Equity Through Capacity Building: USDOT Thriving Communities Program

This session will describe how the Thriving Communities Program grows the capacity of under-resourced communities by empowering them through guided assessment, learning and execution. The program provides no-cost intensive technical assistance to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities to help identify, develop, and deliver transportation projects that strengthen communities. The Thriving Communities Program will grow the pipeline of communities that can successfully compete for federal funding. The program prioritized the selection of disadvantaged communities that are working to advance projects to improve health outcomes, reduce housing and transportation cost burdens and improve housing conditions, preserve or expand jobs, and increase reliable mobility options for disadvantaged communities and households to better access health care, food, education, and other essential destinations. The presentation will include a traditional moderated panel discussion. Panelists include USDOT Thriving Communities Program leadership; a representative from a national advocacy and organizing group that identifies solutions to economic insecurity in communities due to disinvestment; a local agency representative working with the community to establish priorities and grow its capacity to resource those priorities; and a national planning leader to outline the community process and resources needed to have the capacity to successfully compete for federal discretionary funds.

Access this session with closed captions (Wordly)