Transit-Oriented Communities Grant

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has released the 2025 Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Grant as part of its ongoing effort to promote equitable, mixed-use, and sustainable development near transit facilities in Santa Clara County. VTA, a public agency in California, is offering this competitive grant program to support collaborative projects from public agencies and community-based organizations that foster vibrant, transit-friendly neighborhoods. The TOC Grant aligns with VTA's mission to increase transit ridership, reduce dependence on automobiles, and create accessible, inclusive communities with opportunities for living, working, learning, and recreation within walking or transit distance. The grant is designed to fund projects that remove barriers to achieving safe, healthy, resilient neighborhoods around existing and planned VTA light rail stations, transit centers, and commuter rail stations such as BART, Caltrain, ACE, and Capitol Corridor. These projects must be located within a half-mile radius of these transit hubs. Up to $750,000 is available for distribution, with individual grant awards ranging from $25,000 to $150,000. VTA expects to select 14–20 projects for funding. All projects must begin by the end of 2026, with grant terms ranging from one to five years depending on the program area. Eligible applicants include local agencies with land use or planning authority within Santa Clara County and nonprofit community-based organizations (CBOs) with 501(c)(3) status or a qualifying fiscal sponsor. These applicants must have at least one year of service in Santa Clara County. Applicants must choose one of four funding areas: Planning and Policy Implementation (up to $150,000), Community Resilience (up to $100,000), Education and Engagement (up to $25,000), or Placekeeping, Arts, and Activation (up to $25,000). Local agencies are required to provide a 15% match, which can include in-kind contributions. All applicants must attend one of five pre-application workshops offered between May 13 and May 29, 2025, in either in-person or virtual formats. VTA will offer interpretation services and accommodations upon request. Final applications must be submitted online via the VTA TOC Grant website by 4:00 PM PST on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Applicants may also email required attachments and questions to TOCGrant@vta.org by June 2, 2025. Responses to questions will be publicly shared to ensure transparency. Grant evaluation will be conducted by a panel of multidisciplinary VTA staff and a community representative, who will assess applications based on administrative readiness, alignment with TOC goals, community impact, and strategies for promoting equity and increased transit usage. Applicants will be notified of award recommendations in late July, with final award notifications expected in September 2025. Appeals regarding the selection process must be submitted within seven calendar days of the initial selection notice and may only be based on specific eligibility or process concerns. For further assistance, applicants may contact VTA at TOCGrant@vta.org or call the VTA Community Outreach line at (408) 321-7575 or TTY (408) 321-2330. Additional resources and templates, including eligibility maps and application worksheets, are available on the grant program webpage at www.vta.org/tocgrant.