Minnesota Department of Transportation

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Transit in Greater Minnesota

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Facilities grant

We distribute funding to rural and small urban transit for the facilities needed to deliver and improve modern transit services.

How it works

  • If you do not already have them, you will need to have an architect develop a conceptual design and budget for your proposed facilities project.
  • To apply, login into your BlackCat account, go to the Application tab, and open an application for the year you wish to receive funding. Download the resource documents, the instructions will explain what you need to submit, and the BlackCat Guide will walk you through how to submit the required information.
  • You will submit your application in BlackCat

Eligibility

Any Greater Minnesota Rural or Small Urban transit agency currently receiving operating assistance from MnDOT.

Application process

What you'll need

Review 2027-2030 Transit Facilities Instructions in BlackCat
  • More details on funding, eligibility, scoring, etc.
Application
  • A Microsoft Word document with narrative and data to describe (with narrative and data) the project, need, efficiencies, and sustainability of your proposed project.
An architect’s conceptual design and conceptual budget
  • Our facilities specialist should have discussed with you how best to provide this information.
Other requirements
  • A board resolution authorizing the application
  • An Affidavit of Non-collusion
  • A Conflict of Interest Disclosure form
  • Certification of No Conviction of a Felony Financial Crime

Submit your application in BlackCat

  • The BlackCat / Applications Guide is a resource to find, download and upload application documents.

Deadlines

  • Sept. 30, 2025: Deadline to submit a grant application

Guidance

We will hold a webinar to demonstrate how the forms work and to go over the application requirements. We'll send an invitation Aug. 1 for a webinar the following week.

After you apply

  • We will convene a scoring committee to review and score all applications.
  • Then we will select the highest-scoring projects until all available funds have been assigned.
  • We will also seek to acquire both state bond and Federal discretionary funding to increase funding available.
  • Should MnDOT receive additional funds, the projects included in these proposals would then be scheduled as funds are available.

Notification

  • January 2026: We'll post selected facility projects.

More information

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 13.03, subd. 1, all government data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by a government entity shall be public unless classified by statute, or temporary classification pursuant to section 13.06, or federal law, as nonpublic or protected nonpublic, or with respect to data on individuals, as private or confidential. The responsible authority in every government entity shall keep records containing government data in such an arrangement and condition as to make them easily accessible for convenient use. Photographic, photostatic, microphotographic, or microfilmed records shall be considered as accessible for convenient use regardless of the size of such records.