Federal Regulations

About NJTPA > Federal Regulations > IIJA Info-Resources Print

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.

March 14, 2023: Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program Announced  -  This is a new competitive grant program to strategically deploy Electric Vehicle charging and other alternative vehicle-fueling infrastructure projects in publicly accessible locations in urban and rural communities, as well as along designated alternative fuel corridors. It is a $2.5 billion, five-year program. Cities, counties and local governments are eligible to apply.  The first round of funding will make $700 million available, with applications due by May 30, 2023. Links to the Notice of Funding Opportunity and webinars scheduled for March 21 and 22 are on the program webpage.  

February 17, 2023: Webinar Recording: Preparing for Upcoming DOT Discretionary Grant Opportunities - This 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. This includes tools available on the DOT Navigator – the Department’s one stop shop for technical assistance. The session also spotlighted several funding opportunities at USDOT that are currently accepting applications to expand transportation opportunities to urban, rural, and Tribal communities.

February 1, 2023: North Jersey receives six Safe Streets for All Action Plan grants -  U.S. Department of Transportation announced $800 million in grant awards for 510 projects through the new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program. Nine Action Plan grants went to New Jersey including six in the North Jersey region.  A list of New Jersey grants is here.   

January 11, 2023: Anticipated dates for upcoming funding opportunities - USDOT published a list of anticipated dates for upcoming Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for key programs within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (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.

January 10, 2023: Transit grants for areas of persistent poverty announced - The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is making $20 million available in FY 2023  for planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans in “Areas of Persistent Poverty” or “Historically Disadvantaged Communities." The deadline for applications is March 10.  Eligible activities include new transit routes; engineering for transit facilities and improvements to existing facilities; innovative technologies; planning for low or no emission buses; planning for a new bus facility or intermodal center that supports transit services; integrated fare collections systems; or coordinated public transit human service transportation plans, among others. State departments of transportation may apply on behalf of eligible applicants, including partnerships with non-profit organizations. Three webinars on the program are scheduled in February.

December 14,  2022: FY 2023 RAISE Grant Funding Opportunity Released. USDOT has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program with a deadline of February 28, 2023. Grants can be used to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. The RAISE website includes updated infomation including How to Apply. The RAISE program has previously been called the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) programs. Additional information is available in the RAISE section below.

August 23:  USDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have updated its matrix of competitive grant programs. The matrix 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.

May 19: Technical Assistance Guide for Infrastructure Resources — The White House released a technical assistance guide to help state and local governments navigate, access, and deploy infrastructure resources in the IIJA. It identifies over $700 million in dedicated funding across more than 65 technical assistance programs.  The announcement of the Guide includes links to non-governmental resources and assistance including:  Local Infrastructure Hub;  Accelerator for America and Climate Jobs National Resource Center.

April 22: Summary of Federal Funding for EV Charging Infrastructure — This 16-page publication summarizes the various federal programs that fund and support expansion of electric vehicle charging, focusing on the National Highway System.

April 21: Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) — This new program provides $6.4 billion in formula funding for states and localities over five years. It will fund a wide range of projects designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from on-road highway sources — from installing infrastructure to support the electrification of freight vehicles or personal cars, to constructing Bus Rapid Transit corridors, to facilitating micro-mobility and biking. Under the CRP, states must also develop carbon reduction strategies in consultation with Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
 

Resources and links

 

Reconnecting Communities
 
  • The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program aims to help reconnect communities that were previously cut off from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure. Funding supports planning grants and capital construction grants, as well as technical assistance, to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation, or replacement of eligible transportation infrastructure facilities. Additional information is available in the NOFO. The deadline to apply for FY 2022 funding was October 13.
    • On September 9, USDOT posted information about non-federal match requirements for the Reconnecting Communities Program. The new webpage includes general information about program grants, federal assistance, match requirements, eligible funding sources for the non-federal match requirement, and examples of eligible and ineligible expenses under the program. 
Safe Streets and Roads Grants
RAISE Grant
Multimodal Project Grant (MPDG)
Other Grant Programs
Federal Guidance
Federal Agency Websites
Other Info/Resources/Links