Federal & state grants available
There’s never been a better time than now to get bike and pedestrian trails and bridges funded. Thanks to both financial commitments from the US Congress and the Washington Legislature, there are multiple sources of grant funds that local entities, such as cities and counties, can apply to fund the construction of bike and pedestrian projects. According to the Rails to Trails Conservancy, the nation’s leading non-profit for trail promotion and construction, federal sources of funds include:
The 2023 Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity is open through Aug. 18, 2023.
The 2023 Reconnecting Communities Program (RCP) Notice of Funding will be combined with the launch of the new Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program (NAE). The combined NOFO, called the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program, will be announced this summer.
The 2024 Earmarks appropriations process is underway, and Members of Congress can designate funds called Earmarks for specific projects, including funding for active transportation projects.
Washington State’s Move Ahead Washington program is a 16-year package that will bring $1.8 billion for bike and pedestrian projects across the state. A prime sponsor of the legislation creating Move Ahead WA was Seantor Marko Liias, who represents the southern portion of Snohomish County.