If you are working to make walking and biking to schools, parks and other key destinations safer in your community, we can help!

The Safe Routes Partnership can assist your efforts to make your community a place where all residents can easily be active and healthy. We are offering long-term, free technical assistance to under-resourced communities in California that would like to seek funding through the state’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) for projects that support walking, bicycling and Safe Routes to School. 

Specifically, we can help up to four communities or agencies develop a competitive application in ATP Cycle 6, for which the Call for Projects is scheduled in the first half of 2022.  We are eager to work with you in the development of an ATP application for a plan (for pedestrians, bikes, Safe Routes to School or active transportation generally); infrastructure; non-infrastructure; or combined infrastructure/non-infrastructure application. Our staff has served as evaluators for the program in all previous cycles, and currently participates in the Active Transportation Program Technical Advisory Committee; our expertise in the program and in what makes a competitive application is substantial.

The Safe Routes Partnership is deeply invested in the Active Transportation Program and has provided technical assistance for it since 2017. In addition to serving as evaluators each cycle, we have produced an ATP Guide and webinars for applicants.

If your community is selected, you will receive technical assistance over several months valued at more than $20,000 to help you submit the strongest possible application, including:

• Regular one-on-one consultation with your project lead.

• Guidance in identifying the most appropriate project for your community.

• Assistance using online tools and databases to demonstrate Disadvantaged Community status, crash history and other indicators of need.

• Collaboration in developing and executing a public engagement process that engages traditionally unengaged populations and secures the support of the maximum number of stakeholders in your community.

• Assistance submitting the Cycle 6 application, including proofreading and editing.

Eligibility is limited to agencies and organizations who are eligible to apply to the State of California’s Active Transportation Program, but who have not previously received ATP funding. At the current time, eligible applicants include local government agencies, school districts and other government entities. Nonprofits and community-based organizations are only eligible to apply for non-infrastructure projects, or to partner with an eligible government agency for a plan or infrastructure project. 

We are happy to work either with applicants who already know what project they want to apply for or with applicants who need help figuring that out. However, applicants must also be willing and able to commit staff time and availability to the project during the technical assistance period, which will last up to one year (Cycle 6 applications are anticipated to be due in June 2022); you should expect to dedicate an average of 5 hours a week on the project during that period (the amount may vary significantly from week to week). The Safe Routes Partnership will help you navigate each step of the process: working though scoping the project; determining metrics for Disadvantaged Community status, public health, and safety; devising and conducting extensive public outreach; and partnering with local stakeholders to build support and interest in your proposed project. Based on that work, you will write the actual application, with our help and review. If you are planning to apply for an infrastructure project, you should plan to hire an engineering or consulting firm to produce renderings and cost estimates if you do not have the capacity to produce them in house. We encourage you to read our guide to the ATP for a better idea of what the application process involves and what you can expect from our Technical Assistance program. 

To apply, simply describe your community need in detail on the application form. Our staff will review and score the applications and select four communities for this opportunity. We will reach out to qualifying applicants for a phone discussion during our decision-making process.  

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through June 30, 2021. If you have any questions during the application process, please contact Jonathan Matz, California Senior Policy Manager: jonathan@saferoutespartnership.org.

The Safe Routes Partnership improves the quality of life for all kids, families and communities by advancing policies that support physical activity, healthy community design, active transportation initiatives, and infrastructure improvements, especially in underserved communities.  With a diverse staff spread across the country, we share our expertise and knowledge to inspire and encourage action in local communities. In California, we have staff that work to advance policies that improve active transportation and increase funding for walking and bicycling. We have been actively involved in the development of the Active Transportation Program and other regional and state funding programs and policies that advance active transportation and Safe Routes to School for many years and are excited to offer this technical assistance opportunity with generous support from The California Endowment.