The spreadsheet below summarizes federal programs that support the planning or implementation of projects that promote sustainable communities. The spreadsheet covers programs at the United States Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration (DOT and FTA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and sometimes other agencies. Programs focus on such areas as transit, community planning, affordable housing finance, technical assistance, research, and capital infrastructure investments. The spreadsheet includes eligibility requirements and program descriptions. For more information on an individual program, click on the link or go to www.grants.gov to start an application.
(last updated 6/6/2022)
See the column “NOFA” for recent Notices of Funding Availability. Scroll to the right in the spreadsheet to see links with full program information. See links below the spreadsheet for larger views and to download. View notices of funding from past years here.
Note: To see an expanded record for a program, hover over the space to the left of the Program and click the diagonal arrows.
The federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, includes infusions of new funding for several existing programs. To find out more visit these pages:
Federal Transit Administration;
Department of Housing and Urban Development;
Small Business Administration.
The Small Business Administration COVID-19 support is also available to non-profit organizations. Also follow the link to LISC below for additional information about small business support funded through existing federal stimulus bills.
At HUD, programs such as Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) receive increased funding. Also read this summary, from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, of the bill’s provisions related to housing and homelessness.
FTA is allocating $25 billion to recipients of urbanized area and rural area formula funds, with $22.7 billion to large and small urban areas and $2.2 billion to rural areas. Funding will be provided at a 100-percent federal share, with no local match required.
In addition, please visit these pages for local and national COVID-19 information and resources:
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
American Public Transit Association (APTA)
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG)
SPARCC
Up for Growth
American Planning Association
The federal grants spreadsheet is an update of one of the most popular resources maintained on the Reconnecting America website. Rail~Volution keeps access available to the Reconnecting America site through an agreement with the Natural Resources Defense Council. In 2018, Rail~Volution embarked on the process of updating the sheet, which had not been updated since 2013. Over the course of 6 months our intern researched programs to determine which are still authorized and update the information. We also began tracking and sharing new Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA).
Please help us maintain this spreadsheet. We would appreciate feedback, including errors or opportunities we might have missed. We also are interested in hearing how grant recipients are using the federal funding they receive. Please send your comments about any of these topics to this email address: hilaryr@railvolution.org.