Applications are open for the U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) program due September 28, 2023. Last year, the USDOT announced the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) and Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Programs separately. This year, applicants can apply to both programs with one application. Through this new combined application, the federal government hopes to assist applicants with finding the best fit for funding their projects. The RCN Program is a competitive grant program to advance community-centered connection transportation projects, with a priority for projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.  

Applications must be submitted to the Valid Eval website no later than September 28, 2023 at 11:59pm EDT. 

Ideal projects for the RCN program aim to improve access to daily needs for residents, including jobs, education, health care, food, nature, and recreation. Additionally, they address inequities brought on by past transportation projects that cut through communities, isolating residents from opportunities.  

Last year in New Jersey, Long Branch received a Reconnecting Communities Pilot grant to construct a new pedestrian tunnel between the Long Branch NJ Transit rail station and the community. The New Jersey Department of Transportation has also provided funding for this project through the Local Transportation Project Fund (LPTF). The project will include reconfiguring the commuter parking lot to accommodate multi-modal transfers to buses and rideshare services, as well as comfort amenities including landscape improvements and a heated pedestrian overhang for bus service.  

This year, the combination of the RCP and NAE programs into a combined application provides new opportunities for communities to implement this funding. Communities can apply for three types of grants:  

  1. Community Planning grants provide funding for planning activities that support future construction projects. Applicants may submit up to three Community Planning grant applications in this round of funding. 
  2. Capital Construction grants fund projects focused on reconnecting isolated neighborhoods and smaller projects focused on reducing environmental harm and improving access in disadvantaged communities. Applicants may submit up to two Capital Construction grant applications in this round.  
  3. Regional Partnerships Challenge grants offer funding to strengthen partnerships between local governments, metropolitan/regional planning organizations, tribal governments, state transportation departments, and non-government partners. The new funding aims to support these multijurisdictional partnerships to address persistent equitable access and mobility challenges, as well as greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Applicants may submit one Regional Partnerships Challenge grant application in this round.  

Depending on the type of grant, the USDOT may use RCP or NAE funds, and they anticipate the combined application will allow them to better fit applicants to the appropriate funding program. For more information on specific project types and funding availability, see the USDOT website for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program.  

Funding amounts and match vary between the RCP and NAE programs. Of the two, the NAE program focuses more on disadvantaged and underserved communities by including a 40% set-aside for these communities, more flexibility with grant size, and a smaller local match requirement.  

Applicants must provide multiple components to their applications. This includes standard forms, responses to key information questions, a narrative, a budget, and a project location file. The narrative involves providing an overview of the project’s scope, a location description and map, a description of the project’s appropriateness based on the program’s merit criteria, a description of project readiness, and a benefit-cost analysis. More information on the requirements of all application components is provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). 

The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program is designed to provide opportunities for local governments to address local problems of community access, safety, environmental justice, and transportation equity. In addition to the NOFO, the USDOT has also provided opportunities for technical assistance as well as additional resources on their website. Visit the RCN website for more information. 

By Greg Woltman