Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2021 007 TPE
The FY 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Route Planning Restoration Program is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). It makes a total of $25,000,000 available in FY 2021 to fund transit planning efforts that help agencies restore, redesign, or refine routes and service in ways that improve how well transit works for riders. The program is listed under Federal Assistance Listing (FAL) 20.505 and is aimed at planning projects, not large-scale capital construction.
The core purpose of this opportunity is to support planning that leads to better transit service outcomes. FTA highlights two main types of planning goals that projects should address. First, projects can focus on increasing ridership and reducing travel times, as long as the plan maintains or expands the overall amount of service provided during the planning period, measured in vehicle revenue miles. Second, projects can focus on service adjustments that improve equity outcomes by increasing the quality and/or frequency of service for low-income riders and for disadvantaged neighborhoods or communities. In practice, this means FTA is looking for planning that results in either more useful and efficient service without shrinking total service, or service changes that meaningfully improve the experience and access for riders in communities that are often underserved.
Awards are made competitively, meaning applicants are ranked against each other rather than receiving funds by formula. The opportunity anticipates about 25 awards, and the listed award ceiling is $1,000,000 per award. That ceiling indicates the maximum expected amount for any single recipient under this notice, which helps applicants size their planning scope realistically relative to the funding available.
Eligible applicants include a range of public-sector governmental entities that commonly plan and provide transit service. Specifically, eligibility covers state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments (which often include transit authorities); and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is transportation, with an emphasis on planning activities tied to route and service design.
Key administrative details in the source information include the opportunity number (FTA 2021 007 TPE) and the timeline. The notice was created on September 14, 2021, with an original application closing date of November 15, 2021. Applicants would typically be expected to submit a proposal describing the planning work to be performed, how it aligns to one of the program’s stated objectives, the anticipated outcomes (such as travel time improvements, ridership impacts, or service quality/frequency improvements for targeted communities), and how the agency will ensure the planning process leads to implementable service decisions.
Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as support for transit agencies and local governments to do the analytical and community-focused planning work needed to redesign bus or rail routes, adjust schedules and frequencies, and improve network performance, while either protecting/expanding total service levels or intentionally strengthening service for low-income riders and disadvantaged communities.Apply for FTA 2021 007 TPE
- The Department of Transportation, DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Route Planning Restoration Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.505.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 14, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 15, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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Route Planning Restoration Program (FY 2021) - FAQs
What is the FY 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Route Planning Restoration Program?
It is a discretionary (competitive) grant program run by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund transit planning efforts that restore, redesign, or refine routes and service so transit works better for riders.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
A total of $25,000,000 is available in FY 2021 for this competitive funding opportunity.
Is this funding awarded by formula or competition?
Awards are made competitively, meaning applications are ranked against each other rather than distributed by formula.
About how many awards does FTA expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates about 25 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $1,000,000 per award, indicating the maximum expected amount for any single recipient under this notice.
What is the main purpose of the Route Planning Restoration Program?
The program supports planning that leads to better transit service outcomes, including planning to improve ridership, reduce travel times, and/or improve equity outcomes through service quality and frequency improvements for low-income riders and disadvantaged communities.
What kinds of projects are intended to be funded (planning vs. construction)?
The opportunity is aimed at planning projects and transit planning efforts, not large-scale capital construction.
What planning goals does FTA emphasize for this program?
FTA highlights two main goal categories: (1) planning that increases ridership and reduces travel times while maintaining or expanding overall service during the planning period (measured in vehicle revenue miles), and (2) planning that improves equity outcomes by increasing the quality and/or frequency of service for low-income riders and disadvantaged neighborhoods or communities.
What does "maintains or expands overall amount of service" mean in this notice?
For the ridership and travel time-focused planning goal, the plan is expected to maintain or expand the total service provided during the planning period, measured in vehicle revenue miles.
What does the program mean by equity-focused service adjustments?
Equity-focused planning under this opportunity refers to service adjustments that improve equity outcomes by increasing the quality and/or frequency of service for low-income riders and for disadvantaged neighborhoods or communities.
What types of transit changes might be addressed through this planning support?
The notice describes planning work to redesign bus or rail routes, adjust schedules and frequencies, and improve network performance, with an emphasis on producing implementable service decisions.
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments (often including transit authorities), and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
Which federal agency administers this opportunity?
The U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), administers this grant competition.
What is the Federal Assistance Listing (FAL) number for this program?
The program is listed under Federal Assistance Listing (FAL) 20.505.
What is the opportunity number for this notice?
The opportunity number is FTA 2021 007 TPE.
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The activity category is transportation, with an emphasis on planning activities tied to route and service design.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on September 14, 2021.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was November 15, 2021.
What should an application generally describe for this program?
Applicants would typically be expected to describe the planning work to be performed, how it aligns to one of the program objectives, the anticipated outcomes (such as travel time improvements, ridership impacts, or service quality/frequency improvements for targeted communities), and how the agency will ensure the planning process leads to implementable service decisions.
What outcomes does FTA mention as examples of anticipated results?
The notice references outcomes such as travel time improvements, ridership impacts, and service quality and/or frequency improvements for targeted communities.
Does the program focus on improving transit for riders?
Yes. The stated intent is to fund planning efforts that improve how well transit works for riders by restoring, redesigning, or refining routes and service.
Is the program specifically oriented toward route and service planning?
Yes. The program is best understood as support for analytical and community-focused planning needed to redesign routes, adjust schedules and frequencies, and improve network performance.
How does the award ceiling affect project scope planning?
Because the ceiling is $1,000,000 per award, applicants can use that as a guide for sizing the scope of their planning work realistically relative to the maximum expected funding for a single recipient.
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