Grant Management Branch:                            Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants

The Grant Management Branch administers the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants within the Headquarters Division of Transportation Planning. The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants are comprised of the following four grant categories - Sustainable Communities (Competitive & Formula), Strategic Partnerships and Strategic Partnerships - Transit - which award a total of approximately $34.9 million (State and federal funding) annually to local and regional planning agencies, cities, counties, transit agencies, and Native American Tribal Governments.

Caltrans Releases the Draft FY 2027-28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application Guide

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is pleased to release the Draft Fiscal Year (FY) 2027-28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) Application Guide (Draft) for a public comment period from June 3 to July 2, 2026. The link to the Draft, the comment form, and links to Workshops #3 & #4 are provided below. The Draft describes policies, grant program objectives, administrative requirements, and procedures for submitting a competitive grant application.

We look forward to receiving specific comments and feedback on the Draft FY 2027-28 STPG Application Guide. Two virtual public workshops were conducted in May 2026 to kick off the update process and provide details on the initial revisions, share the update schedule, and receive initial comments from stakeholders. Two final virtual public workshops will be held on July 15 and 16, 2026 to share a comment summary, anticipated updates, and provide a final opportunity for stakeholders to share input before finalizing and releasing the FY 2027-28 STPG Application Guide and call-for-applications. Detailed schedule information is included below.

The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants include:

Sustainable Communities Grants (approximately $30.4 million) to encourage local and regional planning that supports state goals, implements Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) (where applicable), and to ultimately achieve the State’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 40 and 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2045, respectively.

Strategic Partnerships Grants ($4.5 million) to identify and address regional, interregional, or statewide transportation deficiencies on the State Highway System in partnership with Caltrans. A sub-category funds transit-focused planning projects that address multimodal transportation deficiencies.

• Draft 2027-28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application Guide (PDF)
• Summary of STPG Draft Application Guide Changes
• Comment Submittal Smartsheet Link
• FY 2027-28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application Guide Update Workshop #3 - July 15, 2026
• FY 2027-28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application Guide Update Workshop #4 - July 16, 2026

FY 2027-28 Grants Schedule

The FY 2027-28 STPG schedule is outlined below. Applicants are encouraged to visit the California Grants Portal and subscribe to receive notifications about State funding opportunities.

• May 12 & 14, 2026 - Two Initial Virtual Workshops to kick-off the Grant Application Guide update with interested stakeholders
• June 3, 2026 - Release Draft FY 2027-28 STPG Application Guide for public comment period, ending on July 2, 2026
• July 15 & 16, 2026 - Conduct Two Final Virtual Workshops for stakeholders to provide final input.
• August 2026 - Release FY 2027-28 STPG Application Guide/Call-for-applications and conduct virtual grant application workshops (dates TBD).
• October 2026 - Grant application deadline (date TBD). Application period will be approximately 8-weeks.
• Winter 2026-Spring 2027 - Application evaluation and management approval of grant recommendations.
• Spring 2027 - Grant announcements.
• Summer 2027 - Grant recipients begin project activities.
• June 2030 - Grant projects are completed and grant funds expire.

Caltrans Announces the FY 2026-27 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Awards

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is pleased to announce the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Awards. A total of 170 applications were received with requests totaling approximately $74.7 million. Of these applications, 58 are being awarded, totaling approximately $23.6 million. In addition, Metropolitan Planning Organizations will receive $12.5 million in Sustainable Communities Formula grants to further their Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.

The grant award and non-award lists are posted below. Grant applicants are encouraged to contact Caltrans district staff to request feedback on unsuccessful applications and receive technical assistance with application development for the next call-for-applications. See the schedule below for more information.

• FY 2026-27 Award List
• FY 2026-27 Non-Award List
• FY 2026-27 Grant Application Guide (PDF)

FY 2026-27 Application Forms and Templates

• Application Checklist (PDF)
• Application Cover Sheet (DOCX)
• Application Signature Page (PDF)
• Scope of Work Checklist and Template (DOCX)
• Cost & Schedule Checklist and Template (XLSX)
• Third Party In-Kind Valuation Plan Checklist and Template (XLSX)