The Programming and Grants section of VTA's Congestion Management Agency is charged with countywide fund programming and administration for Federal and State transportation grant funding recipients.
Call for Projects
2016 Measure B
Santa Clara County voters approved 2016 Measure B, a 30-year, half-cent countywide sales tax to enhance transit, highways, expressways, and active transportation (bicycles, pedestrians, and Complete Streets).
The Call for Projects for the Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning Studies Competitive Grant Program Cycle 3 is now CLOSED.
Program Resources:
If you have any questions, please contact 2016MeasureB@vta.org.
One Bay Area Grant (OBAG 4) Program
OBAG 4 Call for Projects is anticipated for May through August 2027.
Eligible applicants: Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara
MTC's framework for programming Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds is called the "One Bay Area Grant” Program (OBAG).
OBAG integrates the region’s federal transportation program with California’s climate law (Senate Bill 375, Steinberg, 2008) and the Sustainable Communities Strategy. Santa Clara County.
OBAG’s fourth iteration, OBAG 4, will fund transportation projects between FFY26/27 and FFY29/30 (October 2026 through September 2030). The OBAG 4 program is currently under development. More information will be provided once the program is finalized.
For OBAG 4, Santa Clara County is estimated to have $81 million in funding available through the County Program, which allocates funding to each of the nine counties based on county population and housing. Additional funding will be available through MTC’s Regional Program.
For additional information, please contact June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) 40% Fund
Call for Projects Frequency: annual
Eligible applicants: all public agencies, and non-public entities for certain project categories
The TFCA 40% Fund is a part of the Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) grant program, which is funded by a $4 surcharge on motor vehicles registered in the Bay Area. The Bay Area Air District (Air District) collects and manages this fund in the nine-county Bay Area. The management district returns 40% of TFCA funds to the county in which vehicle registration surcharges are collected for allocation by a “county program manager.” VTA is the county program manager for Santa Clara County.
Project sponsors apply directly to VTA for funding and must meet requirements laid out in the Expenditure Plan Guidance. Eligible project categories include first- and last-mile connections, trip reduction pilots, and bicycle infrastructure that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Santa Clara County. All public agencies are eligible to apply, and non-public entities are eligible for certain project categories. The projects must not exceed the Air District’s cost-effectiveness threshold ($ spent per ton of greenhouse gas emissions reduced).
The VTA Board of Directors allocates these funds to projects in Santa Clara County, subject to approval by the Air District. To be approved by the Air District, all TFCA projects must conform to its board-adopted policies and cost-effectiveness requirements, which are explained in the “County Program Manager Fund Expenditure Plan Guidance.”
For additional information, review Bay Area Air District's webpage, contact your local member agency, or email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
TDA Article 3 Program
Call for Projects Frequency: annual
Eligible applicants: Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara
Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds are derived from a 1/4-cent of the State's general sales tax. Article 3 of the TDA makes a portion of these funds available for use on bicycle and pedestrian projects.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) programs TDA Article 3 funds in the nine Bay Area counties. Each year, MTC requests that the Congestion Management Agency (CMA) in each Bay Area county coordinate and submit annual TDA Article 3 program funding priorities for their respective counties. As the CMA for Santa Clara County, VTA works with member agencies to develop the countywide program. After the VTA Board adopts the program, the list is forwarded to MTC for approval and project sponsors apply for reimbursement directly to MTC.
75% of the funds is allocated to Santa Clara Congestion Management Program (CMP) Member Agencies proportional to population. The 15 incorporated cities and the County of Santa Clara are member agencies. 25% of the funds are set aside for eligible projects on the 2016 Measure B Bicycle & Pedestrian Capital Projects 10-Year Priority Project List, with $150,000 set aside for improvements along County Expressways.
For additional information, contact your local agency or email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF)
Call for Projects Frequency: annual
Eligible applicants: Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara
Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF) is derived from a $10 tax on motor vehicles registered within Santa Clara County. The funds are used for transportation programs and projects bearing a relationship or benefit to the owners of motor vehicles paying the fee.
80% of VRF revenues are allocated to the Local Road Improvement and Repair Program. Under this program, the funds are returned on an annual basis directly to our 15 cities and the County using a formula based on each city or town's population and Santa Clara County’s road and expressway mileage. An additional 15% of the VRF revenue is reserved for the Countywide Program.
For additional information contact your local agency or email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Program
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) established the Lifeline Transportation Program to improve mobility for low-income residents of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Funds are distributed to each county based on each county's proportional share of Bay Area residents living in poverty.
The Lifeline Transportation Program is no longer active. The Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Program builds on the Lifeline Transportation Program. The CARE Program is a source of funding to support programs that advance collaboration to build community power and drive community-led solutions.
The CARE Program funds projects in three 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
The CARE program is actively under development by MTC. Please visit the CARE webpage for the most up-to-date information. Sign up for the CARE Program mailing list here. For more information, email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Programming and Grants Responsibilities
- Carrying out VTA’s legally mandated Congestion Management Agency responsibilities for programming and monitoring certain Federal, State and Local grant funds.
- Assuring that VTA maintains its own eligibility as a transportation agency for State and Federal grant funds.
- Submitting the annual State and Federal Grant requests that fund the majority of VTA’s non‐Measure A Capital program and up to 25% of its annual operating budget.
The Programming and Grants section contributes to VTA's organizational success by:
- Positioning the agency as a key player and partner in regional transportation funding, resulting in enhanced visibility and influence.
- Developing and recommending funding strategies for VTA’s long‐range and short‐range service initiatives.
- Assuring that VTA obtains the grant funding to which it is entitled.
The Programming and Grants section of VTA's Congestion Management Agency is charged with countywide fund programming and administration for Federal and State transportation grant funding recipients.
Call for Projects
2016 Measure B
Santa Clara County voters approved 2016 Measure B, a 30-year, half-cent countywide sales tax to enhance transit, highways, expressways, and active transportation (bicycles, pedestrians, and Complete Streets).
The Call for Projects for the Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning Studies Competitive Grant Program Cycle 3 is now CLOSED.
Program Resources:
If you have any questions, please contact 2016MeasureB@vta.org.
One Bay Area Grant (OBAG 4) Program
OBAG 4 Call for Projects is anticipated for May through August 2027.
Eligible applicants: Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara
MTC's framework for programming Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds is called the "One Bay Area Grant” Program (OBAG).
OBAG integrates the region’s federal transportation program with California’s climate law (Senate Bill 375, Steinberg, 2008) and the Sustainable Communities Strategy. Santa Clara County.
OBAG’s fourth iteration, OBAG 4, will fund transportation projects between FFY26/27 and FFY29/30 (October 2026 through September 2030). The OBAG 4 program is currently under development. More information will be provided once the program is finalized.
For OBAG 4, Santa Clara County is estimated to have $81 million in funding available through the County Program, which allocates funding to each of the nine counties based on county population and housing. Additional funding will be available through MTC’s Regional Program.
For additional information, please contact June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) 40% Fund
Call for Projects Frequency: annual
Eligible applicants: all public agencies, and non-public entities for certain project categories
The TFCA 40% Fund is a part of the Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) grant program, which is funded by a $4 surcharge on motor vehicles registered in the Bay Area. The Bay Area Air District (Air District) collects and manages this fund in the nine-county Bay Area. The management district returns 40% of TFCA funds to the county in which vehicle registration surcharges are collected for allocation by a “county program manager.” VTA is the county program manager for Santa Clara County.
Project sponsors apply directly to VTA for funding and must meet requirements laid out in the Expenditure Plan Guidance. Eligible project categories include first- and last-mile connections, trip reduction pilots, and bicycle infrastructure that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Santa Clara County. All public agencies are eligible to apply, and non-public entities are eligible for certain project categories. The projects must not exceed the Air District’s cost-effectiveness threshold ($ spent per ton of greenhouse gas emissions reduced).
The VTA Board of Directors allocates these funds to projects in Santa Clara County, subject to approval by the Air District. To be approved by the Air District, all TFCA projects must conform to its board-adopted policies and cost-effectiveness requirements, which are explained in the “County Program Manager Fund Expenditure Plan Guidance.”
For additional information, review Bay Area Air District's webpage, contact your local member agency, or email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
TDA Article 3 Program
Call for Projects Frequency: annual
Eligible applicants: Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara
Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds are derived from a 1/4-cent of the State's general sales tax. Article 3 of the TDA makes a portion of these funds available for use on bicycle and pedestrian projects.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) programs TDA Article 3 funds in the nine Bay Area counties. Each year, MTC requests that the Congestion Management Agency (CMA) in each Bay Area county coordinate and submit annual TDA Article 3 program funding priorities for their respective counties. As the CMA for Santa Clara County, VTA works with member agencies to develop the countywide program. After the VTA Board adopts the program, the list is forwarded to MTC for approval and project sponsors apply for reimbursement directly to MTC.
75% of the funds is allocated to Santa Clara Congestion Management Program (CMP) Member Agencies proportional to population. The 15 incorporated cities and the County of Santa Clara are member agencies. 25% of the funds are set aside for eligible projects on the 2016 Measure B Bicycle & Pedestrian Capital Projects 10-Year Priority Project List, with $150,000 set aside for improvements along County Expressways.
For additional information, contact your local agency or email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF)
Call for Projects Frequency: annual
Eligible applicants: Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara
Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF) is derived from a $10 tax on motor vehicles registered within Santa Clara County. The funds are used for transportation programs and projects bearing a relationship or benefit to the owners of motor vehicles paying the fee.
80% of VRF revenues are allocated to the Local Road Improvement and Repair Program. Under this program, the funds are returned on an annual basis directly to our 15 cities and the County using a formula based on each city or town's population and Santa Clara County’s road and expressway mileage. An additional 15% of the VRF revenue is reserved for the Countywide Program.
For additional information contact your local agency or email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Program
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) established the Lifeline Transportation Program to improve mobility for low-income residents of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Funds are distributed to each county based on each county's proportional share of Bay Area residents living in poverty.
The Lifeline Transportation Program is no longer active. The Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Program builds on the Lifeline Transportation Program. The CARE Program is a source of funding to support programs that advance collaboration to build community power and drive community-led solutions.
The CARE Program funds projects in three 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
The CARE program is actively under development by MTC. Please visit the CARE webpage for the most up-to-date information. Sign up for the CARE Program mailing list here. For more information, email June Zhao at june.zhao@vta.org.
Programming and Grants Responsibilities
- Carrying out VTA’s legally mandated Congestion Management Agency responsibilities for programming and monitoring certain Federal, State and Local grant funds.
- Assuring that VTA maintains its own eligibility as a transportation agency for State and Federal grant funds.
- Submitting the annual State and Federal Grant requests that fund the majority of VTA’s non‐Measure A Capital program and up to 25% of its annual operating budget.
The Programming and Grants section contributes to VTA's organizational success by:
- Positioning the agency as a key player and partner in regional transportation funding, resulting in enhanced visibility and influence.
- Developing and recommending funding strategies for VTA’s long‐range and short‐range service initiatives.
- Assuring that VTA obtains the grant funding to which it is entitled.