January 2025 Policy Newsletter
Inside Track: Federal Funding Opportunities and Successful State Ballot Initiatives
Federal Funding News and Resources
BUILD (Formerly RAISE) 2025 NOFO Update: Applications Due Jan. 30
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently published an amended version of the fiscal year (FY) 2025 RAISE notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), which will now be referred to as BUILD. Under the new administration, the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program, or RAISE, has been renamed to the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development program, or BUILD. While there is no change in the eight statutorily required criteria, these criteria have been reinterpreted to fit the new administration’s priorities. We encourage applicants to review the marked-up version of the original RAISE NOFO to better understand how the values and language preferences of those evaluating applications have changed. Applications are still due on Jan. 30, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern, on Grants.gov . You can find the marked-up version here.
To summarize, the following changes have been made:
- Removal of references to rescinded Executive Orders
- Alignment of the NOFO with new Executive Orders
- Specification that $150 million is available for award
- Defining of Historically Disadvantaged Communities using the same statutory definition for Areas of Persistent Poverty
- Clarification that all grant agreements or contracts must include terms that are in compliance with Section 3(C)(iv) of EO Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity
This Moment in Washington
Since the election in November, the policy team at Rails to Trails Conservancy has been scenario planning on what the new administration/political landscape means for walking, biking and trails. We outlined our initial predictions and hopes for the active transportation movement over the next four years in a webinar and in an article on RTC’s TrailBlog.
During an eventful first week for the Trump Administration, we turned our attention to Executive Orders that might influence grants from certain federal grant programs. Under an energy executive order, grant execution may be delayed while the administration reviews awards for consistency with their policy. In the end, the stated policy does not appear to call into question active transportation grants, except that an intention to target grants made using Inflation Reduction Act funds could disrupt unexecuted grants made last year that awarded Neighborhood Access and Equity funds. Stay tuned, as the situation is fluid and uncertain.
- Recent Webinar: “Post-Election Landscape: Next Steps for the Trail and Active Transportation Movement”
- Article: “What the 2024 Election Means for Active Transportation”
Recent Funding Announcements Highlight Big Wins for Active Transportation
ATIIP: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT’s) announcement of grantees under its inaugural round of funding for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) underscores the need for dedicated federal funding to connect walking and biking routes nationwide.
Demand for these active transportation network grants was overwhelming, with 350 communities requesting $1.8 billion. However, with $45 million available, the USDOT was only able to award funding to 4% of applicants. The projects, from 13 states and Puerto Rico, represent a strategic use of federal funds because they prioritize filling gaps in active transportation networks to better leverage and utilize existing infrastructure, creating safe and reliable transportation options at a fraction of the cost of other projects. Read RTC’s full press release here.
RTC continues to call on Congress to fully fund the program through the appropriations process in fiscal years (FYs) 2025 and 2026, and we need your support to do so.
Here’s how you can help:
- If you’re able, please reach out to your members of Congress and ask them to support fully funding ATIIP through appropriations.
- Organize an event to showcase the developing trail and active transportation networks in your community. Celebrate Trails Day on April 26 is a great opportunity!
- Let us know if you submitted an ATIIP application and weren’t funded.
Learn more about the grants and check out RTC’s resource library for relevant talking points on how trail and active transportation networks supercharge communities.
RAISE and RCP: Awards were announced for the first round of the FY 2025 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) cycle, in which the USDOT prioritized FY 2024 Projects of Merit, and the FY 2024 Reconnecting Communities Program (RCP) cycle.
More than 75% of the projects announced under these two programs address the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists. Twenty percent of the funding awarded under both programs—more than $362.3 million—went to projects that exclusively focus on trails and other walking and biking infrastructure, including trail and active transportation networks.
Over the past four years under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the USDOT has awarded $9.5 billion under the RAISE and RCP programs. Seventy percent of grant awardees have invested in projects that contribute at least in part to walking, biking and trail infrastructure.
Read RTC’s press release outlining outcomes of RAISE and RCP here .
PROTECT NOFO Open
Applications are open for the FY 2024 and FY 2025 rounds of the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grants. Applications must be submitted by Feb. 24, 2025, to Grants.gov. This call was initiated by the previous administration and may be subject to change under the new administration.
Learn more about the program and application requirements here. You can also read more about PROTECT projects that prioritize active transportation to address climate resiliency.
New Year, New Opportunities for Engagement
Registration Now Open: Join Us at the TrailNation Summit in October 2025
RTC’s TrailNation™ Summit is where the vision of trail networks at the center of healthy, thriving communities becomes a reality.
Register now to join us Oct. 27–29, 2025, when RTC will gather 500 trail network visionaries, innovators and practitioners from across the country for two days of dynamic mobile workshops, immersive learning opportunities, strategic conversations and relationship building to unlock the power of trail networks for America’s communities.
Together, we’ll dive into tangible steps and real-world examples for planning, building and expanding trail and active transportation networks that are transforming America’s towns, cities and regions.
You won’t want to miss this opportunity to come together to build the infrastructure of tomorrow—today.
Learn more and register today to secure early bird pricing.
Celebrate Trails Day – Save the Date: April 26, 2025
Celebrate Trails Day is an annual spring celebration of America’s trails. Started by RTC in 2013, the celebration encourages people across the country to get outside and enjoy the nation’s exceptional trails and trail systems. Celebrate Trails Day is more than a day outside. It’s an opportunity to experience and share the joy and impact of trails. The 41,000+ miles of multiuse trails on the ground across the country lay the foundation for 150+ trail networks in development—giving us all plenty of places to get outside!
Partner Opportunities
Grant Opportunity: Partners for Places
The Funders Network (TFN), in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), is thrilled to announce the opening of the latest round of the Partners for Places grant program.
- The deadline to submit proposals is Feb. 28, 2025.
The Partners for Places matching grant program supports equitable sustainability projects and helps build partnerships between local government leaders, frontline community groups and place-based funders in the United States and Canada. By encouraging and cultivating partnerships at the local level, the grant program helps foster relationships that increase community engagement, bridge divides, and make our communities more resilient, prosperous and equitable in the long term.
These matching awards provide partnership investments between $45,000 and $100,000 for one-year projects, or between $75,000 and $150,000 for two-year projects, with one or more local foundations required to provide at least a 50% matching grant.
Learn more about Partners for Places and the grant application process here.
Main Street America Institute: Intro to Grant Writing Webinar Series
The Main Street America Institute is excited to offer a special Intro to Grant Writing Webinar series! In partnership with Grant Ready Kentucky, this four-session virtual webinar series covers every stage of the grant-seeking process. You can find more information about topics and pricing here.
Resources and Must-Read News:
Upcoming Webinar: Building Collaborative Relationships: Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Advocacy
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025
Join this webinar to learn more about successful collaborations between agencies and organizations to secure funding for trails and active transportation. This session will highlight the importance of collaborative relationships to accelerate trail network development and give you the tools to build successful partnerships in your community.
Recent Webinar: Post-Election Landscape: Next Steps for the Trail and Active Transportation Movement
Recent Dialogue: Advocating for a High-Performing Transportation Alternatives Program
RTC: Webinars From the Archive
Miss a recent webinar or online dialogue? You can find free access to all our recent RTC virtual events in the webinar archive or Resource Library on our website!
