Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), through its Division of Transportation Planning, administers the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program. This program is supported by both state and federal funds, including Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) revenues, which provide reliable funding to maintain, modernize, and integrate the state’s multimodal transportation system. The grant program is structured to further the mission of Caltrans, which is to improve lives and communities through transportation, while advancing state priorities such as greenhouse gas reduction, safety, sustainability, equity, and climate adaptation. The program offers two primary categories of funding: Sustainable Communities and Strategic Partnerships. Sustainable Communities grants are designed to support local and regional multimodal transportation and land use planning that furthers Regional Transportation Plan Sustainable Communities Strategies or Alternative Planning Strategies. These grants also emphasize projects that address the needs of under-resourced communities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve equity and health outcomes. Strategic Partnerships grants, funded by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, support studies in collaboration with Caltrans to address regional, interregional, or statewide transportation issues, including transit-specific projects. Funding for Fiscal Year 2026-27 includes approximately $30 million in state-funded Sustainable Communities grants and $4.5 million in federal-funded Strategic Partnerships grants. Within Sustainable Communities, $17.5 million is allocated for competitive grants, $12.5 million is distributed to Metropolitan Planning Organizations through a formula process, and sub-allocations are reserved for technical projects and Native American Tribal Governments. For Strategic Partnerships, $1.5 million supports highway system-focused studies and $3 million supports multimodal transit planning efforts. Grant amounts vary by category, ranging from $50,000 to $700,000 for Sustainable Communities and $75,000 to $500,000 for Strategic Partnerships. Eligible applicants vary by funding type. For Sustainable Communities competitive grants, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, cities and counties with compliant housing elements, transit agencies, Native American Tribal Governments, and other public transportation entities may apply. Sub-applicants may include community-based organizations, nonprofits, universities, and public entities. Strategic Partnerships grants are open to MPOs, RTPAs, and transit agencies as primary applicants, with universities, nonprofits, local governments, and other entities eligible as sub-applicants. Local match contributions are required: 11.47 percent minimum for most Sustainable Communities and Strategic Partnerships – Transit projects, and 20 percent minimum for Strategic Partnerships highway projects. However, Native American Tribal Governments are exempt from the match requirement, and Complete Streets-related applications may request a waiver. Applications must be submitted electronically via the Smartsheet platform by November 21, 2025. Hard copies will not be accepted. Applications must include a completed cover sheet, scope of work, cost and schedule, and supporting materials such as letters of support, safety or travel data, and maps or graphics. While not required, supplemental documentation can strengthen the application. All application materials must be compiled into a single PDF under 25MB for submission. Caltrans encourages early coordination with district staff, and technical assistance is available throughout the application period. Applications will be evaluated in a two-tiered review process. First, Caltrans district staff review submissions for completeness, alignment with regional and state priorities, and eligibility. The most competitive applications are then advanced to interagency review committees composed of representatives from Caltrans, federal agencies, and state departments such as Housing and Community Development, Public Health, and the California Air Resources Board. Evaluation criteria include how well the project meets specific program objectives, addresses equity and sustainability goals, and demonstrates clear scope, cost, and schedule planning. Past performance by prior Caltrans grantees will also be considered. Award notifications are expected in summer 2026. Conditional awardees will participate in teleconferences to finalize conditions of acceptance, which may include revisions to strengthen public engagement or housing coordination elements. Projects are expected to begin in November 2026, with an end date of June 30, 2029. All final requests for reimbursement and final deliverables must be submitted by August 29, 2029. Contacts for technical assistance include Kevin Mariant, Grant Management Branch Chief, at Kevin.Mariant@dot.ca.gov, and Paul McDougall at the Department of Housing and Community Development for housing-related eligibility questions at Paul.McDougall@hcd.ca.gov. This program is competitive and requires careful planning, community engagement, and strong alignment with both state and federal transportation goals for a successful application.

Integrate program considerations (GHG reduction, equity, housing coordination), engage under-resourced communities, include tailored letters of support, coordinate with Caltrans district staff