Peer Program Application

The Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program is a free resource for agencies in need of transportation planning assistance. The program pays for travel, accommodations, meals, and incidental expenses associated with on-site peer exchanges and offers workshops, roundtables, and webinars to participants free of charge. Interested agencies are encouraged to apply for assistance if they have a clearly identified transportation planning problem to solve and are interested in working with TPCB Program staff to plan and organize an event. Please keep in mind that peer events may require several months to plan.

Funding preference is given to applicants who:

• Demonstrate the importance of their planning challenges to meeting Federal planning requirements, as well as regional and state-level goals.
• Demonstrate how specifically they will use the information learned during the peer program event.
• Seek support on their topic/event from FHWA Division or FTA Regional office staff.

Who Can Apply?

Sharing strengthens transportation planning practices, builds relationships, and reinforces cooperation among transportation agencies. The TPCB Peer Program encourages many different types of agencies to engage in dialogue and share noteworthy practices, including:

• Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
• Transit Operators
• State Departments of Transportation (DOTs)
• Tribal Governments
• Other transportation decisionmakers

If your agency does not appear in the list above, call 617-494-3237 or email the TPCB Peer Program Manager to determine if your agency is eligible to apply.

How Do I Apply?

In order to receive TPCB Peer program assistance you must fill out an application. You will be asked to respond to the following questions:

1. What role does your agency/organization play in the transportation planning process?
2. Why are you requesting peer assistance? What is the specific transportation planning challenge your agency/organization faces and how is it currently being addressed?
3. What is the importance of your challenge to Federal transportation planning requirements and regional and/or state transportation planning goals? How would solving this challenge improve your ability to comply with SAFETEA-LU's planning provisions?
4. Which topic most closely describes the area of peer assistance you are seeking?
5. What do you expect to learn from the peer event? What actions or improvements do you expect your agency will implement as a result of peer assistance?
6. How would you measure the effectiveness of the peer event?
7. What type of peer assistance would best meet your needs? Please explain why this type of event is preferred.
8. What type of peer(s) you would be interested in learning from? What characteristics should an agency possess to make the best peer in helping you address the specific issue/challenge you are facing? Have you identified any specific candidate agencies to participate in peer-to-peer assistance?