RTO General Grants
The next RTO General Grant cycle application opens on Jan. 3, 2024
Apply for General Grant
Apply for RTO Small Grants
Formerly called Sponsorships, applications for RTO Small Grants are accepted on a continual basis.
Apply for Small Grant
Stay in touch
Get email updates on Regional Travel Options program activities and announcements.
Subscribe
It’s not enough just to build a transportation system with options to walk, bike, take transit or ride share. People need to know how to access those options and understand the benefits. That’s where Metro’s Regional Travel Options program comes in.
The RTO program funds and supports transportation demand management strategies to increase use of travel options, reduce pollution, and improve mobility. Travel options include anything besides driving alone – carpooling, vanpooling, riding transit, bicycling, walking, and telecommuting.
Travel Options Grant Program
Awards for the first round of the 2023-26 grant cycle have been announced. Applications for the second round of funding will open in January 2024.
Government agencies, colleges, universities, public school districts or schools (K-12), and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for RTO grants. RTO grant projects or programs must increase access to, and use of, travel options and advance the region’s goals, objectives, and priorities for transportation and land use as defined in the Regional Transportation Plan and the Regional Travel Options Strategy.
Core & Emerging Partner Track
The Core & Emerging Partners track is intended for organizations that already have, or are working towards, a long-standing commitment to delivering travel options work as a key organizational function. This track is open on an invitation-only basis to local jurisdictions, school districts, and nonprofits. These grants support one to three-year projects, with $7 million allocated in 2023.
RTO General Grants Track
The General Grants track is intended to fund a variety of travel options initiatives and projects, including funding for organizations that do not necessarily have a transportation focus. The three categories within this track include:
- Travel Options (TO) Community Services: intended specifically to fund organizations that don’t necessarily focus on travel options as an organizational mission but are seeking to support travel options on behalf of the communities they serve.
- Innovation: designed to encourage new tactics, approaches and reaching new audiences with travel options programming
- Infrastructure: this supports wayfinding, end-of-trip facilities, and other light infrastructure that makes using travel options safer and more enjoyable.
Approximately $1 million was awarded for this cycle in the General Grants track, and another $1.14 million is expected for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
RTO Small Grants Track
The third grant track, RTO Small Grants, makes funding available on an ongoing basis and supports materials & supplies of up to $5,000 for activities that directly support the use of travel options. This application is available year-round. The track includes SRTS Micro-grants; twenty-five $500 micro-grants are available to individual schools or nonprofit PTOs each school year
How to apply
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the RTO Grant Application Handbook before getting started. It includes a full overview of the RTO Grant Program, categories, eligibility requirements, application process and timeline.