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 investment in infrastructure. Many programs were designed and tailored to state and local governments and represent a generational opportunity to return competitive funding home.

June Updates

Work with MDOT

We want to support you! Reach out to discuss your capital priorities, federal funding opportunities, and how we can work together. Contact us at MDOTTSOOPCP@mdot.maryland.gov.

New Grants Overview Webinar Available 

With your feedback to date from the Grant Needs Survey, we've learned you would like additional technical assistance. We've developed a pre-recorded webinar that discusses applying for federal grants, including the process, tips, guidance, and how we can work better together. More resources and webinars are in the works!

Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) Program Grant Award - May 25, 2023

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration awarded the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) a $11.9 million Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) program grant to improve safety and mobility along the Eastern Shore. MDOT received the largest ATTAIN grant this round for its Rural Opportunities to Use Traffic Technology Enhancements (ROUTE). MDOT SHA will use the funding to deploy new technologies and traffic sensors for traffic prediction, signal timing, curve warning, and other messaging to improve safety and mobility along 113 miles of US 50.

10 Tips for Putting a Successful Federal Grant Application Together Webinar

Join BAC on June 14 at 1 PM EST for the "10 Tips for Putting a Successful Federal Grant Application Together" webinar. With historic federal investments in infrastructure, this webinar will help prepare potential applicants within the state of Maryland for grant application development.  

HUD: Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants - June 6, 2023 

FHWA: Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grants - Amended Due Date June 13, 2023  

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

• Webinar: Prospective Applicant Webcast

FRA: Interstate Rail Compacts Grant Program - Due July 10, 2023

USDOT: Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program - Due July 10, 2023

• View presentation slides and recordings from the webinar series here.
• Office Hours: Implementation Grant Applicants - Project Area Fatalities and Serious Injuries - June 2, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
• Office Hours: All Applicants - Calculating Percentage of Population in Underserved Communities - June 5, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

DOE: Ride and Drive Electric - Concept paper due June 16, 2023

DOE: Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding - Concept paper due June 26, 2023

FAA: Airport Improvement Program Discretionary Program - Due July 14, 2023

FHWA: Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program - Due July 26, 2023 (extended)

FHWA: Wildlife Crossings Program - Due August 1, 2023

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

• FHWA encourages applicants to use the application checklist when preparing their application.

EPA: Clean School Bus (CSB) Program Grants - Due August 22, 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 August 31, 2023. 

HUD: Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) Program - Request technical assistance using this form.  

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

The USDOT released the Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer and accompanying Story Map to support the agency’s implementation of the Justice40 initiative. Its purpose is to provide a deeper understanding into how communities experience transportation disadvantage to help ensure the benefits of investments address the transportation-related causes of disadvantage.  

The USDOT released an update to the Rural Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Toolkit titled, "Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure." This much-anticipated update includes new information from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act along with greater focus on Tribal communities and expanded content on electric transit, micromobility, and accessible design.

View the Maryland Department of Planning’s blog article regarding SS4A here. Sign up to receive the Planning Practice Monthly newsletter here.  

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

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.