Opportunity Information: Apply for DOT RCP FY24 01

The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), issued through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The program is designed to help communities that were cut off or harmed by past transportation investments, especially major highways and other large facilities that created physical barriers. A central focus is improving connectivity and access for disadvantaged communities so residents can more easily reach everyday destinations such as jobs, schools, healthcare, grocery stores, and recreation. In practical terms, the program supports projects that stitch neighborhoods back together and remove or reduce transportation-related obstacles that limit mobility, opportunity, and local economic development.

Funding under this NOFO covers fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026 and is awarded on a competitive basis. USDOT is looking to fund both planning and construction work that directly advances reconnection. Eligible project approaches include removing, retrofitting, mitigating, or replacing highways, roadways, or other infrastructure that functions as a barrier. This can include efforts that physically reconnect street networks, improve safe crossings, redesign corridors to reduce divisive impacts, or otherwise restore access between places that were separated by past infrastructure decisions.

The program includes two main grant types with statutory size parameters from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Community Planning Grants are intended to help applicants develop plans, designs, analyses, community engagement processes, and project development work that lead to future capital investments; the maximum award for a Community Planning Grant funded with RCP dollars is $2 million. Capital Construction Grants support on-the-ground construction activities, and the minimum award for a Capital Construction Grant funded with RCP dollars is $5 million. The NOFO lists an award ceiling of up to $100,000,000, and USDOT anticipates making around 100 awards, indicating the program can range from smaller planning efforts to large, transformational construction projects depending on the application and category.

Eligible applicants include a broad set of public and mission-driven entities: state governments, counties, cities or townships, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in that nonprofit category). The administering office is within USDOT under the Office of the Under Secretary for Policy (Agency code 69A345). The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 20.940.

Applications are not submitted through Grants.gov for this opportunity. Instead, USDOT is directing applicants to submit through Valid Eval, using separate portals for the Capital Construction application and the Community Planning application. At the time of the notice, the signup links were not yet active, with USDOT indicating a brief delay. Prospective applicants are instructed to monitor the "How to Apply" page on the Reconnecting Communities website and to subscribe to email updates so they can access the portals as soon as the links go live.

The deadline is firm: applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Monday, September 30, 2024. Late applications will not be accepted, so applicants should plan for internal approvals, required attachments, and submission steps well in advance. The opportunity number for this solicitation is DOT RCP FY24 01, and it was created on July 3, 2024.

  • The 69A345 Office of the Under Secretary for Policy in the iij sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.940.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-03.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-30. (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 $100,000,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program (USDOT) - FAQs

What is the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program?

The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program is a discretionary, competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), issued through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). It supports projects that help reconnect communities that were cut off or harmed by past transportation investments, especially major highways and other large transportation facilities that created physical barriers.

What problem is this program trying to solve?

The program targets transportation infrastructure that functions as a barrier between neighborhoods and everyday destinations. Its focus is improving connectivity and access, particularly for disadvantaged communities, so residents can more easily reach jobs, schools, healthcare, grocery stores, recreation, and other routine needs.

What kinds of projects does RCP fund?

RCP funds planning and construction work that directly advances reconnection. Eligible approaches include removing, retrofitting, mitigating, or replacing highways, roadways, or other infrastructure that divides communities. Examples described in the NOFO include physically reconnecting street networks, improving safe crossings, redesigning corridors to reduce divisive impacts, and restoring access between places separated by past infrastructure decisions.

Does this program fund both planning and construction?

Yes. USDOT is seeking to fund both planning and construction activities, as long as the work directly supports reconnection outcomes.

What are the two main grant types?

The NOFO describes two main grant types: Community Planning Grants and Capital Construction Grants. Each has statutory size parameters established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

What is a Community Planning Grant under RCP?

Community Planning Grants are intended to support planning and pre-construction work that leads to future capital investments. This can include plans, designs, analyses, community engagement processes, and other project development activities.

What is the maximum award for a Community Planning Grant?

The maximum award for a Community Planning Grant funded with RCP dollars is $2 million.

What is a Capital Construction Grant under RCP?

Capital Construction Grants support on-the-ground construction activities that implement reconnection projects, such as removing or rebuilding divisive infrastructure and restoring connectivity.

What is the minimum award for a Capital Construction Grant?

The minimum award for a Capital Construction Grant funded with RCP dollars is $5 million.

What is the largest award amount available under this NOFO?

The NOFO lists an award ceiling of up to $100,000,000.

How many awards does USDOT expect to make?

USDOT anticipates making around 100 awards under this opportunity.

What fiscal years does this funding cover?

This NOFO covers funding for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Is this a competitive opportunity or formula funding?

This is a competitive, discretionary grant program. Awards are made on a competitive basis under the NOFO.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include state governments; counties; cities or townships; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in that nonprofit category).

Are nonprofit organizations eligible?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible, except that higher education institutions are excluded from that nonprofit category (public and state-controlled institutions of higher education are listed separately as eligible).

Which USDOT office is administering this opportunity?

The administering office is within USDOT under the Office of the Under Secretary for Policy (Agency code 69A345).

What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this program?

The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 20.940.

What is the opportunity number for this solicitation?

The opportunity number is DOT RCP FY24 01.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on July 3, 2024.

How do applicants submit an application?

Applications are not submitted through Grants.gov. USDOT is directing applicants to submit through Valid Eval, using separate portals for the Capital Construction application and the Community Planning application.

Are the Valid Eval application links available now?

At the time of the notice, the signup links were not yet active, and USDOT indicated there would be a brief delay.

Where should applicants look for the application portal links and instructions?

Applicants should monitor the "How to Apply" page on the Reconnecting Communities website and subscribe to email updates to access the portals as soon as the links go live.

What is the application deadline?

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Monday, September 30, 2024.

Are late applications accepted?

No. The deadline is firm, and late applications will not be accepted.

What should applicants do to avoid missing the deadline?

Applicants should plan ahead for internal approvals, required attachments, and the submission steps, especially because submissions go through Valid Eval (not Grants.gov) and portal availability was expected to go live after a brief delay.

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