Community Action Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Program
The Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Program is a funding program to develop community and multi-sector partnerships and support community-led solutions that improve livability for all people in the Bay Area.
The Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will help establish criteria, metrics, priorities and more for CARE’s Power-building and Engagement grant category. Complete position details are below. Note: the application will take 15-20 minutes to complete.
The Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Program is a source of funding to support programs that advance collaboration to build community power and drive community-led solutions. The fund will award $21 million in state and federal funds. The funding will support a mix of community-based transportation projects that have been identified as a high priority by local communities and through community power-building and engagement initiatives. CARE will also support capacity building and technical assistance for community-based organizations and local governments.
MTC is investing in expanded mobility access and opportunity throughout the Bay Area. There is a focus on neighborhoods that are underserved, overburdened or are part of a designated Equity Priority Community.
The CARE Program builds on the the Lifeline Transportation Program. CARE expands MTC’s community-based investment approach, and prioritizes the needs identified by individual communities in their Community-Based Transportation Plans (CBTPs), Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, or other similar local/county plan.
In summer 2023, a Call for Interest process was initiated to help shape the CARE program and to understand project needs for technical assistance and capacity building. This process informed the development of the program’s Funding Guidelines, approved November 2023 in MTC Resolution 4604. The guidelines describe funding available, as well as the rules under federally funded OBAG-eligible areas and state-funded REAP-eligible areas.
Next Steps: Call for Applications Now Open for MTC Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG)
A Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) is being set up to inform criteria and metrics for CARE’s Power-building and Engagement (Pb+E) funding, and to provide input on the program design including goals, funding criteria and outreach strategies to amplify the reach and impact of Pb+E funding. This engagement is being done to inform the Pb+E Call for Projects anticipated this summer 2025. Additional details can be found below.
Additional CARE CAWG Details
Key Features of Participating in the CAWG
The MTC CARE CAWG is a paid opportunity for leaders and staff of community-based organizations (CBOs) and/or community leaders to help shape transportation and funding decisions that will directly impact your community’s well-being.
- Help determine funding priorities and application criteria for a new grant program (CARE grant category 3: Community Power-Building and Engagement, or PB+E) that aims to to grow community leadership and foster inclusive collaboration between CBOs and public agencies to enable projects that impact mobility and community well-being.
- Represent your community's needs and priorities on housing, transportation and climate action funding decisions.
- Time Commitment: Approximately 15 hours over three months. This will include participation in two group meetings, as well as interviews and community outreach, as needed. All engagement will be virtual.
- Timeline: April through June 2025
- Compensation: If selected, $500 stipend for your participation
CAWG Application Information
CAWG Application Details
- Link to Apply: https://forms.gle/MMz1dD1Bu2uEwSN76
- Application Period: Tuesday, March 18 to Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 5 p.m.
- Time Commitment: Approximately 15 hours over three months. This will include participation in two group meetings, as well as interviews and community outreach, as needed. All engagement will be virtual.
- Timeline: April through June 2025
- Compensation: If selected, $500 stipend for your participation
- Outcomes:
- Provide input on the program, including goals, eligible projects and outreach strategies.
- Support outreach to amplify the reach and impact of Pb+E funding.
- Advise MTC on criteria/metrics for PB+E funding.
Who Can Apply for the CAWG?
- Community-based organization representatives and/or community leaders serving one or more of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties can apply.
- Applicants should have experience and knowledge working on issues related to housing, transportation and/or climate change.
- Individuals who are already involved in another MTC committee are not eligible to apply.
- MTC staff will select 13-15 members representing diverse geographic regions and Equity Priority Communities.
- Applicants must commit to full participation in the CAWG.
Apply online before the application period closes at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Please share the information about the CAWG recruitment and the CARE Program with your networks.
Additional CARE Program Details
Three Grant Categories
Applicants are encouraged to apply to one or more of the following categories:
- Category 1: Project Development Technical Assistance for Community Based Transportation Plan or Coordinated Plan projects
- Category 2: Participatory Budgeting Process and Project Implementation for High Priority Neighborhood-level projects
- Category 3: Community Power-Building and Engagement
- This program will use $1.5 million in local funds and the remaining $2 million in REAP funds
- The process will begin with a Call for Applications for community-based organizations to co-design this initiative. A 13-15-member Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will be involved with shaping the Cycle 1 priorities
- The Call for Applications is open now and details for the CAWG are summarized above
Process & Deadlines
Categories 1 and 2: The launch of the Call for Projects is anticipated this summer. Completed applications will only be accepted during the upcoming time period (to be announced).
Category 3: The Community Power-Building and Engagement program is advancing, using $1.5 million in local funds, and the remaining $2 million in REAP funds. This program will undergo a process starting with a Call for Application process for community-based organizations to co-design this initiative. A 13-15-member Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will be involved with shaping the Cycle 1 priorities. The Call for Applications and details for the CAWG are anticipated to be released by early March 2025, with a deadline for CAWG applications by late March 2025.
Eligible Recipients & Subrecipients
MTC will be seeking applications from eligible Project Sponsors in the Bay Area:
- For REAP 2: Cities, counties, public transit agencies, county transportation agencies, Tribal entities, community-based organizations, public housing authorities, academic institutions, school districts and special districts. See additional information from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
- For OBAG: Cities, counties, public transit agencies, federally recognized Tribal governments and county transportation agencies. Non-profit organizations are only eligible for OBAG funds if they partner with an eligible OBAG recipient.
CARE Timeline
| Activity | Anticipated Date |
|---|---|
| Application released for 13 to 15-member Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) to co-design grants for Category 3: Community Power-Building & Engagement | March 2025 |
| Deadline to submit application for CAWG | April 8, 2025 at 5 pm. |
| CAWG Participation | April - June 2025 |
| Information sessions: Category 3: Power-Building and Engagement | Spring – Summer 2025 |
|
Cycle 1 Call for Projects for:
|
Summer 2025 |
| Application deadline for Category 1, 2 and 3 eligible projects. No completed applications will be accepted before the deadline. | Fall 2025 |
| Commission approval of projects | Winter 2025 |
| Project sponsors awarded funds | Winter 2025 |
Across the nation’s transportation sector, movements have been and are taking place to strengthen community engagement and standardize inclusive processes. These efforts are in response to growing public demand for transparency, accountability and more collaboration directly with communities.
“Participatory grantmaking” invites community-based organizations and other “on the ground” stakeholders to help prioritize where funds should be spent, to help determine the priorities for transportation and mobility within local communities. These stakeholders help set priorities, develop strategies and are directly involved in how funding decisions are made. The approach shifts power in grantmaking decisions to the people most affected by the issues.
MTC’s participatory grantmaking considers the following core elements in its practice:
- It is values-based;
- Involves community in the grantmaking process;
- Application and reporting processes are simple and relatively flexible and transparent; and
- Builds and strengthens larger collaboration efforts.
The Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will be responsible for providing input and feedback to inform Power-building and Engagement (Pb&E) components of the CARE Program, including:
- Process for outreach, applications and Pb&E focus areas.
- Questions and/or prompts included in the call for applications for Pb&E.
- Criteria and scoring rubric for Pb&E.
- Capacity and technical assistance needs to foster partnerships across sectors and community engagement in transportation and well-being initiatives.
- Framework for evaluating and learning from the initial round of Pb&E.
MTC will facilitate meetings and gather input from the CAWG. MTC will make final decisions on program design and implementation.
MTC hosted two one-hour online informational meetings about the interest and shaping of the CARE Program on July 12 and July 19, 2023. (The content of both meetings was the same.)