Background and Award Information

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application Guide and Call for Applications. A total of $34.5 million is available for California transportation planning projects. 

This funding opportunity includes a combination of grants:

1. State-funded Sustainable Communities grants ($17.5 million/competitive & $12.5 million/formula) intended to support and implement Regional Transportation Plan Sustainable Communities Strategies and to ultimately achieve the State’s greenhouse gas reduction target of 40 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2050, respectively
2. Federal-funded Strategic Partnerships and Strategic Partnership Transit grants ($4.5 million) to identify and address statewide, interregional, or regional transportation deficiencies on the State highway system in partnership with Caltrans. A sub-category funds transit-focused planning projects that address multimodal transportation deficiencies.

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Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for one or more of these grant opportunities include metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation planning agencies, transit agencies, cities and counties with compliant housing elements and completed annual progress reports, Native American Tribal Governments, and other public transportation planning entities. Universities and community colleges, community-based organizations, non-profit organizations (501.C.3), and other public entities may apply as sub-applicants to the Sustainable Communities Competitive Grant and Strategic Partnerships grants. Eligible planning projects must have a transportation nexus per Article XIX Sections 2 and 3 of the California Constitution and are expected to directly benefit the multimodal transportation system.

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Important Dates

Caltrans will be announcing dates for virtual grant application workshops taking place between September and October 2025. Applications are due November 21, 2025.

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If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Morgan Cox ([email protected]).