Local and Regional Organizations Receive Transportation Equity Grants
WASHINGTON—As co-chairs of the Transportation Equity Caucus, The Leadership Conference Education Fund and PolicyLink awarded nearly $150,000 in equity grants to six local organizations working to advance affordable, accessible transportation in their communities.
The following organizations will receive grants of up to $25,000 to support projects that advance equitable transportation policies addressing the needs of low-income people, communities of color, people with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups:
Metropolitan Organization for Racial and Economic Equality (MORE²) – Kansas City, Missouri
Through its Kansas City Regional Equity Network, MORE² will use grant funds to host a community transportation summit and work with local leaders and advocates to incorporate equity considerations into local and national policy agendas on federal surface transportation legislation.
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission – Springfield, Massachusetts
The Commission will use funds to embed transit equity principles into the LiveWell Springfield campaign and host local activities to engage, educate, and empower local leaders within communities of color to lift up the Equity Caucus Agenda locally and federally.
Puget Sound Sage/Tacoma-Pierce County Equity Network – Seattle, Washington
Puget Sound Sage and Tacoma-Pierce County Equity Network will use funds to strengthen the community leadership, advocacy, and power of the Regional Equity Network to transform decision making power and advance regional equity investments related to accessible transportation, affordable housing, and clean environment through local transportation and climate change policy opportunities.
Services for Independent Living – Euclid, Ohio
Partnering with Disability Rights Ohio, Services for Independent Living will use funds to host a Transportation Equity Summit gathering community leaders, individuals with disabilities, transit providers, legislators, members of the aging and faith communities, and other community stakeholders to identify local, state, and federal targets for transportation advocacy.
Urban Habitat – Oakland, California
Partnering with Public Advocates, Urban Habitat will use funds to convene a Transportation Justice Working Group to identify transportation policy, investment and program priorities to inform and shape federal policy and advocacy, and to bring the voices and priorities of local communities to that advocacy.
WISDOM – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Partnering with THRIVE WI, WISDOM will provide an array of equity-focused trainings and policy briefings for legislative and community stakeholders and host a transit equity summit for community and public health organizers.
Equitable transportation investments are crucial to connecting people to jobs, educational opportunities, affordable housing, health care, and other basic needs. The grants will fund the awardee’s plans for community-building, public education, partnerships and civic engagement to expand access to safe, quality transportation for all Americans. All awardees will attend a convening in Washington, D.C., to share their work in summer 2015.
About the Caucus:
The Transportation Equity Caucus represents the nation’s leading civil rights, community development, disability, racial justice, economic justice, faith-based, health, housing, labor, environmental justice, tribal, public interest, women’s groups, and transportation organizations. Through a coalition of over 100 organizations, the Transportation Equity Caucus is charting a new course for transportation investments, one that is focused on policies that advance economic and social equity in America. For more information, see www.equitycaucus.org.