To help maximize the implementation of U.S. DOT’s commitment to livable communities, the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) has launched its third round of pooled fund research funding in 2018. Agency partners are invited to submit problem statements by May 15, 2018.

The pooled fund program offers a process by which cities, counties, MPOs and other regional or local agencies can pool relatively small pots of research dollars to then leverage NITC matched funds for a single, collaborative project.

We held an online information session on February 28, 2018. Watch the video to learn more about the funding process, identifying partners, and crafting an effective problem statement:

To date, NITC has supported two pooled-fund projects to address transportation problems facing cities around the country: 

• a resource to provide Contextual Guidance at Intersections for Protected Bicycle Lanes, and 
• the creation of an Online Non-motorized Traffic Count Archive, which has since evolved into Bike-Ped Portal*. 

In both cases, agencies from around the country collectively contributed financial resources ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 for the project. NITC matched the total amount, resulting in substantial funding for research projects that the partners would have not been able to achieve on their own.

Partnering agencies work with NITC staff to develop a clear problem statement and identify match partners. NITC then issues the request for proposals (RFP) for a response from faculty at our partner universities of Portland State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, University of Arizona, University of Oregon, University of Texas at Arlington, and University of Utah. The intention is to raise at least $75,000 and up to $100,000 of matching funds that, once combined with NITC funding, support a research project with a budget between $150,000 and $200,000.

POOLED FUND GRANT 2018 TIMELINE

For partners:

• Feb 15, 2018 - Request for Research Problem Statement released
• May 15, 2018 - Research Problem Statement from agency partners due
• June 1, 2018 - NITC's Executive Committee reviews and selects statements
• July 31, 2018 - All match secured from agency partners

For NITC consortium members:

• Aug 15, 2018 - Pooled Fund RFP releasted to NITC researchers
• Sept 6, 2018 - Abstracts due
• Oct 1, 2018 - Proposals due
• Oct - Nov 2018 - Peer review of proposals, project selection, task order(s) issued
• Dec 1, 2018 - Project begins

Questions? Contact Eva-Maria Muecke at emuecke@pdx.edu.

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*Learn more about Bike-Ped Portal, a nationwide database of bicycle and pedestrian counts, by attending our webinar on March 7, 2018.