Joint NOFO for two U.S. DOT Discretionary Grant Programs Coming Soon

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it will soon release a joint Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that combines the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) and Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) programs. The RCP was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the NAE was established under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The combination of the two discretionary grant programs will be known as the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Grant Program. Even though it will be a single NOFO to provide a more efficient application process for project sponsors, the programs remain separate for the purposes of award since they share characteristics like prioritizing disadvantaged communities; aiming to improve access to daily needs (e.g., jobs, education, food); and reconnecting communities that have been negatively impacted by transportation related barriers. Click HERE for the bulletin announcement and HERE for the RCN Program where additional information on how to apply and FAQs will be posted.