UDOT Technical Planning Assistance

Call for Applications

October 2024

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is issuing a call for applications for its Technical Planning Assistance (TPA) program. TPA program funds are made available to local governments in Utah on a competitive basis for the purpose of developing plans and carrying out studies related to land use and transportation. It is anticipated that $1,500,000 in technical planning assistance funding will be available for State fiscal year 2026 (July 2025 - June 2026). 

Please read through this entire document carefully before submitting an application.

Eligible Applicants

The following entities within the state of Utah may apply for TPA funds:

• Municipalities

• Counties

• Townships

• Multi-jurisdictional groups of local governments

Eligible Projects

Plans, studies or analyses related to land use and/or transportation are eligible for funding, including but not limited to:

• Community visioning

• Transportation master plans

• Active transportation plans

• Corridor or small area plans

• General plans

• Zoning or subdivision code updates

To learn more about eligible project types, click here.

Non-Eligible Projects

Project phases such as land acquisition, engineering, and capital investment are not intended to be pursued through the TPA program.

Program Goals

The goals of the TPA program are: 

1. Integrate land use and transportation planning

2. Maximize the value of investment in public infrastructure

3. Increase travel options to optimize mobility

4. Create communities with opportunities to live, work, and play

Applications that clearly demonstrate how a project aligns with these goals will fare better in the evaluation process than those that do not. For more help on addressing these program goals in your application, click here.

Matching Funds

A minimum local match of 6.77% is required. However, if a community can demonstrate a hardship that prevents it from providing the required match, this requirement may be waived in whole or in part at UDOT's discretion. The amount of local match proposed is a consideration in funding award decisions. 

Project Management

Local governments will generally be responsible for all aspects of project management, including procuring any necessary consulting services, paying invoices, ensuring that the work completed is in line with the approved project scope, and adopting any finished products (as applicable).

Coordination with Other Technical Assistance Programs

UDOT coordinates its application process for the Technical Planning Assistance (TPA) program with the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s (WFRC) Transportation and Land Use Connection (TLC) program and Mountainland Association of Governments' (MAG) Technical Assistance to Governments (TAG) program. These programs share the same application form and the same application deadline. Therefore, communities wishing to apply to the TPA, TLC and/or TAG programs in the same year need only submit one application. Projects that are not selected for a TLC or TAG award will still be considered for a TPA award.

How to Apply

To apply for TPA funding, please fill out an application online using this link. If you begin entering information into the application form, you might not be able to save it for later completion. If you would like to prepare your application responses in advance, this spreadsheet contains all of the application questions. 

Application Deadline

Applications are due by December 12th, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for an award. It is therefore strongly recommended to submit your application well in advance of the deadline. If you experience technical difficulties in submitting your application, please reach out to Jordan Backman at the contact information found at the bottom of this notice.

Tips for Strengthening Your Application

• While you may have a great deal of knowledge about the project you’re proposing, it’s important to remember that your intended audience (those evaluating your application) typically won’t have all of that information. This makes it vital that your answers to the application are complete and give sufficient detail to explain what the project's objectives are, why the project is needed, how it aligns with the TPA program goals, what benefits it will provide to the community, and so forth. 

• Each of the application questions are meant to help you completely explain your project. You don’t need to write lengthy, expansive answers; in fact, short but thoughtful answers are often better. Responding to application questions with “N/A” or “None” may be appropriate in some cases, but usually not.

• It is strongly recommended that you coordinate with the applicable UDOT Region Planning Manager for your area before submitting your application. This step is not required, but doing so will allow them to provide helpful feedback to strengthen your application.

• Before submitting your application, make sure that you have calculated the correct local match amount. Matching funds are calculated by multiplying the total project budget (not the amount of TPA funds being requested) by the match percentage. For example, a project with a total budget of $100,000 and committing the minimum match amount of 6.77% would have a local match of $6,770, with TPA funds making up the remaining $93,230. If your application is committing only the minimum match, please do not round down when calculating the amount. A calculation error will not automatically disqualify you, but UDOT may need to adjust the match amount to meet the minimum if your project is selected.

Questions

If you have questions or run into technical difficulties during the application process, please contact:

Jordan Backman

Urban Planning Manager

253-508-2383

jbackman@utah.gov