Thriving Communities Program (TCP)

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT’s) Thriving Communities Program (TCP) was created by the Biden-Harris Administration as part of the multi-agency Thriving Communities Network Program. This new network is designed to provide technical assistance and capacity building for communities that have experienced longstanding and systemic disinvestment and economic distress.

USDOT is working alongside the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the TCP. TCP will ensure that disadvantaged communities that are disproportionately impacted by climate, health and environmental issues, have the necessary tools and capacity to successfully compete and apply for federal grants, such as those created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

The 2022 TCP grants were awarded in April 2023 and information on the 2022 technical assistance providers can be found here. Fiscal Year 2023 applications for both technical assistance providers and communities will be opening soon. There are three types of communities, also known as Communities of Practice, that will be supported through TCP:

• Main Streets: defined as Tribal, rural and small-town communities
• Complete Neighborhoods: defined as urban and suburban communities
• Networked Communities: defined as communities located near airports, freight, ports and/or rail facilities

Ahead of the notice of funding coming out this summer from USDOT, we encourage interested communities to begin to prepare. USDOT recommends that communities needing technical assistance begin to identify partnerships and discuss specific needs, as well as review the 2022 selected communities to better understand the different communities and priorities of this program. Through this link, you can also review the different types of technical assistance being offered and learn more about the 2022 technical assistance providers.

Interested communities and technical assistance providers can learn more on the TCP website.

Thriving Communities Program Resources

• TCP Frequently Asked Questions (USDOT)
• Program website
• Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network
• TCP Capacity Builders Cooperative Agreements