Introduction
The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments is issuing a Notice of Funding Availability to call for transportation programs and projects serving older adults and individuals with disabilities in the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Programs/projects awarded funding from this call will be eligible to receive funds from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2027. Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments receives funding for programs/projects serving older adults and individuals with disabilities through:
- Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Older adults and Individuals with Disabilities Program (Only available for services provided in the Colorado Springs Urbanized Area)
This Notice of Funding Availability sets forth guidelines for the program/project eligibility, evaluation criteria, selection process, and schedule for this call. Applications are due to Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments via online application system by October 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted or considered for funding.
Definitions
Federal Transit Administration 5310 provides funding for programs that support older adults and individuals with disabilities under the age of 60, including:
- Assisted Transportation: assistance and transportation, including escort, to a person who has physical or cognitive difficulties using regular vehicular transportation.
- Contracted Mobility Services: direct cost associated with providing transportation provided to older adults and individuals with disabilities through the Federal Transit Administration 5310 program.
- Paratransit Services: Americans with Disabilities Act transportation services provided by Mountain Metropolitan Transit.
- Specialized Transportation: transportation services provided beyond Mountain Metropolitan Transit’s paratransit services for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
- Subrecipient: a non-federal entity that receives a federal award from a direct recipient to carry out part of a federal program but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other federal awards directly from a federal awarding agency
- Application Process and Deadlines
All applicants will apply through Pikes Peak Area Council of Government’s via online application system.
- Notice of Funding Availability release: September 14, 2026, Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments
- Applications Due: to Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments via the Notice of Funding Availability online application system by October 15, 2026 by 5:00 pm. Application found here.
- Award notification and contract execution: February 2027
Program Descriptions
Federal Transit Administration 5310 is a formula program that provides Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments funds for contract mobility services in the Colorado Springs urbanized area. These transportation services are designed to improve mobility and meet the needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities. Federal Transit Administration 5310 program provides funds for transportation carried out to meet the special needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities when public transportation and complementary paratransit services are insufficient, inappropriate, or unavailable. For example, beyond a ¾ mile radius of paratransit services, service needed beyond paratransit level of service, i.e., Door thru Door, and/or services that extend beyond the time paratransit services are available. Federal Transit Administration 5310 projects must be targeted toward meeting the transportation needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities, although they may be used by the public on an incidental basis. It is not sufficient that older adults and individuals with disabilities are included (or assumed to be included) among the people who will benefit from the project.
Available Funding
Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments reserves the right to award some or all the funds available listed below based on application evaluation outcomes. Funds are subject to change based on the appropriations process at the state and federal levels. Click here for service area map
The total amount of funding available is subject to change based on the undetermined federal congressional appropriations. If funding levels are adjusted, applicants will be notified, and a separate Notice of Funding Availability may be issued.
Subrecipient Eligibility and Allowable Expenses
The following organizations are eligible for funding:
- A private nonprofit organization
- A state or local governmental authority
Must have a good standing SAM.gov account.
Allowable expenses include:
- Direct costs (those costs that may be computed and identified directly with a particular program/project)
- Fuel and oil expenses
- Vehicle maintenance activities
- Vehicle insurance
- Driver, supervisor, and dispatcher salaries and fringe benefits
Local Match
Approved applicants are required to provide a local match. The local share of eligible capital costs shall be not less than 20 percent of the net cost of the activity, and the local share for eligible operating costs shall be not less than 50 percent of the net operating costs. Mobility management is an eligible capital cost. Mobility management techniques may enhance transportation access for populations beyond those served by one agency or organization within a community. Local match can come from many sources, including state or local appropriations, tax revenues, private donations, revenue from service contracts, income generated from advertising and concession, and volunteer hours – provided its use as match is not prohibited or disallowed by that funding source. Local match may only be used once, e.g., the same OAA funds may not be used for two different grant applications.
Local match may include local cash or in-kind match. In-kind match may consist of non-cash contributions of time, equipment, space, and other items committed to the goals of the program. In-kind matching may involve the use of items or personnel time donated by a third party, i.e., volunteer labor. Local cash match is cash to cover program costs not already covered by Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments. The difference between the program’s actual cost and Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments reimbursements may also be considered a cash match. It may include the grantee organization’s own funds or cash donations from non-federal third parties.
Selection Process
The selection process is a public process involving external stakeholders and committee members comprised of community members, programmatic experts, and representatives from regional municipalities.
A review panel will largely determine the eligibility of each applicant project on the information provided in the application, and staff knowledge. Staff and the selection committees will consider funding projects from each program for which an applicant and each project is eligible, subject to availability and scoring of the project.
Committee Review Schedule
- Staff screen applications to ensure eligibility.
- Applications are reviewed and scored by the Review Panel
- PAPCG staff will present the Review Panel funding recommendations to the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Community Advisory Committee at their monthly public meetings. Public comment period for recommendations begins.
- Applicants can contest recommendations in writing to the Transit Planner.
- Recommendations from the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Community Advisory Committee for review before making the final funding recommendations to Pikes Peak Area Council of Government’s Board of Directors.
- Pikes Peak Area Council of Government’s Board of Directors will review funding recommendations from the review committees and any contests or public comments that were relevant to the selection of projects and funding allocations.
- Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors, after review, approves the distribution of funds or requests further review from committees.
Each criterion is scored from 0 to 3 points, using ¼-point increments. The criterion score is multiplied by its assigned weighting factor to calculate the weighted score. The weighted scores for all six criteria are then added together to determine the applicant’s Total Merit Score. The maximum unweighted score is 18 points, and the maximum weighted score is 3.0 points.
Example
| Evaluation Criterion | Weight | Reviewer Score | Weighted Score |
| Financial Need | 10% | 2.5 | 0.25 |
| Service Justification | 15% | 3.0 | 0.45 |
| Coordination and Effectiveness | 15% | 2.5 | 0.375 |
| Alignment with Regional and Agency Plans | 20% | 3.0 | 0.60 |
| Budget & Financial Management Capacity | 20% | 2.0 | 0.40 |
| Past Performance | 20% | 3.0 | 0.6 |
| Total | 100% | 16.0 / 18.0 | 2.675 / 3.00 |
More information on the scoring process can be found in the attached scoring criteria document
Any applicant not meeting the criteria will be contacted by Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments and given the opportunity to respond to any finding of ineligibility. Applicants must be prepared to take full responsibility for carrying out the proposed project. Projects cannot later be transferred or reassigned to another agency. Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments encourages agencies to collaborate on projects.
Funding recipients will be assessed annually for civil rights, programmatic, and fiscal compliance. Recipients must verify expenses and tie them to the program outcomes listed in their application. Once an agency’s budget is approved by Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff, a recipient cannot change or add a line-item expense to their budget to help prove cost.
Non-discrimination and Civil Rights
All recipients of 5310 transportation must adopt a Title VI plan that meets the requirements stated in Federal Transit Administration’s Title VI Circular. Applicants will be required to have Title VI plans developed and adopted prior to receiving any funds. Applicants will be provided templates to craft their plans if there is not a current plan in place. Recipients will be monitored yearly for Title VI compliance during their program review period.
The Title VI Plan must include.
- A detailed description of how your organization will provide outreach and services to Limited English Proficient individuals
- Assurances of following ADA rules and regulations, including certificates of equivalent service for vehicles that are not ADA accessible
- Policies and procedures of how a citizen may submit a Civil Rights complaint and a description of the review process
- Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Please refer to the Federal Transit Administration Circular for more information on Title VI requirements.
https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/2024-10/C9070.1H-Circular-11-01-2024.pdf