A peer exchange opportunity
On April 25, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) welcomed its current Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 Program grant recipients to a Grantee Best Practices Forum. The 2023 forum was the third hosted by COG as peer exchange for grantees to learn about each other’s projects through table displays and presentations. At this year’s forum, participants heard best practices for partnership building and marketing, as well as lessons learned from managing an FTA-funded grant. Grantees walked away with a new network of contacts and a better understanding of the range of mobility options offered in the region—from technology applications to vehicles that meet the around-the-clock travel needs of residents of a community-based housing program.
Grantees had a chance to view table displays by the Arc of Northern Virginia, Dulles Area Transportation Association, Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA), and the Transit Group/Regency Cab at the forum. Three speakers discussed implementation of their grant-funded projects.
FTA Enhanced Mobility Program
The FTA Section 5310 program is formally titled Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities. The program’s purpose is to assist private nonprofit organizations, private providers, transportation agencies, and local governments in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. In 2023, approximately $11 million in federal funds will be available. Since the program’s inception, services eligible for matching grants have expanded. Traditional projects include, but are not limited to, bus, van, and equipment purchases and technology applications. Nontraditional services may include travel training, volunteer driver programs, building accessible bus stop infrastructure (sidewalks, signals, and curb ramps), and wayfinding/signage.
Increasing effectiveness of volunteer driving
Sara Fought, Senior Director at JCA, directs mobility management and Information & Referral for VillageRides. The program supports community organizations in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County with volunteer transportation services. The program has a partnership with NVRides, a volunteer program network in Northern Virginia. JCA’s role is to provide guidance on establishing volunteer programs, acquiring and using software, volunteer training, and creating marketing resources such as advertising templates. Fought spoke about the importance of partnerships for grant success. In the case of VillageRides, this has meant establishing an advisory council to identify volunteer program best practices, using lessons learned from the pandemic to improve virtual training, and recognizing that different villages have different needs. As a result, JCA’s VillageRides has also played a role as a neutral coordinator for the intraregional partnerships.
Growing independence through travel training and technology
In his presentation on the Arc of Northern Virginia, Program Manager Peter Liesen discussed the organization's creation of a travel training program customized for the region. The Arc of Northern Virginia serves over 39,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and with their Achieving Independence project, they are offering travel training lessons through an online TravelMATE curriculum and an updated digital app. The app uses visual images, directions, and prompts to support travelers making trips by public transportation. The Arc of Northern Virginia shared lessons learned such as not underestimating the time it takes to develop technology products and conduct follow-up with partners. Another important lesson is understanding the time and management of holding engagement activities to share information about the service or product.
Community integration with the support of transportation
Sheryl Kennedy, Operations Administrator at Woodley House in Washington, DC, spoke from the perspective of integrating housing and transportation services. Woodley House provides mental health supportive services and housing, operating 32 homes for more than 300 residents across four wards. Woodley House received funding for a Van Acquisition project. With the vans, reliable, accessible transportation is available for residents 24 hours a day for emergency transportation needs and for day programs, meetings, and medical appointments. Transportation is key for residents to connect to the community for shopping, recreation, and visiting family. During the coronavirus pandemic, the vans were vital resources to provide transportation when public transit was not advisable. Kennedy noted that grantees from non-transportation backgrounds should be aware of U.S. Department of Transportation rules about service provision and grant management. A takeaway best practice is to become familiar with FTA policies and have management processes in place in order to efficiently and effectively meet the transportation needs of those who need access.
COG’s role in Enhanced Mobility
The National Capital Regional Transportation Planning Board (TPB), with COG acting as administrative agent, is the designated recipient for the Section 5310 program for the Washington, DC-VA-MD Urbanized Area. In 2023, COG and the TPB will take two actions related to the program. First, the TPB is updating its Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan. The Coordinated Plan identifies unmet transportation needs, existing services, strategies for improving service, and priority projects. Second, a segment of the plan focuses on criteria for the Enhanced Mobility grants competitive selection process, which will next take place between August and November 2023.
Stay informed about the Enhanced Mobility Program and receive updates about the 2023 COG grant solicitation by subscribing to the TPB newsletter. For questions, contact Mohammad Khan, Enhanced Mobility Program Manager, mkhan@mwcog.org or (202) 962-3253.