grants, approximately $25 million in SB 1 funds for Sustainable Communities Grants is available for each grant cycle.
The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program includes:
Sustainable Communities ($29.5 million) to encourage local and regional planning that supports state goals, implements Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) (where applicable), and to ultimately achieve the State’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 40 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2050, respectivelyClimate Adaption Planning Grants ($3 million) support local and regional identification of transportation-related climate vulnerabilities through the development of climate adaptation plans, as well as project-level adaptation planning to identify adaptation projects and strategies for transportation infrastructureStrategic Partnerships Grants ($4.5 million) to identify and address statewide, interregional, or regional transportation deficiencies on the State highway system in partnership with Caltrans. A sub-category funds transit-focused planning projects that address multimodal transportation deficiencies
Only Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies may apply as primary grant recipients.
Funding
Grant Minimum:$100,000 - Grant Maximum:$500,000.