MTC awards grants for community-focused initiatives

MTC is awarding Community Action Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Power-building and Engagement (Pb+E) grants to 16 applicants totaling $1.5 million across three project categories. 

This inaugural CARE Pb+E grant program provides funds for community-based organizations (CBOs) to strengthen community leadership, build partnerships and implement community-driven housing and transportation projects. Funded by state Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) funds, the Program advances implementation activities that accelerate infill housing development, reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and affirmatively further fair housing. 

The Program was co-created by the CARE Pb+E Community Advisory Working Group and community representatives. MTC received 143 grant applications totaling $18.9 million in requests. The program anticipates funding an additional $1 million in early 2026 to accommodate more communities. Total grants awarded will be up to $2.5 million. 

"This entire process, these three processes, are all very important to people with disabilities because of accessible futures and other expectations in the community," said Warren Cushman, of Community Resources for Independent Living in Hayward, as the programs were being considered by MTC. "We hope to be a part of all of this, from front to back, everything from active transportation to power building, all of these components matter to us, and we do want to be counted. There's a lot of energy, even more because of accessible futures.” 

Freida Vierra, a sophomore at Miramonte High School in Contra Costa County, who rides public transit five days a week, wrote MTC in favor of transit and including youth into the region’s CARE program.

"(This) matters deeply to me and young people because many of us rely on public transit every single day," wrote Vierra, who participated in MTC’s Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer High School Academy earlier this year. "Whether we are traveling to school, jobs, internships, sports, or after-school activities, reliable and accessible transportation directly affects our opportunities. When transit works well, it helps us stay connected, involved, and safe. When it doesn’t, it limits where we can go and what we are able to do. That is why including youth voices in this process is so important—we understand these challenges from daily, lived experience."

Project categories include:

Building Community Leadership and Capacity: These grants support strengthening input, influence, and technical knowledge on public policy and funding decisions to improve access to housing and transportation for historically underserved communities. The Karat School Project received a grant award in this category through their Building Housing Leadership among RV-Dwelling Families project engaging housing insecure families as experts shaping fair housing. The Time is YA! also received grant funds for their housing and transportation education work developing Latina women and youth in Vallejo through the 8 Poderosas Mentorship Program. Their work activates community leaders impacted by housing insecurity and car dependency through mentorship and skills-building. 

Facilitate Multi-Sector Collaboration: These grants foster collaboration and partnerships across and among non-profit organizations, community-based organizations (CBOs), public agencies and residents to create more inclusive and robust engagement leading to greater collective impact around housing, transportation and climate-related issues and projects. The Center for Independent Living received a grant for their “Peer Power for Disability Equity in Governance” project. This work trains peer ambassadors with disabilities and intersecting identities to better center disability equity in local and regional housing, transportation and climate policies and project implementation. 

Implement Resilient Community Solutions: Enhance access to opportunity and address the intersectional needs of housing, transportation and climate change. Acterra received a grant award for the “Ride for Clean Air.”  The project partners with schools in San Jose’s Equity Priority Communities to expand safe, accessible biking opportunities while raising awareness and showing the health benefits of reduced car use. 

Visit the CARE program webpage to learn more about CARE Power-building and Engagement and to view the full list of grant award winners.