WalkWorks

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, has released the ninth cycle of funding for the WalkWorks Active Transportation Plan initiative for FY 2025–26. This grant opportunity supports municipalities and planning organizations in Pennsylvania in developing Active Transportation Plans (ATPs) aimed at enhancing pedestrian, bicycle, wheelchair, and public transit access. Funding is made possible through the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Community Conservation Partnerships Program under the Environmental Stewardship Fund. The initiative supports the CDC’s broader strategy to improve community health outcomes through built environment approaches, which emphasize connectivity and access to everyday destinations such as schools, grocery stores, workplaces, and parks. This funding opportunity is designed to foster health equity by investing in planning efforts in communities that experience social, economic, and physical barriers to safe, accessible transportation options. Emphasis is placed on equity-focused infrastructure planning to ensure physical activity is safe and accessible for residents of all ages and abilities, particularly in underserved and historically marginalized populations. Plans may take the form of Active Transportation Plans, Vision Zero Action Plans, Complete Streets Implementation Plans, Safe Routes to School or Parks Plans, or Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plans. All proposals must be submitted by eligible entities, which include municipalities (boroughs, townships, cities, counties) and Metropolitan or Rural Planning Organizations (MPOs/RPOs). Consultants and nonprofits may assist with the application, but only municipalities or MPOs/RPOs may serve as lead applicants and contractual signatories. Priority will be given to applicants located in one of Pennsylvania’s ten SPAN (State Physical Activity and Nutrition) counties or those with a PennEnviroScreen percentile rating above 60. Awards range based on community size and priority status. Non-priority communities are required to provide a 1:1 cash match. Award caps vary as follows: up to $30,000 for communities under 5,000 residents in priority areas; up to $50,000 for those with over 12,500 residents; non-priority areas may only request up to $25,000, with an equal cash match required. Funding is disbursed in two stages: an initial 50% upon execution of the subaward agreement, and the remaining 50% after submission of all receipts and documentation. Applications must be submitted via email or an online portal by 5:00 p.m. on March 21, 2025. An optional informational webinar will be held on February 4, 2025. Questions may be submitted via email to Samantha Pearson at pawalkworks@padowntown.org until 5:00 p.m. on March 7, 2025. Award notifications will be issued by June 16, 2025. The project period is July 2025 through June 2026, with a draft plan due April 30, 2026, and final adoption by June 30, 2026. Grantees are required to participate in bi-monthly calls, submit progress reports, establish a steering committee, and engage community stakeholders in the planning process. Final plans must include specific projects, estimated costs, implementation timelines, policy recommendations, and performance metrics. Grantees must also provide annual updates for five years after project completion. Applications will be evaluated on various criteria, including alignment with existing plans, community demographics and health data, equity considerations, stakeholder engagement, planning context, budget alignment, and evidence of local and regional support. Additional support materials, including letters of support, resolutions, and evidence of planning agency notification, are required as attachments. The initiative is anchored in public health improvement and aims to catalyze long-term transformation of Pennsylvania’s active transportation infrastructure.