The Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is releasing the Transit-Oriented Communities Grant to seek proposals from Santa Clara municipalities, jurisdictions, arts, cultural, education, nonprofit, and other community organizations to support VTA’s vision of equitable Transit-Oriented Communities.
The goal is to grow innovative and robust partnerships between VTA and local public agencies, nonprofit, community organizations, and other diverse stakeholders to strengthen communities, increase transit ridership, reduce the need for car trips, and support intensive mixed-use, mixed-income development around light rail stations and transit hubs. Selected projects will be collaborative across community and/or local government partners and remove barriers to creating safe, walkable, healthy, resilient, and thriving neighborhoods next to transit.
VTA will fund $750,000 in total to eligible applicants. Through a competitive process, 14-20 projects are expected to be selected to receive up to approximately $15,000 to $175,000. Selected projects are planned to commence between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
2024 Transit-Oriented Communities Grant Application
Applicants are encouraged to download application materials and apply for the 2024 Transit-Oriented Communities Grant on VTA’s e-procurement portal.
Download the 2024 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Package for VTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities Grant. The NOFA Package contains the following documents: Notice of Funding Availability, Attachment A: Grant Application Resources, Attachment B: Grant Application Form, Attachment C: Evaluation Criteria.
- 2024 Notice of Funding Availability for VTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities Grant (English)
- Aviso de disponibilidad de fondos par VTA TOC Para 2024 (Spanish)
- 2024 년 VTA 의 TRANSIT-ORIENTED COMMUNITIES (TOC) 보조금에 대한 자금 가용성 여부 공지(Korean)
- 2024 年 VTA 公交站點社區 (TOC) 可用撥款資金通知 (Traditional Chinese)
- Thông Báo về Khả Năng Tài Trợ 2024 cho Khoản Tài Trợ Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) của VTA (Vietnamese)
- 2024 Pabatid sa Availability ng VTA TransitOriented Communities (TOC) Grant (Tagalog)
View the tutorials on how to translate web pages through Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Tagalog to assist in applying for a VTA Transit-Oriented Communities Grant through our e-procurement portal.
VTA does not endorse any specific PDF reader, however, if you do not have access to a specific PDF reader, you can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader from their website at get.adobe.com/reader.
Pre-Application Workshop
Applicants are required to attend a pre-application workshop or review a recorded workshop before applying.
At each workshop, staff will review the guidelines and demonstrate the online application system, OpenGov®. Additional information sessions to address application questions will be held.
On May 1, 2024, VTA held online Pre-Application Workshops. You can download the presentations and watch the recorded meetings via YouTube:
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Presentation 5-1-24
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Video 5-1-24
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Presentation 4-25-24
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Video 4-25-24
Questions
Applicants can access application materials and find the latest updates, including Addenda, Official Notices, and a comprehensive Question & Answer section, on VTA's e-procurement portal.
The program email address is tocgrant@vta.org.
Grant Eligibility
Check if the location of your project is eligible for the grant. Funding is limited to projects within one-half mile of existing and planned VTA light rail stations, VTA transit centers and commuter rail stations served by Caltrain, ACE, and/or Capitol Corridor within Santa Clara County.
Eligibility Map
Grant Program Areas
Planning and Policy Implementation
Advancing adoption and implementation of policies, plans and regulations to enable equitable Transit-Oriented Communities
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Undertaking Station area plans leading to adoption
- Transit access planning and evaluation of mobility needs
- Equitable development and implementation plans
- Technical assistance and support for local agency staff to advance alignment with Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Transit-Oriented Communities Policy
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $175,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 2 to 3 local agencies
Community Resilience
Supporting community organizations in playing greater roles in implementing equitable transit-oriented communities
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Implementation of anti-displacement efforts, including activities that advance acquiring, rehabilitating or preserving affordable housing, and housing preservation pilot projects
- Small business and commercial preservation and support
- Technical assistance and support for planning, development and implementation of equitable transit-oriented communities
- Programs that encourage and facilitate use of transit and other active transportation modes
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $100,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 2 to 3 community organizations
Education and Engagement
Increasing community leadership and participation to adopt and implement Transit-Oriented Communities policies, plans and regulations, and increasing support for equitable, culturally relevant engagement practices
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Advocacy campaigns for Transit-Oriented Communities-supportive policies and investments
- Community-based capacity building through the use of Promotores(as)
- Translation and interpretation services
- Food and childcare at community meetings
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $27,500
Anticipated Number of Awards: 4-5 applications
Placemaking, Arts, and Activation
Improving the transit rider and community experience through publicly accessible arts and culture projects right next to transit stations/stops that reinforce local culture, history or value, and/or community beautification that enhances the safety and accessibility of transit
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Place-based arts and culture projects within the public realm that enhance station areas and community culture and identity, such as murals and public art adjacent to transit
- Universal/inclusive signage design
- Projects that improve access in transit station area with a focus on pedestrian experience, such as crossing guards, park/trail clean-ups, graffiti-removal
- Festival-style events, such as outdoor street festivals or performances
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $15,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 6 to 8 applications
Application Requirements
For All Applicants
- Name
- Contact information
- Organization
Project
- Title of project
- Location in relation to existing and planned VTA light rail stations, VTA transit centers and commuter rail stations served by Caltrain, ACE, and/or Capitol Corridor within Santa Clara County
- Grant Program Area (A, B, C, D)
- Staffing Plan and summary of staff experience (200 words)
- Milestones Schedule
- Budget
- Description of partners collaborating and their roles on the proposal
- Equity, Transit and Geography elements
Additional Requirements for Local Agencies
- Funding match (jurisdictions only)
- List of adopted and/or proposed TOC-supportive land use designations and policies
Additional Requirements for CBOs
- Non-profit status
- Years serving Santa Clara County (minimum one year)
Narrative
- Description of project and its connection to the Transit-Oriented Communities Grant Goals and Equity Mission Statement (500 words)
- Identification of community the project will serve. Current relationship or engagement with the community to date (500 words)
- Explanation of project outcomes for the application’s Program Area that meet TOC Grant Goals (500 words)
Project Outcomes that meet TOC Grant Goals (see Notice of Funding Availability for complete list)
- Increase Transit-Oriented Community activities within ½ mile of transit
- Improves accessibility to transit stops
- Improves first/last mile connections
- Addresses a community challenge and produces an equitable outcome
- Strengthens community identity and inclusivity
- Increases community support for transit-oriented community investments
- Advances alignment with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Transit-Oriented Policy requirements
- Other, to be specified by applicant
Grant Timeline and Deadlines
|
Engagement with community and stakeholders |
December 2023–March 2024 |
|
Present to VTA Committees |
February–March 2024 |
|
Information provided to VTA Board of Directors |
March 7, 2024 |
|
Release Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) |
April 1, 2024 |
| In-Person Pre-Submission Conferences and Information Sessions | April 17, 2024 April 30, 2024 |
|
Online Pre-Submission Conferences and Information Sessions |
April 25, 2024 |
|
Applications Deadline |
May 22, 2024 |
|
Publish Award Recommendations |
End of June 2024 |
|
Deadline to Submit Appeals |
July 15, 2024 |
|
Notification of Awards |
Late 2024 |
The Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is releasing the Transit-Oriented Communities Grant to seek proposals from Santa Clara municipalities, jurisdictions, arts, cultural, education, nonprofit, and other community organizations to support VTA’s vision of equitable Transit-Oriented Communities.
The goal is to grow innovative and robust partnerships between VTA and local public agencies, nonprofit, community organizations, and other diverse stakeholders to strengthen communities, increase transit ridership, reduce the need for car trips, and support intensive mixed-use, mixed-income development around light rail stations and transit hubs. Selected projects will be collaborative across community and/or local government partners and remove barriers to creating safe, walkable, healthy, resilient, and thriving neighborhoods next to transit.
VTA will fund $750,000 in total to eligible applicants. Through a competitive process, 14-20 projects are expected to be selected to receive up to approximately $15,000 to $175,000. Selected projects are planned to commence between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
2024 Transit-Oriented Communities Grant Application
Applicants are encouraged to download application materials and apply for the 2024 Transit-Oriented Communities Grant on VTA’s e-procurement portal.
Download the 2024 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Package for VTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities Grant. The NOFA Package contains the following documents: Notice of Funding Availability, Attachment A: Grant Application Resources, Attachment B: Grant Application Form, Attachment C: Evaluation Criteria.
- 2024 Notice of Funding Availability for VTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities Grant (English)
- Aviso de disponibilidad de fondos par VTA TOC Para 2024 (Spanish)
- 2024 년 VTA 의 TRANSIT-ORIENTED COMMUNITIES (TOC) 보조금에 대한 자금 가용성 여부 공지(Korean)
- 2024 年 VTA 公交站點社區 (TOC) 可用撥款資金通知 (Traditional Chinese)
- Thông Báo về Khả Năng Tài Trợ 2024 cho Khoản Tài Trợ Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) của VTA (Vietnamese)
- 2024 Pabatid sa Availability ng VTA TransitOriented Communities (TOC) Grant (Tagalog)
View the tutorials on how to translate web pages through Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Tagalog to assist in applying for a VTA Transit-Oriented Communities Grant through our e-procurement portal.
VTA does not endorse any specific PDF reader, however, if you do not have access to a specific PDF reader, you can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader from their website at get.adobe.com/reader.
Pre-Application Workshop
Applicants are required to attend a pre-application workshop or review a recorded workshop before applying.
At each workshop, staff will review the guidelines and demonstrate the online application system, OpenGov®. Additional information sessions to address application questions will be held.
On May 1, 2024, VTA held online Pre-Application Workshops. You can download the presentations and watch the recorded meetings via YouTube:
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Presentation 5-1-24
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Video 5-1-24
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Presentation 4-25-24
TOC Grant Pre-Application Workshop Video 4-25-24
Questions
Applicants can access application materials and find the latest updates, including Addenda, Official Notices, and a comprehensive Question & Answer section, on VTA's e-procurement portal.
The program email address is tocgrant@vta.org.
Grant Eligibility
Check if the location of your project is eligible for the grant. Funding is limited to projects within one-half mile of existing and planned VTA light rail stations, VTA transit centers and commuter rail stations served by Caltrain, ACE, and/or Capitol Corridor within Santa Clara County.
Eligibility Map
Grant Program Areas
Planning and Policy Implementation
Advancing adoption and implementation of policies, plans and regulations to enable equitable Transit-Oriented Communities
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Undertaking Station area plans leading to adoption
- Transit access planning and evaluation of mobility needs
- Equitable development and implementation plans
- Technical assistance and support for local agency staff to advance alignment with Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Transit-Oriented Communities Policy
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $175,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 2 to 3 local agencies
Community Resilience
Supporting community organizations in playing greater roles in implementing equitable transit-oriented communities
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Implementation of anti-displacement efforts, including activities that advance acquiring, rehabilitating or preserving affordable housing, and housing preservation pilot projects
- Small business and commercial preservation and support
- Technical assistance and support for planning, development and implementation of equitable transit-oriented communities
- Programs that encourage and facilitate use of transit and other active transportation modes
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $100,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 2 to 3 community organizations
Education and Engagement
Increasing community leadership and participation to adopt and implement Transit-Oriented Communities policies, plans and regulations, and increasing support for equitable, culturally relevant engagement practices
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Advocacy campaigns for Transit-Oriented Communities-supportive policies and investments
- Community-based capacity building through the use of Promotores(as)
- Translation and interpretation services
- Food and childcare at community meetings
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $27,500
Anticipated Number of Awards: 4-5 applications
Placemaking, Arts, and Activation
Improving the transit rider and community experience through publicly accessible arts and culture projects right next to transit stations/stops that reinforce local culture, history or value, and/or community beautification that enhances the safety and accessibility of transit
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Place-based arts and culture projects within the public realm that enhance station areas and community culture and identity, such as murals and public art adjacent to transit
- Universal/inclusive signage design
- Projects that improve access in transit station area with a focus on pedestrian experience, such as crossing guards, park/trail clean-ups, graffiti-removal
- Festival-style events, such as outdoor street festivals or performances
Anticipated Maximum Grant Award per Application: ± $15,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 6 to 8 applications
Application Requirements
For All Applicants
- Name
- Contact information
- Organization
Project
- Title of project
- Location in relation to existing and planned VTA light rail stations, VTA transit centers and commuter rail stations served by Caltrain, ACE, and/or Capitol Corridor within Santa Clara County
- Grant Program Area (A, B, C, D)
- Staffing Plan and summary of staff experience (200 words)
- Milestones Schedule
- Budget
- Description of partners collaborating and their roles on the proposal
- Equity, Transit and Geography elements
Additional Requirements for Local Agencies
- Funding match (jurisdictions only)
- List of adopted and/or proposed TOC-supportive land use designations and policies
Additional Requirements for CBOs
- Non-profit status
- Years serving Santa Clara County (minimum one year)
Narrative
- Description of project and its connection to the Transit-Oriented Communities Grant Goals and Equity Mission Statement (500 words)
- Identification of community the project will serve. Current relationship or engagement with the community to date (500 words)
- Explanation of project outcomes for the application’s Program Area that meet TOC Grant Goals (500 words)
Project Outcomes that meet TOC Grant Goals (see Notice of Funding Availability for complete list)
- Increase Transit-Oriented Community activities within ½ mile of transit
- Improves accessibility to transit stops
- Improves first/last mile connections
- Addresses a community challenge and produces an equitable outcome
- Strengthens community identity and inclusivity
- Increases community support for transit-oriented community investments
- Advances alignment with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Transit-Oriented Policy requirements
- Other, to be specified by applicant
Grant Timeline and Deadlines
|
Engagement with community and stakeholders |
December 2023–March 2024 |
|
Present to VTA Committees |
February–March 2024 |
|
Information provided to VTA Board of Directors |
March 7, 2024 |
|
Release Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) |
April 1, 2024 |
| In-Person Pre-Submission Conferences and Information Sessions | April 17, 2024 April 30, 2024 |
|
Online Pre-Submission Conferences and Information Sessions |
April 25, 2024 |
|
Applications Deadline |
May 22, 2024 |
|
Publish Award Recommendations |
End of June 2024 |
|
Deadline to Submit Appeals |
July 15, 2024 |
|
Notification of Awards |
Late 2024 |