FY 2026 Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning
🏛 DOT - Federal Transit Administration
Can you apply?
This grant is for state and local government agencies, transit authorities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and nonprofit organizations seeking to develop or improve planning processes for transit-oriented development projects. The program supports planning activities—including feasibility studies, land use analysis, and infrastructure coordination—in regions served by or planning to implement fixed-route public transit systems. Activities must align with regional transportation plans and demonstrate potential to increase transit ridership, support affordable housing near transit, and promote sustainable development patterns. Geographic scope includes all U.S. states, territories, and tribal lands with qualifying transit systems or planning entities.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
This grant is for state and local government agencies, transit authorities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and nonprofit organizations seeking to develop or improve planning processes for transit-oriented development projects. The program supports planning activities—including feasibility studies, land use analysis, and infrastructure coordination—in regions served by or planning to implement fixed-route public transit systems. Activities must align with regional transportation plans and demonstrate potential to increase transit ridership, support affordable housing near transit, and promote sustainable development patterns. Geographic scope includes all U.S. states, territories, and tribal lands with qualifying transit systems or planning entities.
Program description
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for approximately $28.5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding. The Pilot Program for TOD Planning helps support FTA’s mission of improving public transportation for America’s communities by providing funding to local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning around a new fixed guideway or core capacity improvement project. Per statute, any comprehensive or site specific planning funded through the program must examine ways to improve economic development and ridership, foster multimodal connectivity and accessibility, improve transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, engage the private sector, identify infrastructure needs, and enable mixed-use development near transit stations.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for state and local government agencies, transit authorities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and nonprofit organizations seeking to develop or improve planning processes for transit-oriented development projects. The program supports planning activities—including feasibility studies, land use analysis, and infrastructure coordination—in regions served by or planning to implement fixed-route public transit systems. Activities must align with regional transportation plans and demonstrate potential to increase transit ridership, support affordable housing near transit, and promote sustainable development patterns. Geographic scope includes all U.S. states, territories, and tribal lands with qualifying transit systems or planning entities.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (typically 15–25 pages, outlining planning activities, methodology, and outcomes)
- Detailed Budget and Budget Narrative (with line-item justification)
- Letters of Support from transit agency, local government, and key partners
- Organizational Capacity Statement (staff qualifications, relevant experience)
- Letters of Commitment from project partners
- Environmental and Compliance Documentation (NEPA determination or categorical exclusion if required)
- Metropolitan Planning Area Coordination Letter (if applicable)
- Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or de minimis rate documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Johnita S Glover Transportation Program Analyst
- 📧 April.McLeanMcCoy@dot.gov
- 📞 202-366-9833
Funding track record
No recent recipient data available for CFDA 20.541 in our database.
This can happen for newer programs, programs that use non-standard award types (loans, direct payments, fellowships), or those funded through sub-agencies under different codes.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 20.541). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2026 est. | $14,425,121 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this TOD planning grant?
Eligible applicants typically include state DOTs, local governments, public transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, regional councils, and qualified nonprofits with transportation or urban planning expertise. Tribal nations with transit systems or planning capacity may also apply.
What is the typical deadline and application timeline?
Applications open May 11, 2026, with a fixed deadline of July 10, 2026. This provides a 2-month application window. Check grants.gov for any amendments or notices of funding availability closer to the deadline.
What activities and expenses does the grant support?
The grant funds planning activities such as transit-oriented development feasibility studies, land use and zoning analysis, community engagement, infrastructure coordination studies, and development of TOD implementation strategies. It does not fund capital construction or ongoing operations.
How competitive is this program and what funding ranges should I expect?
Pilot programs are typically moderately competitive. Awards generally range from $50,000 to $250,000 per project, though specific amounts depend on project scope and geographic region. Consult the NOFO for exact funding levels and any geographic distribution requirements.
What makes a competitive application stand out?
Strong applications demonstrate community support, clear alignment with existing transit infrastructure or planned service, partnerships across local agencies and nonprofits, detailed timelines and deliverables, measurable outcomes (e.g., units of affordable housing enabled), and capacity to complete the work on schedule.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start early and involve your transit agency and local planning department; federal transit grants require buy-in from multiple stakeholders and early coordination prevents conflicts.
- Use the project narrative to clearly connect your planning activities to FTA priorities: ridership growth, equity, affordable housing preservation, and emissions reduction.
- Include detailed letters of support from transit operators, city/county planners, and community organizations; FTA heavily weights partnership commitment.
- Develop realistic timelines and budgets with specific deliverables (e.g., "TOD corridor plan, October 2027" not vague language like "planning analysis").
- Address equity and community benefits explicitly: explain how the TOD plan will support low-income residents, protect against displacement, and engage communities directly in planning.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail to clearly connect planning work to measurable FTA outcomes—simply describing a study is insufficient without linking it to expected increases in transit ridership, housing affordability, or ridership equity. Weak partnership documentation and missing letters of support from transit agencies or local government signal lack of implementation commitment. Overly ambitious scopes or unrealistic timelines for the funding amount requested undermine credibility and raise delivery concerns.
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