Safe Routes Activating Communities Program

This page provides information on the Safe Routes Activating Communities Program, which is designed to enhance the capacity of small and lower resourced communities in Colorado in developing safer walking, biking and rolling routes to everyday destinations, such as schools, parks, libraries and grocery stores.

A group of pedestrians, children on bicycles, and a dog walking across a marked crosswalk on a paved road flanked by yellow pedestrian crossing signs, with cars stopped nearby and pine trees in the background.

About

The Colorado Safe Routes Activating Communities program provides participants with twelve months of comprehensive educational and technical support, complemented by a planning mini-grant. The program is specifically designed to enhance the capacity of small and lower resourced communities in Colorado in developing safer walking, biking and rolling routes to everyday destinations, such as schools, parks, libraries and grocery stores. Through expert guidance and initial seed funding, the program helps communities establish effective safe routes action plans.

Activating Communities is built on three core pillars:

  • Peer Learning: Participation in six (6) virtual “Community of Practice” sessions (one hour, every other month) to learn from experts and peer communities.
  • Expert Guidance: Up to 10 hours of individual technical assistance for each community from the Safe Routes Partnership to set goals and develop a customized safe routes action plan.
  • Action Funding: A $10,000 mini-grant to implement a community engagement or data collection activity identified during the planning process. (e.g. walk audits, bicycle or pedestrian counts, community workshops, etc.)

Additional program details will be available in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - Coming Soon!

How to Apply

Program Status

Opening Soon: Applications for the 2026 Safe Routes Activating Communities program will be open from 08/20/2026 - 09/30/2026.

Please subscribe to our Active Transportation Updates to receive the announcement when applications will be accepted.

 Step 1: Are you eligible?

Organizations must be a political subdivision of the state to apply. 

Applicants must be registered and in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State and have a valid Sam.gov Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).  

Priority is given to rural areas, small towns and communities identified as disadvantaged or low-resource who are in the early stages of developing a safe routes program.

 Step 2: Learn about the opportunity and expectations

Read the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in its entirety before applying. 

Grant Mechanism: This is a reimbursement grant. Grantees must pay for eligible costs up-front and submit invoices and proof of payment to CDOT for reimbursement. 

Match Requirement: There is no match requirement.

Funding source: Federal. Compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance) is required for receiving federal awards, covering administrative requirements, cost principles and audit requirements.

Risk Assessment: Selected applicants will be required to complete a brief financial risk assessment.

Participants are expected to:

  • Commit to Participate: This is a cohort-based program. Selected communities must commit a staff lead or dedicated volunteer to attend group sessions and technical assistance calls.
  • Communicate Progress: All grants require regular updates to the funder and a short final report submitted before the final reimbursement request is paid by the funder.
  • Prepare Financially: Funding is available through a reimbursement model, meaning activity costs are reimbursed to grantees after the grantee pays for them.
  • Stay Organized: Keep all financial transactions and projects documents electronically organized as they may be requested by the funder throughout the grant.

 Step 3: Apply

The application will open on August, 20, 2026. Complete the application before the deadline of September 30, 2026. For application assistance or questions, contact [email protected].

 Step 4: Application Review Process

If more eligible organizations apply for the program than available funding allows, applicants will be scored using the following criteria to determine if they will be awarded funding:

  • Community Need (50%): Community’s MMOF match rate percentile rank and demonstrated need.
  • Commitment/Preparedness (25%): Organization’s ability and willingness to commit time and resources to the requirements of the program.  
  • Long-term Strategy (25%): Community has a long-term vision compatible with this program and/or is interested in furthering Safe Routes activities following program completion.

Additional Resources

Photo credit: Jefferson County