Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Transportation and Growth Management Program, a joint program of the Department of Conservation and Development and the Oregon Department of Transportation 

The 2024 Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program invites you to submit a Planning Grant Application. Planning grants can help communities provide transportation choices, support economic vitality, develop parking management strategies, expand housing design options, and create vibrant welcoming communities.

Applications are accepted starting May 6, 2024, until July 31, 2024; award announcements will be made in September. The packet and contact info can be found on the TGM Planning Grants page.

TGM grants planning resources are available to help Oregon jurisdictions address transportation, land use, and growth management issues in their communities. Proposed projects are divided into one of two categories:

  • Category 1 focuses on transportation system plans (TSPs). Projects can be complete TSPs, TSP updates or any individual TSP elements to address transportation needs for all users, comply with new state or federal regulations, maintain consistency with a regional transportation plan, plan for areas newly brought into the urban growth boundary (UGB), reduce greenhouse gas pollution, or make the transportation system more resilient to the impacts of natural hazards. Other examples include bike and pedestrian or transit plans and safe routes to school plans. Innovative transportation plans that are consistent with TGM objectives may qualify as an eligible use in this grant category.
  • Category 2 grants are focused on integrated land use and transportation planning. Projects will result in land use decisions. This category can include preparation and adoption of plans including area plans, downtown or main street plans, neighborhood corridors and concept plans for areas being brought into a UGB, and implementation of code amendments to encourage location efficiency of housing and employment or reducing pollution from transportation. This category includes plans for urban unincorporated communities which may be of particular interest to counties.

This year TGM is once again emphasizing projects that reduce barriers to a broader range of housing types and prices and increase accessibility to housing options. Eligible applicants for TGM planning grants include counties, cities, councils of government on behalf of a city or county, tribal governments, and certain special districts. The TGM program typically awards between $2 million and $2.5 million statewide annually. Award amounts generally range between $150,000 and $300,000 per award.

TGM grants open doors for more funding

TGM grants can better position jurisdictions to receive funds from additional sources. Some examples include energy tax credits, main street programs, and federal programs to address the housing supply. Frequently goals addressed with TGM planning grants align with state agency programs as well as federal and non-profit organization goals. Check our website for more funding opportunities.

This year TGM is once again emphasizing projects that reduce barriers to a broader range of housing types and prices and increase accessibility to housing options. The Biden-Harris administration took action in the fall of 2023, to create more affordable housing by converting commercial properties to residential use. The plan cites a more than 1.5 million nationwide housing shortfall, largely driven by state and local zoning and land use policies that restrict housing density, artificially inflate prices, and perpetuate historical segregation. Under the administration’s plan, jurisdictions that have reformed zoning and land use policies will receive higher scores in some federal grant processes.

The TGM program has supported land use policies since 1993, that promote density, rural main street revitalization, and transit-oriented development in concert with expanding transportation choices. Collaboration and engagement with the TGM program can help maximize as we like to say ─ “better ways to better places.”

For questions about the TGM grant program, contact Elizabeth Ledet or Bill Holmstrom, 503-934-0040.