2616 - Human Service Transportation (HST) - 2026-2027
Funding Opportunity Details

Human Service Transportation (HST)

Final Application Deadline: Jan 16, 2026 5:00 PM

Description

• Overview

  Statement of Purpose

  The Denver Regional Council of Governments is a planning organization, where local governments collaborate to establish guidelines, set policy, and allocate funding in the areas of transportation and personal mobility, growth and development, and aging and disability resources. DRCOG serves as the federally designated Area Agency on Aging for eight counties in the Denver metro area and is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Denver region.

  As part of the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program, DRCOG’s Board of Directors set aside $2 million per year to fund Human Services Transportation projects. DRCOG is issuing a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the HST set-aside which funds transit Capital and Operating that benefit older adults, individuals with disabilities, and other underserved communities in the DRCOG Metropolitan Planning Organization’s boundaries for the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.

  Service Area

  The HST funding is available for eligible projects in the DRCOG Metropolitan Planning Organization boundary.

  Available Funding

  DRCOG estimates approximately $2.1 million will be available to fund projects from this NOFO. This amount is an estimate. Available funding is subject to appropriations from the federal governments and may be reduced or cancelled at any time.

  Minimum and Maximum Requests

  It is recommended that each submitted proposal requests a minimum of $75,000 of federal funding. DRCOG accepts proposals requesting less than $75,000 but asks respondents to provide a brief justification of why DRCOG should fund a proposal that is below the recommended minimum amount. DRCOG does not have a set maximum award for this NOFO.

  Required Matching Funds

  Applicants must provide a minimum required local share of 20% of the total budget. For example, a request of $80,000 in federal funding would require a $20,000 minimum local share. The local share provided can include either in-kind contributions or cash match. Applicants must identify the source of match funding to support the program in the budget section of the proposal. Revenue from other federal grants cannot be utilized to match these federal funds. Funding used to match these grants cannot be used to meet the match requirement of any other grant. The use of in-kind match must be clearly documented and relevant to the project. While not required, DRCOG encourages providers to use cash match to provide at least 10% of the minimum local share. The inclusion of cash match provided is a factor when evaluating proposals.

  Period of Performance

  Grants awarded through this NOFO are intended to have a one-year grant period starting July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.

  Eligible Applicants and Projects

  All proposed projects must be derived from either the DRCOG Coordinated Transit Plan, the DRCOG AAA Area Plan on Aging, or, for projects located in Weld or Boulder counties, those counties’ Area Plans on Aging. Projects must be targeted toward meeting the transportation needs of older adults, individuals with disabilities, or other underserved communities.

  Eligible projects include:

  · Replacement and expansion vehicles, including the purchase of electric vehicles.

  · Purchase and installation of electric vehicle infrastructure.

  · Other transit capital purchases (e.g., equipment, software, etc.)

  · New start operating projects in an urbanized area with a population greater than 200,000. Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Funding can only fund new start operating projects in large-urbanized areas and can only be used for a maximum of three years. Applicants will need to identify a plan to continue the project beyond CMAQ availability.

  · Operating projects in a non-urbanized area or an urbanized area with a population of less than 200,000. There is no time limit for operating assistance in these areas.

  Eligible recipients include non-profits and local governmental organizations, as well as operators of public transit services. All projects must be eligible for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding from the Federal Highway Administration. Pease review the 2024 CMAQ Interim Guidance for more information on eligible projects.

  Notice of Funding Opportunity Contact

  For any questions about this RFP or the requirements of the program, please contact DRCOG's AAA Business Operations Team, at AAA_RFP@drcog.org.

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