Main Spotlight: How Communities Are Reimagining Streets for Everyone
Learn how Main Streets in Philadelphia are using active transportation to foster healthier and more connected communities.
Streetscape improvements can make a big difference for Main Streets. © Grant Harper
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) RAISE Grant is a key opportunity for Main Street communities looking to improve infrastructure in and around the commercial corridor to create a more vibrant, livable, and economically thriving district. The RAISE program, which stands for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, funds surface transportation projects with local and regional impact by enhancing safety, mobility, sustainability, and economic growth. With increased funding availability through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Main Street organizations should be aware of the program and its potential to advance community infrastructure priorities. The next round of RAISE grants is anticipated to open for applications this fall, so now is the time to prepare.
Many Main Street communities have done extensive community planning including city-wide and downtown master plans, Complete Streets design, and accessibility and walkability studies. Often, these plans collect dust on the shelf waiting for the right funding opportunity to be able to complete implementation. Sound familiar? The RAISE program offers a solution to this conundrum, with a flexible approach that centers on your community goals. RAISE grants focus on:
- Improving District Infrastructure: RAISE grants are geared to enhance quality of life in Main Street districts and make streets safer and more accessible through planning and implementation of infrastructure improvements.
- Revitalizing the Local Economy: RAISE grants support projects that can revive the local economy. For Main Street districts, projects can include goals to support small businesses, create jobs, and boost economic activity.
- Promoting Sustainability and Equity: RAISE prioritizes projects that will benefit all community members, including underserved individuals, and help our climate.
While applying for a federal grant can be a substantial undertaking, many of the Main Street projects and local goals waiting to be fulfilled fit within the framework of a RAISE grant. Read on to learn more about how to plan for the next round.
Downtown Wytheville celebrates the beginning of their streetscape improvement project. © Downtown Wytheville Inc
Overview of the RAISE Grant Program
RAISE grants are available to a wide range of applicants, including state and local governments, transit agencies, and tribal governments. If the program sounds familiar, you may know it by another name: RAISE was previously known as the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants. Under each of its iterations, the program’s goals have shifted slightly. RAISE aligns with Main Street needs, prioritizing projects that promote economic growth, enhance quality of life, and address equity concerns by improving transportation options for underserved communities. This can include walkability, accessibility, and multimodal transit design. With the additional $7.5 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the RAISE program has increased reach to support transformative projects across the country.
Funding and Eligibility
There are two types of projects awarded through the RAISE Grant Program: capital grants and planning grants. Capital grants range in size from $1 million (in rural areas) and $5 million (in urban areas) to a maximum size of $25 million. Capital grants can fund highways, bridges, public transportation, intermodal projects, culvert replacement, and a variety of other transportation priorities. Planning grants have no minimum award amount and can fund the needed elements of a potential project: planning, preparation, design, community engagement, benefit cost analysis, and other pre-construction activities.
Eligible Applicants for RAISE grants are states, territories, local governments, public agencies or special purpose districts including port authorities and transit agencies, or a combination of these groups. Main Streets, specifically those that are nonprofit entities, should consider opportunities to collaborate with local and regional partners to advance projects under this program. For more detailed information on eligibility, check out the FAQ here for more information.
How to Apply
The next application for RAISE grants is anticipated in Fall 2024. That means you have time now to prepare for the upcoming opportunity. We suggest that you:
- Review previous year’s projects: Looking at previous awardees and discussing these examples with leaders in your community can help light a spark and hone your project idea. Check out previous projects here >
- Collaborate with local partners: Getting a large grant application off the ground requires buy-in from local leaders, community members, and regional partners. Start having conversations early to anticipate needs and create alignment.
- Register on SAM.gov for a Unique Identification number: You will need a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number to apply. To request a UEI, please visit SAM.gov. Note that this may take up to 30 days.
- Check-out past years’ information from US DOT: Complete information, including webinars and NOFOs from previous application cycles, are available on the RAISE website and can help you get ahead of the game for the next application cycle >
Note: the next round of grants may include changes from the previous Notice of Funding Opportunity. Be aware of changes and be flexible in your planning until the NOFO is released.
Interested in learning more? Join MSA’s Government Relations team, representatives from USDOT, and Main Street leaders for a webinar on Wednesday, September 4 at 1:00 p.m. EDT to hear more about application criteria and successful projects from both the RAISE and Reconnecting Communities programs. Register here >
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