Federal funding sources for Bicycle-pedestrian investments has changed under the new transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act, known as MAP-21.  The Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and Recr

Transportation Alternatives-The state DOT distributes 50% of the TA money based on population.  Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with a population greater than 200,000 have their own competitive grant process.  Areas with populations below 200,000 petition the state directly for funds in a competitive grant process

The other 50% of TA funds may also be available directly from New York State via a competitive grant process.  Those that are eligible to apply include:

1. Local governments
2. Regional transportation authorities
3. Transit agencies
4. Natural resource or public land agencies
5. School districts, local education agencies, or schools
6. Tribal governments
7. Any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for or oversight of transportation or recreational trails (other than a metropolitan planning organization or a state agency) that the state determines to be eligible, consistent with the goals of this subsection.

To be eligible for TA funding, projects must focus fit into one of these areas:

1. Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nonmotorized forms of transportation, including sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, traffic calming techniques, lighting and other safety-related infrastructure, and transportation projects to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
2. Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure-related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers, including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities to access daily needs.
3. Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, or other nonmotorized transportation users.
4. Construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas.
5. Community improvement activities, including-
   1. inventory, control, or removal of outdoor advertising;
   2. historic preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities;
   3. vegetation management practices in transportation rights-of-way to improve roadway safety, prevent against invasive species, and provide erosion control; and
   4. archaeological activities relating to impacts from implementation of a transportation project eligible under title 23.
   5. Any environmental mitigation activity, including pollution prevention and pollution abatement activities and mitigation to-
      1. address stormwater management, control, and water pollution prevention or abatement related to highway construction or due to highway runoff, including activities described in sections 133(b)(11), 328(a), and 329 of title 23; or
      2. reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality or to restore and maintain connectivity among terrestrial or aquatic habitats.

Recreational Trails Funds- Under MAP-21, the Recreational Trails Program is no longer guaranteed but rather must be opted-in each year.  Thankfully for NYS, Gov. Cuomo has decided to opt-in to the Recreational Trails program for this year.  This means that the program will continue to be funded at 2009 levels.  The program funds trails for recreational modes such as hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding and four-wheel driving.. The program is administered by New York State’s Recreational Trails Program. For more information about the Recreational Trails Program, click here: Coalition for Recreational Trails

CMAQ- Bicycling and walking are cleaner forms of transportation. Because of their positive impact upon air quality improvements, bicycling and walking are eligible for CMAQ funding.

For more information on how to fund bicycle projects through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, Click Here.

Section 402-  The Section 402 Program provides funding for bicycle and pedestrian safety programs. The program is often under-utilized and could provide funding for bicycle safety and education trainings in your community.

For more information on how to utilize the Section 402 funding for bike projects, click here

 

STATE FUNDING SOURCES (from NYSDOT)
Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): A New York State-funded program administered through the NYSDOT to assist localities in financing the construction, reconstruction or improvement of local highways, bridges, highway-railroad crossings and other local facilities.

Smart Growth Initiative : The Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Act went into effect in New York on September 29, 2010 and requires most state agencies and all state authorities, prior to approving of funding any public infrastructure projects, to prepare and file a Smart Growth Impact Statement finding that the project is consistent with 10 Smart Growth Criteria or justifying why it is not practicable to do so.   Federal and state grant may be available to assist local communities to implement Smart Growth principles.

Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs : This is a locally prepared, comprehensive land and water use program for a community’s natural, public, working waterfront, and developed costal area.   It provides a comprehensive structure within which critical coastal issues can be addressed.   This program is administered by the Department of State and provides 50/50 matching grants to local communities from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund’s.

Architecture, Planning and Design program : The New York State Council on the Arts makes over 2500 grants each year to arts organizations in every arts discipline throughout the state.   These grants are used to bring high quality artistic programs to the citizens of the state through supporting the activities of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations.

New York Main Street Program: The Office of Community Renewal administers this program which provides financial resources and technical assistance to communities to strengthen the economic vitality of the state’s traditional main streets and neighborhoods.  This program provides funds to local governments, business improvement districts and other not-for-profit organizations that are committed to revitalizing historic downtowns, mixed-use neighborhood commercial districts and village centers.

 

PRIVATE FUNDING SOURCES
Advocacy Advance Rapid Response Grants- Rapid Response Grants help state and local advocacy organizations take advantage of unexpected opportunities to win, increase, or preserve funding for biking and walking.  These grants, accepted on a rolling basis, are for short campaigns that will increase or preserve the investment in biking and walking in states, MPOs, and cities where program choices are being made on how to spend safety, air quality, bridge, and local highway funding.   More information is available here http://www.advocacyadvance.org/grants

Bikes Belong

The Bikes Belong Grant Program is aimed at providing funding to those who strive to improve bicycling in America through things such as the building of trails and paths, or through promoting general bicycling advocacy and awareness.  Learn more at www.bikesbelong.org

Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

Together on Diabetes:  The initiative will target adult Americans living with type 2 diabetes – both diagnosed and undiagnosed – who are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes. There are three focal points for funding and partnership:

• Help adults living with type 2 diabetes to better self-manage their disease and navigate care with sustained and relevant support for the course of their disease journey
• Build, integrate and coordinate medical, non-medical and policy efforts at the community level, and swell the base of individuals and organizations actively involved in and bringing their know-how, reach, influence and assets to the fight against type 2 diabetes
• An Innovation Fund to radically rethink and test new ideas about how diabetes control efforts are approached, designed, implemented and measured given the current and future scale of the epidemic and the duration of the disease experience.

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

RWJF awards grants for bicycle and pedestrian projects if they can be tied into research or promotion of health and physical activity (an easy connection)

[EXPAND Highway Safety Improvement Program] Funding for bicycle projects can be also provided through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HISP), which aims to  improve roadway for all modes of travel. The program is largely underutilized and can provide funds for bicycle improvements in your community.

For more information on how to utilize the HISP Program for bike projects, Click Here

For more resources on funding programs, click here