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Funding Resources/Updates

This page provides updates and resources related to the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) — signed into law on November 15, 2021.  

The NJTPA has a central role in ensuring that North Jersey can take full advantage of the funding and programs in the Act. In particular, the Act provides much needed funding to repair and improve road, rail and bridge infrastructure in the region. To be eligible for this funding, all projects will have to be approved by the NJTPA Board for inclusion in the region's Transportation Improvement Program or TIP.

The Act also offers a host of funding opportunities for local governments to improve mobility for residents which can bolster local economies and quality of life (see resources below). As the region's Metropolitan Planning Organization, the NJTPA can assist in coordinating and helping with grant applications and submissions, including:

  • Providing letters of support indicating that proposed activities are consistent with the region's long range transportation plan, Plan 2050
  • Providing data on regional travel or directing applicants to appropriate data sources
  • Providing information on related or complementary activities in the region
  • Providing assistance on strategies to address planning issues, conduct outreach and assess equity and environmental impacts
The NJTPA urges local governments or other organizations to contact the NJTPA and keep us informed regarding proposed applications for IIJA funding. This will ensure all concerned parties throughout the region can support and coordinate activities and realize the greatest benefits for the region's residents. 

Register to apply for Federal grants — A SAM registration is required for any entity to bid on and get paid for federal contracts or to receive federal funds. These include for-profit businesses, nonprofits, government contractors, government subcontractors, state governments, and local municipalities. Guidance and information on grants is at Grants.gov


Latest Developments

Please check our calendar for information about upcoming webinars. If a grant no longer appears on the below list, the deadline to apply has passed. However, you can still find information about the various programs under the Resources and Links section.

February 21, 2024 - Safe Streets and Roads for All now open for applications.  USDOT announced that applications are being accepted for the Fiscal Year 2024 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. It funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent deaths and serious injuries on our nation's roadways. Numerous grants have been received in New Jersey in the past under the program. According to the Notice of Funding Opportunity, Planning and Demonstration Grant applicants can apply to three upcoming rounds of funding, with the following deadlines: April 4, May 16, and August 29, 2024. Implementation Grant applications must be submitted by May 16, 2024 with a possibility of resubmission by August 29.  A series of webinars on SS4A funding are planned.

December 20, 2023 - Bridge Investment Program “Planning” and “Bridge Project” grants announced - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $9.7 billion in multi-year funding to improve the nation’s bridges through the competitive Bridge Investment Program’s “Planning” and “Bridge Project” categories. The application deadline is Mar 19, 2024. “Planning” grants are for planning, feasibility analyses, and revenue forecasting associated with the development of a project; and,“Bridge Project” grants are for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, and protection projects with total eligible costs of $100 million or less. The NOFO includes updated merit criteria as well as updated application templates. FHWA plans to conduct outreach regarding the Bridge Investment Program “Planning” and “Bridge Project” grants via a virtual recorded Webinar which will be available on FHWA's Website. Also available is Technical assistance to recipients who receive Bridge Investment Program grants.

December 11, 2023 - Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grants announced - The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that 22 cities and municipalities in New Jersey were awarded grants for safety planning under SS4A. One town (Hammonton) received a grant for implementation. The list of planning awards is here. The New Jersey grant awards, totaling $6.7 million, were among 48 implementation grants focused on safety projects and strategies, and 337 grants for planning and demonstration activities awarded nationwide to help prevent deaths and serious injuries on the nation's roadways. The NJTPA is also working with counties in its region to develop Local Safety Action Plans to enable them to better address local needs and qualify for future SS4A implementation funding.

February 28, 2024 (deadline) - Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) - The U.S. Department of Transportation  announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $1.5 billion in grant funding through RAISE discretionary grant program for 2024.  The deadline for applications is February 28, 2024. The program helps communities around the country carry out road, rail, transit and port projects with significant local or regional impact. Half of the funding will go to projects in rural areas, and half of the funding will go to projects in urban areas. In 2023, RAISE funding supported 162 projects in all 50 states. At least $15 million in funding is guaranteed to go towards projects located in Areas of Persistent Poverty or Historically Disadvantaged Communities, and projects located in these areas will be eligible for up to 100 percent federal cost share, as directed by Congress in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The RAISE program has previously been called the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) programs.


Webinar Recordings: Identifying Discretionary Grant Opportunities — This May 22, 2023 webinar showcased the USDOT Discretionary Grants Dashboard, a tool that makes it easier to search for and find grant opportunities depending on the type of project you have, your organization type, and other considerations like match requirements.  It was a follow-up to a February 8 webinar featured staff from across the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) highlighting several resources created to help potential grant applicants to navigate different funding opportunities.

Matrix of competitive grant programs — USDOT and FHWA continue to update this matrix which illustrates grant programs broadly, organized by applicant type, and lists grant programs (rows) which can be matched with the potential applicant (column) the program can fund.

Anticipated dates for upcoming funding opportunities — USDOT continues to update this list of anticipated dates for upcoming NOFOs for key programs within the BIL and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), as well as related programs. This list is not comprehensive and will be updated periodically with additional programs and revised dates as appropriate.
 

Resources and links

Reconnecting Communities

This program has become part of a consolidated: Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program.

USDOT announced a joint Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) and Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) programs, which will combine two major discretionary grants into one NOFO. The application deadline was September 28, 2023.  Together, this combined program will be known as the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program.  Many projects may be eligible and considered for both component grant programs using a single application. Among the shared goals of the two component programs are: reconnecting communities by addressing transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity; fostering equitable development and restoration; improving access to jobs, education and other destinations; and prioritizing disadvantaged communities. Webinar recordings are available here
 
Safe Streets and Roads Grants
RAISE Grant
Multimodal Project Grant (MPDG)
Other Grant Programs
Federal Guidance
Federal Agency Websites
Other Info/Resources/Links