U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on July 5th that the Department of Transportation is now taking applications for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program.
Available funding announced includes:
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$198 million for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, of which:
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$148 million is for Capital Construction Grant funds; and
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$50 million is for Community Planning Grants, including funding for technical assistance.
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$3.155 billion for the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program, of which the Department expects to award up to:
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$135 million to Community Planning Grants;
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$2.57 billion to Capital Construction Grants; and
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$450 million to Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants, designed to incentivize regions to come together to leverage both federal, state, and regional funding and policies to tackle problems.
In addition to the funding announcement, the Department of Transportation has entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to coordinate technical assistance efforts to plan and build infrastructure that reconnects and improves access, especially for marginalized communities. The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm EDT on September 28th, 2023, Applicants may find the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods NOFO, Frequently Asked Questions, and other helpful resources here.