Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2024 010 TRI EMI
The FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Enhancing Mobility Innovation (FTA 2024 010 TRI EMI) is a discretionary Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant competition under DOT that uses cooperative agreements to fund projects aimed at improving how people experience and access public transportation. The program draws from Public Transportation Innovation funds and is designed to move practical, traveler-centered mobility concepts from idea to real-world application, especially where new technology, new operating approaches, and new partnerships can make transit easier to use, more responsive, and more seamless for riders.
A total of $1,936,000 is available for awards under this opportunity, split evenly into two focus areas, with $968,000 dedicated to each. The first track supports projects that accelerate innovations to improve mobility and enhance the rider experience. This part of the funding is geared toward concepts like innovative service delivery models (for example, new ways of providing or packaging services that better match rider needs), creative financing approaches, novel partnerships (such as collaborations between agencies, private operators, nonprofits, universities, or technology providers), and integrated payment solutions that reduce friction for riders by making fares and payments easier to navigate across services or systems. The underlying emphasis is on practical innovations that are rider-facing and directly improve usability, convenience, and overall customer experience.
The second track also makes $968,000 available, but it is specifically focused on software solutions that enable integrated demand-response public transportation. In plain terms, this funding is aimed at improving the digital tools that let transit agencies provide or coordinate on-demand service, including dispatching public transportation fleet vehicles through riders' mobile devices or other access methods. Projects in this category would typically revolve around building, piloting, or enhancing software that supports booking, scheduling, routing, and dispatch in a way that can integrate with broader transit service, rather than being a standalone or isolated paratransit-type tool. The goal is to help agencies offer demand-response service that is easier for riders to request and easier for agencies to manage efficiently, potentially improving reliability, accessibility, and service coverage.
The opportunity anticipates making about four awards in total. The listed award ceiling is $968,000, which aligns with the per-track funding amount and suggests that individual projects could be funded up to that level depending on the quality, scope, and fit with the program goals. Because the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect substantial involvement from FTA compared with a more hands-off formula grant, meaning there may be ongoing coordination, reporting, and collaboration with the agency during the project period.
Eligibility is broad and intentionally includes a wide range of organizations that can contribute to mobility innovation. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. This wide eligibility reflects the program's emphasis on innovation, where solutions often emerge from cross-sector teams involving transit agencies, technology firms, academic partners, and community-based organizations.
Administratively, the opportunity falls under the Transportation activity category and CFDA number 20.530. The notice lists an original closing date of August 30, 2024, and a creation date of July 1, 2024. Overall, the funding is structured to push forward applied, rider-centered transit innovation in two clear lanes: one focused on service and customer experience improvements through new models and partnerships, and the other focused on building or improving the software backbone needed for integrated, app-enabled demand-response transit operations.Apply for FTA 2024 010 TRI EMI
- The DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Enhancing Mobility Innovation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.530.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $968,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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FAQs: FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity - Enhancing Mobility Innovation (FTA 2024 010 TRI EMI)
1) What is the Enhancing Mobility Innovation (EMI) funding opportunity?
The FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Enhancing Mobility Innovation (FTA 2024 010 TRI EMI) is a discretionary Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant competition under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). It uses cooperative agreements to fund projects that improve how people experience and access public transportation, with an emphasis on practical, traveler-centered mobility concepts moving from idea to real-world application.
2) What is the main purpose of this grant competition?
The purpose is to support applied, rider-centered transit innovation. The opportunity prioritizes projects where new technology, new operating approaches, and new partnerships can make transit easier to use, more responsive, and more seamless for riders.
3) How much funding is available under this opportunity?
A total of $1,936,000 is available for awards under this opportunity.
4) How is the total funding split across focus areas?
The funding is split evenly into two focus areas (tracks), with $968,000 dedicated to each track.
5) What are the two focus areas (tracks) of funding?
There are two tracks:
- Track 1: Projects that accelerate innovations to improve mobility and enhance the rider experience.
- Track 2: Software solutions that enable integrated demand-response public transportation.
6) What types of projects fit Track 1 (improving mobility and rider experience)?
Track 1 supports practical, rider-facing innovations that directly improve usability, convenience, and overall customer experience. Examples mentioned include innovative service delivery models, creative financing approaches, novel partnerships (such as collaborations among agencies, private operators, nonprofits, universities, or technology providers), and integrated payment solutions that make fares and payments easier to navigate across services or systems.
7) What does "integrated payment solutions" mean in this context?
Based on the notice, integrated payment solutions are approaches that reduce friction for riders by making fares and payments easier to navigate across services or systems, with the goal of improving convenience and the overall rider experience.
8) What types of projects fit Track 2 (integrated demand-response software)?
Track 2 is specifically focused on software solutions that enable integrated demand-response public transportation. This includes building, piloting, or enhancing software that supports booking, scheduling, routing, and dispatch so that on-demand service can integrate with broader transit service rather than operating as a standalone tool.
9) What does "integrated demand-response public transportation" mean here?
In this opportunity, it refers to digital tools that allow transit agencies to provide or coordinate on-demand service, including dispatching public transportation fleet vehicles through riders' mobile devices or other access methods, in a way that connects with broader transit service.
10) Are projects required to be rider-facing?
The description emphasizes traveler-centered, rider-facing improvements. Track 1 explicitly highlights practical innovations that directly improve usability and customer experience, and Track 2 focuses on tools that make demand-response service easier for riders to request and easier for agencies to manage.
11) How many awards does FTA expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates making about four awards in total.
12) What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The listed award ceiling is $968,000.
13) Does the $968,000 ceiling apply to each track?
The ceiling aligns with the amount dedicated to each track ($968,000 per track). The notice also indicates that individual projects could be funded up to that level depending on the quality, scope, and fit with the program goals.
14) What kind of funding instrument will be used?
This opportunity uses cooperative agreements.
15) What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?
The notice indicates that recipients should expect substantial involvement from FTA compared with a more hands-off formula grant. This may include ongoing coordination, reporting, and collaboration with FTA during the project period.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes the following applicant types:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
17) Are partnerships encouraged?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes innovation through new partnerships and explicitly mentions collaborations among agencies, private operators, nonprofits, universities, and technology providers as examples within Track 1.
18) What federal agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
19) What funding source supports this program?
The program draws from Public Transportation Innovation funds.
20) What is the activity category and CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under the Transportation activity category and CFDA number 20.530.
21) What are the key dates listed in the notice?
The notice lists a creation date of July 1, 2024, and an original closing date of August 30, 2024.
22) What is the official opportunity name and identifier?
The notice identifies the opportunity as the FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Enhancing Mobility Innovation, with the identifier FTA 2024 010 TRI EMI.
23) What kinds of outcomes is FTA trying to achieve through these projects?
Based on the description, FTA is seeking outcomes that improve transit usability and access, make service more responsive and seamless, and advance practical concepts into real-world application. For the demand-response software track, the goals also include making service easier for riders to request and easier for agencies to manage efficiently, potentially improving reliability, accessibility, and service coverage.
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