Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP)
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Who is Eligible
Community-based organizations, local governments, and tribal governments are eligible lead applicants.
- Community-based organizations are nonprofit organizations that are place-based, with an explicit geographic focus area that includes the project community. Staff or board members of the community-based organization must reside in the project community and the organization must have a demonstrated record of at least one year providing services in the community.
- Local governments are local public entities as defined in Section 900.4 of the California Government Code, which includes any local California county, city, district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in the State (e.g., school districts, special districts, local education agencies, councils of governments, air districts, transit agencies, and joint powers authorities) but does not include the State.
- Tribal governments are all California Native American Tribes, either a federally-recognized California tribal government listed on the most recent notice of the Federal Register or a non-federally recognized California tribal government, including those listed on the California Tribal Consultation List maintained by the California Native American Heritage Commission.
Each application must include partnerships between a lead applicant, sub-applicants, and community partners with different skillsets and expertise and that work together to implement the different project components and represent the project community. The project community is the geographic area that will be the focus of the project benefits. More than 50 percent of the geographic area of the project community must be within low-income or disadvantaged community census tracts.[1]
How it’s Administered
CARB directly administers STEP.
Where and When it’s Offered
A joint Request for Applications is currently open for Fiscal Year 2022-23 Planning and Capacity Building (Planning), Clean Mobility in Schools (CMIS), and STEP funds and can be found here: Planning and Capacity Building, Clean Mobility in Schools (CMIS), and the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) | California Air Resources Board. The frequency and timing of solicitations for future fiscal year funds is subject to funding availability and the annual Funding Plan process.
Project Funding or Participation Requirements
For the FY 2022-23 funding round, applicants must first apply to the concept phase. General eligibility requirements for the concept phase include:
- The application must meet the funding and timeline requirements dictated in the Request for Applications.
- More than 50% of the project community must be in disadvantaged or low-income community census tracts.
- All applicants must be eligible per the Request for Applications.
- If the lead applicant is a local government, one of the sub-applicants must be a community-based organization. If the lead applicant is a community-based organization, one of the sub-applicants must be a local government or tribal government.
- All projects must be eligible per the Request for Applications.
- The application must include at least two active transportation, fixed-route transit, or shared mobility projects.
Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and score at least a 70% in the concept phase to apply to the full phase. CARB staff will invite applicants who meet the 70% threshold to apply to the full phase. The full phase has more specific eligibility requirements, which can be found in the Request for Applications.
Announcements and Upcoming Activities
CARB issued a competitive joint Request for Applications for multiple grantees across the state under Planning, CMIS, and STEP. CARB has $14.85 million available for one to two community-based projects under STEP. More information on the Request for Applications can be found here: Planning and Capacity Building, Clean Mobility in Schools (CMIS), and the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) | California Air Resources Board.
Sign up for our listserv with the topic: Clean and Sustainable Mobility Options.
Contact CARB staff at: step@arb.ca.gov or (916) 440-8284.
Contacte al personal CARB en Español al (916) 445-9318.
[1]California Climate Investments Priority Populations 2022 CES 4.0