Federal funding opportunities now available

The state’s Office of Federal Funds and Infrastructure is highlighting the following six funding opportunities open to municipalities, with applications due between July and September:
• Pilot Program for Transit Oriented Development, which provides funding to communities to integrate land use and transportation planning around a new fixed guideway or core capacity improvement project (Applications due July 22.)

• Broadband Technical Assistance, which provides competitive cooperative agreement funding to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training that promotes the expansion of broadband in rural areas (Applications due Aug. 20.)

• Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, which supports publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in urban and rural areas, and Alternative Fuel Corridors through two funding categories of grants: Community Charging and Alternative Fueling Grants (Community Program), and Charging and Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program) (Applications due Aug. 28.)

• Safe Streets and Roads for All, which supports planning and demonstration activities, including projects and strategies to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, users of public transportation, personal conveyance and micromobility options (e.g., scooters, skateboards, roller skates, wheelchairs), motorists, and commercial vehicle operators (Applications due Aug. 29.)

• Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which funds projects that seek to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. (Applications due Sept. 4.)

• National Culvert Removal, which seeks to to meaningfully improve or restore anadromous fish passage through the replacement, removal or repair of culverts or weirs, which may include infrastructure to facilitate fish passage around or over the weir and weir improvements (Applications due Sept. 23.)

In addition, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Reconnecting Communities Program’s Capital Construction Grants and Community Planning Grants. The program funds projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access or economic development. Applications are due Sept. 30.

Federal funding bill
The Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office offers support to municipalities in pursuit of federal grants, which includes posting grant announcements and leading a monthly virtual Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership meeting.

The Healey-Driscoll administration and the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office have been advocating for the creation of a Commonwealth Federal Matching and Debt Reduction Fund to provide a funding source for the state and communities to be used to meet the required local match for grants. A federal funding bill filed by Gov. Maura Healey last October would leverage up to $750 million in interest generated annually by the state’s stabilization fund to capitalize the matching fund. Healey’s bill would also provide $12 million for technical assistance to help municipalities with grant tracking, grant writing and implementation.

The Senate approved the federal funding bill on Jan. 11, and the House approved its version on Feb. 28. The two bills have small differences awaiting resolution in a conference committee, which includes Sens. Michael Rodrigues, John Cronin and Patrick O’Connor and Reps. Aaron Michlewitz, Jack Lewis and Mathew Muratore.