This newsletter provides news, award announcement, and open funding opportunities related to discretionary grants outlined in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), a historic $1.2 trillion federal investments in infrastructure. Many programs were designed and tailored to state and local and governments and represent a generational opportunity to return competitive funding home.  

We want to hear from you! 

Click below to fill out a short survey to help us understand your grant needs. With your feedback to date, we've learned you would like additional technical assistance, so we've developed a pre-recorded webinar that will be posted to our website in May. Keep the feedback coming! Additional resources will be developed based on your submissions. 

Thriving Communities Program (TCP) Award

• April 7, 2023
• $2 million was awarded to Baltimore City Department of Planning under the Complete Neighborhoods category.
• Efforts will be focused in Fayette Street Outreach, Franklin Square, Midtown-Edmondson, Rosemont, and Boyd Booth, all neighborhoods that have been victims of harmful historic policies and are immediately adjacent to the West Baltimore MARC Station.
• Amtrak has a multi-billion-dollar plan to build two new tunnels adjacent to the station, which will expedite travel along the Northeast Corridor. 
• While this represents a major opportunity, TCP support is needed to increase community capacity in coordination with Baltimore agencies to stimulate economic growth and transit-oriented development while not displacing residents.  
• In total, $21.15 million in first-found funding for the TCP was announced.

Bridge Investment Program (BIP) Award (Federal Highway Administration)

• April 13, 2023
• $72 million was awarded to the District of Columbia (D.C.) to replace and rehabilitate the Arland D. Williams Memorial Bridge. 
• The award will support improvements on the I-395 northbound portion of the bridge, which carries almost 90,000 vehicles per day, including more than 3,500 trucks. Many commuters from Southern Maryland utilize this bridge daily for the commute into the District.
• In total, almost $300 million was awarded to nine states and jurisdictions across the United States.  
   

Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (Environmental Protection Agency)

• April 13, 2023
• 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) selected in partnership with the U.S. Department of Environment to receive $177 million to help underserved and overburdened communities across the country.
• The National Wildlife Federation has partnered with academic and NGO’s within Maryland (Centro De Apoyo Familiar, South Baltimore Community Land Trust, Sussex Health & Environmental Network/Sentinels of Eastern Shore Health) and will receive $12 million.
   

We want to congratulate the recipients and remind any intended applicants to continue to reach out to us in the future.  

BAB: Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program - Due on May 30, 2023

ARC: Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) - Applications accepted on a rolling basis but reviewed quarterly until funding is expended. Next round is due May 31, 2023.

FHWA: Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program - Due May 30, 2023

HUD: Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants - Due June 6, 2023

DOL: Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program - Due July 7, 2023

• Prospective Applicant Webinar and Frequently Asked Questions

U.S. DOT: Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program - Due July 10, 2023.  

• SS4A funds two categories of grants: planning and demonstration grants for roadway or bicycle-pedestrian safety action plans and pilot projects and implementation grants that fund roadway and bicycle-pedestrian safety projects identified on USDOT-approved safety plans. All political subdivisions of Maryland as well as the MPOs are eligible to apply. For more information on evaluation criteria and award amounts, visit the US DOT SS4A webpage. Maryland is actively engaged on Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) technology (cav.mdot.maryland.gov). The SS4A grant program can be used for CAV-related projects. 
• Implementation Grants Webinar - May 2, 1:30 - 3:00 PM

FHWA: Wildlife Crossing Program - Due August 1, 2023

FHWA: Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program - Due August 18, 2023

• How to Apply Webinar - May 8, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
• How to Apply Webinar - May 11, 1:00 - 2:00 PM

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is still inviting local governments to request technical assistance for its Thriving Communities technical assistance (TCTA) Program. Units of Local Government can request technical assistance using this form.  

On April 4, 2023, HUD announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants, a $10 million program which broadly supports neighborhood revitalization plans around three focus areas: neighborhood improvement, human capital/capacity (people), and housing. A broad range of activities are eligible for future implementation funding once a comprehensive plan is developed and approved. The maximum allowable award to support planning activities is $500,000. A future round of funding for implementation projects will be announced later. Applications are due on June 6, 2023.

On April 26, the Build America Bureau issued a $24 million Notice of Funding Opportunity to its regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program. The grants assist entities in developing improved infrastructure priorities and financing/funding strategies in a specific region for projects that are eligible for financial/credit assistance through the Bureaus programs. All public agencies and levels of government are eligible to apply on behalf of a region. Grants are due within 30 days of publication on Grants.gov.  

EPA: Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) Program - Due May 31, 2023 

This Snapshot of BIL Discretionary Grant Applications provides a searchable spreadsheet of all eligible applicants, both awarded and not awarded, for the FY 2022 rounds of U.S. DOT Office of the Secretary programs.  

The Build America Center (BAC) will mobilize the use of innovative financing, funding, project delivery, procurement, and contracting solutions to foster new approaches to transportation infrastructure development and delivery through the creation of a knowledge hub, spurring innovation with cutting edge research, collaborative partnerships, and the development of an academy to deliver innovative education and training plus tailored technical assistance.

Check out the “U.S. DOT Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Year Ahead Checklist” to see how your community can get ready to apply successfully for the many discretionary grant programs.

If you are representing a local entity and interested in receiving a letter of support from MDOT for a current or anticipated project, please fill out this request form. We will need at least two full weeks upon receiving the information to route for signature. 

U.S. DOT will host its second Navigator webinar in May to highlight resources and opportunities related to technical assistance at the Department. The webinar will be scheduled soon – stay tuned for more details! 

Please visit the MDOT IIJA Federal Discretionary Grant Information website to learn more and sign up to receive future IIJA Federal Discretionary Grant newsletters by clicking the button below or email MDOTTSOOPCP@mdot.maryland.gov with any questions.