NEWS

Age-Friendly Funding Alerts: FY24 Community Transit Grant Program, Regional Transit Innovation Grant, and More

Dec 19, 2023

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following funding opportunities that help promote and support inclusive age-and dementia friendly communities:

Applications are now open for the FY24 Community Transit Grant Program (CTGP) vehicle cycle! Check out this website to learn more, download the application forms, and apply.

Training is required for new applicants and recommended for all. If you are a new applicant and were not able to attend an application training, contact Rachel Fichtenbaum at Rachel.L.Fichtenbaum@dot.state.ma.us or (857) 368-8584.

Through the CTGP vehicle cycle, MassDOT procures wheelchair-accessible vehicles for transit authorities, municipalities, Councils on Aging, non-profits, and private operators of public transit (shared-ride) services. This vehicle guide contains information about vehicles available for the FY24 vehicle application cycle. The application guidebook includes detailed instructions on how to apply.

MassDOT covers 80% of the cost, and you cover the remaining 20%. Transit authorities can get their vehicles fully covered, so if you are a municipality that is a member of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA), reach out to your RTA to see about partnering. Applicants are encouraged to explore opportunities to partner on coordinated projects and applications, including through sharing vehicles.

MassDOT has extended the deadline for the FY24 Regional Transit Innovation Grant to January 19. Any organization providing public transit services in Massachusetts is eligible to apply for this grant. Eligible projects include:

  • Enhancing and Expanding Transit Service
  • Transit Electrification
  • Infrastructure and Capital Investments
  • Other

Learn more and apply.

MassTrails provides grants to support recreational trail and shared-use pathway projects across the Commonwealth. The award maximum depends on the project type and needs and is generally $100,000 for recreational trails projects and up to $500,000 for shared-use path projects demonstrating critical network connections of regional or statewide significance.

Eligible grant activities include project development, design, engineering, permitting, construction, and maintenance of recreational trails, shared-use pathways, and the amenities that support trails.

MassTrails grants are REIMBURSEMENT grants, meaning grantees must first pay for expenditures and then submit for reimbursement using the required documentation.

MassTrails grants are MATCHING grants and require that proponents provide a minimum of 20% of the total project cost.

Eligible projects require documented land owner permission submitted with the application and are subject to all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

MassTrails grants are reviewed and recommended by the Governor’s Inter-Agency Trails Team and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB).

More information, including how to apply, is available here.

AmeriCorps Seniors invites organizations to submit applications for the FY 2024 Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs. These funding opportunities specifically help AmeriCorps Seniors focus Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent projects on issues that are critical to communities and help expand the programs to more geographies.

Applications are due on February 1, 2024.Programs that include the following programmatic characteristics will receive priority consideration.

Full details about AmeriCorps Seniors program funding and available training sessions can be found on the 2024 Senior Companion Program webpage and the 2024 Foster Grandparent Program webpage. The total level of funding is subject to availability of annual appropriations