
Are you a current NITC-funded researcher or interested in our grant opportunities? See key requirements and resources to manage your current grant or prepare a new grant application.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
To apply to one of our grant cycles, Principal Investigators (PIs) have to be a member of our consortium that include the Portland State University, Oregon Insitute of Technology, University of Arizona, University of Oregon, University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Utah. Please use the navigation pane on the left to explore the various grants NITC offers, including their timelines.
If you are funded, NITC requires PIs to comply with all grant requirements as this ensures the integrity of the project throughout the grant cycle and allows NITC to meet all of its federal reporting requirements of its funder, U.S. DOT. Successful adherence to grant obligations and past performance on budget, schedule, and project requirements will be used as a review criterion for future proposals submitted by PIs.
Please read the Principal Investigators' Handbook (PDF) (updated Sept 2018) prior to embarking on your project to better understand the requirements as well as the benefits you gain from being funded and supported by NITC.
MATCH FUNDING
General Research grants require a 1:1.2 (120%) match, and all other grants require a 1:1 (100%) match. It is the responsibility the PI's university to document and report all match.
- Match FAQ (PDF) (updated April 2018)
- Sample Match Commitment Letter_InKind (doc) (NEW July 2018)
- Sample Match Commitment Letter_Cash (doc) (NEW July 2018)
- Cost Share Certification Form (doc) (revised Sept 2018)
- Rebudget Request (doc) (revised November 2018)
PROGRESS REPORTS
The NITC Progress Reports are required of all PI's, as they are critical to our bi-annual reporting of performance measures to our federal funder the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- PIs must show reportable progress throughout the life of a project.PIs are responsible for submitting bi-annual progress reports using NITC's project management system (PPMS) on each of their projects. Progress reports are due on March 30 and September 30 during each calendar year as long as the project is active.
- A project is not complete until the he final report has been approved by NITC and a final progress report has been submitted via PPMS.
- Completed progress reports and current project status are considered before awarding subsequent grants to PIs. If your project is significantly delayed, you may be barred from competing in NITC grant competitions until current grant requirements are met.
We strongly encourage sharing the results of research projects at national conferences and in refereed journals. Researchers should provide copies of all papers submitted to conferences or journals to NITC, and include appropriate attribution to NITC. Seminars, symposia, distance learning classes and any education or technology transfer activities undertaken with NITC support requires collection of metrics on numbers of transportation professionals attending. Video or streaming web archives that can be posted on the NITC website are welcome. Please add activities and metrics to your progress report even if they occur AFTER you project is complete.
For questions about progress reports and other grant requirements, please contact the Research Program Administrator Brendan Williams (brendan.williams@pdx.edu).
NO-COST EXTENSION
No-cost extensions are due no later than 1 month prior to the end date of a project and are not to exceed 6 months from the date of the project award (see award letter date). Investigators must clearly justify the need for a no-cost extension in the context of their research plan and the work completed so far.
To submit a request:
- Log into PPMS
- Update your progress report
- Submit the online No-Cost Extension form. See detailed Instructions on Submitting a No-Cost Extension (PDF).
- Print the form as a PDF
- Email the form to NITC's Research Program Administrator (brendan.williams@pdx.edu)
Once the request is approved, PSU PIs will be notified by their DRA. PIs from partner institutions will receive an email from PSU's financial office once an amended task order is issued to the institution.
FINAL REPORTS
Researchers are required to submit a final report summarizing of research activities and findings, including educational and technology transfer activities. The final report serves as the technical documentation of the research and project undertaken.
Draft final report requirements & process:
- Should conform to NITC template style guidelines and cover page specifications.
- Must be submitted 30 days prior to the official end date of the project.
- Will be peer-reviewed and copy-edited during a two-month review process.
- Researchers are responsible for incorporating peer-review comments into the final report within 30 days (firm) after receiving the peer reviews.
Relevant Documents:
- NITC Final Report Template (doc) (updated December 2018)
- Cover page specifications (doc) (updated January 2017)
- Education Report Requirements (PDF) (NEW March 2018)
- PPMS Submitting Final Draft Report (PDF) (NEW February 2018)
Application Forms (Proposal, Budget, Data Management Plan)
Below are the forms and information needed to apply for the various NITC funding opportunities. To submit your completed abstract or application package, sign in at http://ppms.trec.pdx.edu/. Please verify that you selected the correct grant cycle prior to submitting your funding request. Need help with PPMS? See Resources for Instructions.
Proposal Forms:
- Request for General Research Proposals (PDF) (updated Apr 2020)
- General Research Proposal Form (updated Apr 2020)
- Proposal Internal Approval Form (PSU Applicants only) (updated March 2019)
- PPMS: Abstract & Proposal Submission (PDF) (updated Feb 2018)
- Small Starts Proposal Form (updated July 2019)
- Dissertation Fellowships Proposal Form (updated Oct 2020)
- Pooled Fund Proposal Form (updated July 2018)
- Education Proposal Form (updated Feb 2020)
- Diversity Proposal Form (updated March 2018)
Budget Forms:
- Budget Template (updated Jan 2019)
- Budget Sample (updated Jan 2018)
- Budget Template - Pooled Fund only (updated July 2018)
Other Forms and Documents:
- Change of PI Request (doc) (updated Feb 2017)
- Equipment Request Form (doc) (updated Feb 2017)
- International Travel Request Form (doc) (updated Nov 2019)
- Folder of NITC logos (variety) (.png)
Data Management Plan:
- Data Management Plan - Guide & Template (updated Jan 2020 - only required for research proposals)
Resources
Technology Transfer
Vetted by the U.S. DOT, this plan guides our center’s consideration of technology transfer potential and readiness for all research projects funded through NITC. Included is a clear process map which will ensure research results are being effectively communicated, deployed and implemented within the transportation industry and community.
- Technology Transfer Plan for NITC (August 2018)
PPMS
PPMS is the Project Proposal Management System of the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) that is used by TREC and the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) to manage proposal submissions, peer reviews, and active projects.
- PPMS Abstract Proposal Submission (PDF) (February 2018)
- PPMS Completing Progress Reports (PDF) (February 2018)
- PPMS Submitting Draft Final Report (PDF) (February 2018)
- PPMS Submitting NoCost Extension (PDF) (New September 2018)
Additional References
- Transportation Research Board (TRB) Research in Progress (RiP) Database
- Transportation Research Board Research Needs Statements (RNS)
- National Transportation Library (added September 2018)
- Deliverables and reporting requirements for UTCs (updated June 2014)
- General provisions for UTCs (updated September 2013)
- Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA)
University Curriculum
NITC is committed to teaching university students the latest topics consistent with transportation and livable communities. Our education projects focus on developing innovative new curriculum that can be tested and shared among NITC and other universities. NITC partner campuses offer funds to attract students to transportation through education opportunities at the university level. Our education grants focus on creating opportunities for experiential learning, and attracting and supporting undergraduate students. The following are education projects that help to further this objective:
Planning
- Educate the Educators: Diffusing the SCYP University-Community Partnership Model
- Collaborative Regional Planning: Tools and Techniques for Teaching Collaborative Regional Planning to Enhance Livability and Sustainable Transportation
- Introduction to Scientific Computing for Planners, Engineers, and Scientists
- Pedestrian Observation and Data Collection Curriculum
- Phase 2 Multimodal Transportation Planning Applications Curriculum for Urban Planning Programs
- Establishing Graduate Certificates in Sustainable Transportation at US Universities & Colleges
- Pedestrian and Transit Oriented Design
- Multimodal Transportation Planning Curriculum for Urban Planning Programs
- Transportation Leadership Education
- Strategic Design and Policy for Improving the Livability and Multi-modal Use of U.S. Urban Arterials and Commercial Highways
- OLIS Sustainable Transportation Class
- Addressing Homeless Encampments on Public Right-of-Way: A Knowledge Transfer Project
- Enhancing Bicycle and Pedestrian Education through Curriculum and Faculty Development
- Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Community Needs Assessment
- designBridge: Integrating Transportation into Service Learning Design/Build Projects
- Trail Planning & Community Service Curriculum
- designBridge: Integrating Transportation into Service Learning Design/Build Projects
- Expanding Service Learning Models in Transportation
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Curriculum Expansion
- City Design Lecture Series: Linking Transportation and Land Use Planning
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Program
- Linking Experiential Learning to Community Transportation Planning
- Road Ecology Course and Seminar Series
Engineering
- Instructional Modules for Obtaining Vehicle Dynamics Data with Smartphone Sensors
- Transportation Undergraduate Research Fellowship (TURF)
- Dynamic Evaluation of Transportation Structures with iPod-Based Data Acquisition
- Design for an Aging Population
- Graduate-level Civil Engineering Transportation Course Development-Oregon Tech
- UO NITC National Education Project: Advanced GIS: Smart Transportation
- Activity-Based Learning Module for Human Factors in the Introductory Transportation Engineering Course
- Development, Deployment, and Assessment of a New Educational Paradigm for Transportation Professionals and University Students
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Engineering Design Curriculum Expansion
- Distribution Logistics Course
- Traffic Engineering Training for Rural Communities
CURRICULUM TERMS OF USE
The curriculum modules and resources shared here are offered to you conditioned on your acceptance without modifications of the Terms. Your use of the curriculum modules constitutes your agreement to all such Terms.
- To reproduce or make copies of the modules: any reproductions or copies must contain proper attribution to the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), and at a minimum, the NITC logo.
- To distribute the modules or module adaptations: any reproductions or copies must contain proper attribution to NITC, and at a minimum, the NITC logo.
- To create and reproduce adaptations (work based on the curriculum modules): provided that any such adaptations or changes, including any translation in any medium, takes reasonable steps to clearly label, demarcate or otherwise identify that changes were made to the original modules. For example, a translation could be marked "The original curriculum modules were translated from English to Spanish." If significant adapations are made (e.g. language translation) that may benefit other users, please contact us at asktrec@pdx.edu to determine whether this update could be added to the project resources.