2024 Rural Community Innovations: Transportation Planning Grant Winners Announced!

Twelve rural communities have been selected to receive planning grants of up to $35,000 to engage in planning activities that identify transportation barriers, address current and future needs, establish multisector partnerships and actively involve older adults and people with disabilities. By the end of the 9 month funding period, grantees will develop a written plan to guide the implementation of strategies supported by the community to increase the availability of accessible and equitable transportation services in their rural community.

The 2024 Rural Community Innovation Transportation Planning Grantees:

Aroostook Area Agency on Aging

Located in Presque Isle, ME, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging will develop a plan to address transportation barriers, including long travel distances and challenging winter conditions, impacting older adults and people with disabilities, including the Houlton Band of Maniseet Indians, in this large rural area in the northern part of the state.

Benzie Transportation Authority

Located in Beulah, MI, Benzie Transportation Authority will develop a plan for improving access to health services for older adults and people with disabilities that integrates the scheduling of medical appointments with the scheduling and management of public transportation in rural Benzie County.

Cortland County Planning Department

Located in Cortland, NY, Cortland County Planning Department will develop a plan to identify underutilized resources and solutions for increasing access to transportation among older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers in underserved areas in their rural upstate community.

Franklin Regional Council of Governments

Located in Greenfield, MA, Franklin Regional Council of Governments will develop a plan to identify the unmet needs of older adults, people with disabilities, people living with dementia, their caregivers and individuals facing social isolation. They will also explore opportunities to expand their micro transit system to rural communities in the county.

Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow

Located in Billings, MT, Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow will develop a plan to address the needs of older adults and people with disabilities across several rural counties and the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Agency Indian reservations, with the goal of increasing access to ADA accessible transportation to medical and essential government agency appointments.

Penquis C.A.P, Inc.,

Located in Bangor, ME, Penquis C.A.P, Inc. will develop a transportation plan that aims to reduce transportation barriers for older adults, people with disabilities and people who need frequent nonemergency medical transportation so they can be healthy, safe and connected to their community.

Project Amistad

Located in El Paso, TX, Project Amistad will develop a plan in collaboration with their regional transportation planning committee that aims to increase availability, quality and access to transportation services with an emphasis on access to medical appointments and mental health services for older adults and people with disabilities in four rural, mountainous communities in West Texas.

Snohomish County Transportation Coalition

Located in Everett, WA, Snohomish County Transportation Coalition will develop a plan to identify solutions for increased access to transportation to older adults, people with disabilities and individuals with low income in the rural Skykomish Valley communities that currently have limited public transit options due to their remote location.

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission

Located in Camilla, GA, Southwest Georgia Regional Commission will develop a plan that aims to identify solutions for increasing access to and frequency of rides on public transit for older adults, people with disabilities and individuals with low income across this large rural region.

Southwest Missouri Council of Governments

Located in Springfield, MO, Southwest Missouri Council of Governments will develop a transportation plan to address challenges faced by older adults; people with disabilities; and underserved areas in rural Webster County, including the Amish communities.

The Arc Chemung-Schuyler

Located in Watkins Glen, NY, The Arc Chemung-Schuyler will develop a plan to identify transportation solutions for cross-county and regional trips; analyze ridership trends; and increase access to transit for older adults, people with disabilities and individuals with low income in this rural upstate community.

The NADTC invests in community solutions focused on increasing accessible transportation options as the critical link to employment, health care and other needed community services for older adults and people with disabilities. Community grants will target areas with high need and limited resources. Selected projects will strengthen connections between transit and human services transportation programs, build bridges between transportation and community programs that support community living, and identify strategies for better utilization of Section 5310 and other Federal, state and local funding opportunities to improve transportation access.