The Bay Area is set to benefit from a significant initiative designed to foster community-led solutions and enhance livability for all its residents: the Community Action Cares Program. This program stands as a beacon for community-based organizations and local governments aiming to drive impactful change in their neighborhoods.
With a substantial funding pool of $21 million sourced from state and federal avenues, the Community Action Cares Program is dedicated to fueling collaborative partnerships and empowering communities to take the reins in shaping their environments. The focus is clear: to support transportation projects that resonate with local priorities and to bolster community power through active engagement and capacity building. This investment by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) underscores a commitment to expanding mobility access and opportunities, particularly in underserved and overburdened neighborhoods, including designated Equity Priority Communities.
Building upon the foundations laid by the Lifeline Transportation Program, the Community Action Cares Program broadens MTC’s community-centric approach to investment. It places a strong emphasis on addressing the unique needs identified directly by communities through their Community-Based Transportation Plans (CBTPs), Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plans, and other similar local or county initiatives.
The program’s development has been thoughtfully shaped by community input. A Call for Interest process in the summer of 2023 played a crucial role in defining the program’s contours and understanding the specific needs for technical assistance and capacity building within communities. This valuable feedback directly informed the creation of the program’s Funding Guidelines, officially approved in November 2023 under MTC Resolution 4604. These guidelines meticulously detail the available funding and the stipulations for both federally funded OBAG-eligible areas and state-funded REAP-eligible areas.
Key Program Components and Next Steps
Looking ahead to March 2025, a significant step will be the formation of a Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG). This group will be instrumental in shaping the criteria and metrics for the Power-building and Engagement (Pb+E) funding stream within the Community Action Cares Program. CAWG members will provide crucial insights into program design, including defining goals, identifying eligible projects, and developing outreach strategies to maximize the reach and impact of Pb+E funding. The Call for Applications for CAWG membership is anticipated to launch in March 2025, paving the way for the Pb+E Call for Projects expected in the summer of 2025.
Grant Categories: Tailoring Support for Community Needs
The Community Action Cares Program offers funding across three distinct grant categories, encouraging applicants to identify the area that best aligns with their community initiatives:
Category 1: Project Development Technical Assistance
This category is specifically designed to support the groundwork for Community Based Transportation Plan or Coordinated Plan projects. It provides technical assistance to help communities develop robust and viable transportation project proposals.
Category 2: Participatory Budgeting and Project Implementation
Focusing on high-priority neighborhood-level projects, this category champions participatory budgeting processes. It empowers communities to directly decide how funds are allocated and supports the implementation of chosen projects, ensuring that local voices are at the heart of decision-making.
Category 3: Community Power-Building and Engagement
This crucial category is dedicated to fostering community power and engagement. It aims to strengthen community-based organizations and initiatives that are working to build collective efficacy and drive community-led change in the transportation sector.
Application Process and Timeline
For Categories 1 and 2, the Call for Projects is anticipated to be launched in the summer of 2025, with specific application windows to be announced.
Category 3, focusing on Community Power-Building and Engagement, is progressing with dedicated funding. A unique co-design process will be initiated, starting with a Call for Applications for community-based organizations to collaborate in shaping this initiative. The 13-15 member Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will play a pivotal role in defining the priorities for the first funding cycle. The Call for CAWG Applications, with detailed information, is expected to be released by early March 2025, with a deadline for applications in late March 2025.
Eligibility for Funding
The MTC will be accepting applications from eligible Project Sponsors across the Bay Area, ensuring that the funding reaches those organizations best positioned to implement community-driven transportation solutions.
Community Action Cares Program Timeline at a Glance
| Activity | Anticipated Date |
|---|---|
| Application released for Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) | March 2025 |
| Deadline to submit application for CAWG | March 2025 |
| CAWG Participation | March – June 2025 |
| Information sessions: Category 3: Power-Building and Engagement | Spring – Summer 2025 |
| Cycle 1 Call for Projects for Categories 1, 2, and 3 | Summer 2025 |
| Application deadline for all eligible projects | Fall 2025 |
| Commission approval of projects | Winter 2025 |
| Project sponsors awarded funds | Winter 2025 |
Participatory Grantmaking: Empowering Community Voices
The Community Action Cares Program is deeply rooted in the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us.” This ethos reflects a growing national movement towards strengthening community engagement and ensuring inclusive processes within the transportation sector. Participatory grantmaking, a core element of the program, actively involves community-based organizations and grassroots stakeholders in prioritizing funding allocations. By including those most affected by transportation and mobility issues in decision-making, the program ensures that funding strategies are truly community-driven and impactful.
MTC’s approach to participatory grantmaking is guided by key values:
- Values-Based: Grounded in principles of equity, accessibility, and community empowerment.
- Community Involvement: Actively engaging communities throughout the grantmaking process.
- Accessible Processes: Maintaining simple, flexible, and transparent application and reporting procedures.
- Collaborative Building: Fostering and strengthening broader collaboration efforts among diverse stakeholders.
Community Advisory Working Group: Shaping the Future of Pb+E Funding
The Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will play a crucial advisory role, specifically focusing on the Power-building and Engagement (Pb&E) components of the Community Action Cares Program. Their responsibilities include providing input and feedback on:
- Outreach and application processes for Pb&E funding.
- Key questions and prompts within the Pb&E call for applications.
- Criteria and scoring rubrics used to evaluate Pb&E proposals.
- Capacity building and technical assistance needs to facilitate cross-sector partnerships and community engagement.
- A framework for evaluating the initial round of Pb&E funding and learning for future cycles.
While MTC will facilitate CAWG meetings and gather input, the final decisions regarding program design and implementation will rest with MTC.
Past Engagement: 2023 Informational Meetings
In 2023, MTC demonstrated its commitment to community engagement by hosting informational meetings to gather input and shape the Community Action Cares Program. These online sessions, held in July 2023, provided a platform for interested parties to learn more about the program and contribute to its development.
The Community Action Cares Program represents a significant opportunity for Bay Area communities to drive meaningful change in transportation and mobility. By prioritizing community-led solutions and fostering collaboration, this program is poised to enhance livability and equity across the region.
