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Apply for a community transit grant
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Community Transit Grant Program
The Details of Apply for a community transit grant
Overview for Apply for a community transit grant
The FY24 vehicle cycle is now open. All applications are due on December 22, 2023. The FY24 Community Transit Grant Program Operating and Mobility Management cycle closed for applications June 23, 2023.
FY24 Community Transit Grant Program Vehicle Cycle
Thank you for your interest in applying for a fully accessible van through MassDOT’s Community Transit Grant Program. Through this program, MassDOT seeks to expand mobility for older adults and people with disabilities across the Commonwealth through filling gaps in the transportation network, complementing – not duplicating – existing services, and supporting coordinated models of transportation.
- This year we are using an online application form. Applications are due Friday, December 22.
- Register for an application training. We will hold virtual application trainings on November 28 (10am-noon) and November 30 (1-3pm). Each will cover the same content, so you can choose whichever works better for your schedule. Trainings are required for new applicants and recommended for all. Reach out to us at Rachel.L.Fichtenbaum@dot.state.ma.us or (857) 368-8584 if you are unable to attend one of these sessions.
- For more detailed instructions, please refer to our FY24 Community Transit Grant Program Vehicle Application Guidebook.
- Learn about the vehicles available through our FY24 Community Transit Grant Program vehicle guide.
- Prepare your application. Scroll down to "Application Questions and Forms" for a list of the questions you will be asked, and to download the forms you will need to fill out. The online application has three parts:
- Answer a series of questions about your organization
- Upload forms & additional documentation
- Answer a series of questions about EACH vehicle you are requesting
Important: as you will not be able to save your work and come back to it, we recommend preparing your answers for all the questions before you fill out the application.
How to apply Apply for a community transit grant
- First, review the "Application Questions and Forms" section below and prepare your responses.
- Then, complete and submit your online application.
Application Questions and Forms for Apply for a community transit grant
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Questions about your organization
- Your organization’s name
- Whether your organization is an RTA, municipality/COA, nonprofit, or for-profit company
- Whether you are interested in CNG or propane vehicles (RTAs only)
- Are you prepared to pay 20% of the cost of any awarded vehicles upon delivery? (RTAs will not see this question as they do not have to pay match)
- Please calculate the estimated amount of local match due if awarded your full request (RTAs will not see this question as they do not have to pay match)
- What type of funds will you use to pay the 20%? (RTAs will not see this question as they do not have to pay match)
- Contact person’s name
- Contact person’s email
- Have you previously received vehicles through the Community Transit Grant Program? (yes or no)
- Total number of vehicles requested
- Find your region's Coordinated Human Service Transportation (CHST) plan. What page(s) of your region’s Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan reference the need for the service(s) you will provide with the vehicles you are requesting? Please list the region, year the plan was updated, and page number.
Forms to upload
Download these forms, fill them out, and then upload them as part of your application.
- Organizational forms packet (eligibility, civils rights, organizational profile) – basic information about your organization. RTAs do not have to fill out the organizational profile section
- Application narrative – explaining why you need the vehicles and how you will use them
- Active fleet inventory form (required for municipalities, nonprofits, and for-profits; optional for RTAs) – information about your current fleet
- Electric vehicle form (if your request includes any electric vehicles)
Open PDF file, 604.93 KB, FY24 CTGP vehicle application - organization forms (English, PDF 604.93 KB)Open DOCX file, 36.58 KB, FY24 CTGP vehicle application - project narrative (English, DOCX 36.58 KB)Open XLSX file, 26.57 KB, FY24 CTGP vehicle application - active fleet inventory form (English, XLSX 26.57 KB)Open DOCX file, 35.48 KB, FY24 CTGP vehicle application - EV interest form (English, DOCX 35.48 KB)Additional documentation to upload
- Local match letter (required for municipalities, nonprofits, and for-profits) – please submit a letter on letterhead attesting that you have the funds to pay the 20% local match. Please calculate the total local match for your request and include this number in the letter
- Sample lease – Applicants planning to lease out the requested vehicle should upload a draft lease
- Most recent financial audit (required for nonprofits and for-profits only)
- Letters of support (optional)
Additional documentation required for new applicants
- Organization Chart
- Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual
- Certification Documents:
- For Non-Profit Organizations: private non-profit organization status documents – either a certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation or IRS 501(c)(3) federal income tax exemption letter.
- For Governmental Authorities (which can include City, County, Town and Tribal Governments including other related public bodies and Tribal community agencies) providing transportation service to seniors and/or persons with disabilities because no private non-profit organizations are readily available in the service area: Governmental Authority Certification Documents (i.e. contact letters, support letters, outreach materials, coordination plan meeting minutes, etc.) to verify that your organization is the only entity in the service area willing to provide the specific service requested and that there are no non-profit organizations readily available in the area to provide the needed service.
Vehicle questions
You will be asked these questions for EACH vehicle you are requesting:
- Type (see our vehicle guide for information about each Type)
- Will the vehicle be leased out?
- If so, please list the entity you will lease the vehicle to.
- What cities and towns will be served by this vehicle?
- Will this vehicle be shared with another organization or town? (Yes, occasionally, no but open to it, no)
- If granted, will this vehicle be used to replace an existing vehicle that will be disposed, or to expand your fleet?
- For a replacement, please list the VIN, year, and mileage of the vehicle to be replaced, as well as the reason for replacing the vehicle (total loss in an accident, has met useful life, other)
Additional EV resources for Apply for a community transit grant
Applicants considering applying for an electric vehicle (EV) may also be interested in the following resources from other organizations and agencies:
- MassCEC - grants such as ACT4All, and technical assistance such as Mass Fleet Advisor
- DOER programming
- Green Communities - grants and technical assistance for municipalities
- Leading by Example - grants & technical assistance for state agencies, public colleges, Regional Transit Authorities
- MOR-EV - rebates for purchase of EV
- MassDEP programming
- Programming through utilities
- Federal USDOT/USDOE resources
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Charging Forward
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Resources and Best Practices for a Zero Emission-Workforce Fleet Transition Plan
Application instructions for Apply for a community transit grant
Open PDF file, 312.59 KB, FY24 CTGP vehicle cycle - application guidebook (English, PDF 312.59 KB)Open PDF file, 1.55 MB, MassDOT Fully Accessible Vehicle Guide (English, PDF 1.55 MB)Contact for Apply for a community transit grant
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