ITD Grant Program

Grant Program

Institute for Transportation Decarbonization

March 2023

Grant Program

The Institute for Transportation Decarbonization will issue grants to researchers working on the scale-up and deployment of transportation decarbonization solutions in areas crucial for decision-makers in the U.S. federal government. These grants are intended to fund the Principal Investigator (PI) and supporting staff’s time to develop targeted materials for federal agencies, Congressional staff, and Administration officials. 

Furtherance of Mission

The Institute for Transportation Decarbonization has a national focus on creating a sustainable environment for historically marginalized communities. A recent analysis conducted by Aclima, a hyperlocal air quality monitoring company, found that the poorest air quality in the nine counties of the Bay Area was consistently found in communities of color, typically located near major highways and the Port of Oakland. Beneficiaries of our research and resulting policy reforms will be these communities but in cities and port communities across the country that are disproportionately affected by saturation of nitrous oxide (NOx), carbon pollution, and particulate matter. 

These results and beneficiaries have been considered extensively in crafting the goals and mission for our research and stress the urgency of the Institute’s work. Our model focuses on identifying the current emissions landscape and determining the full extent of the impact of these emissions on communities of color. Our landscape study provided an assessment of technology readiness and policies in each sector of transportation, establishing a baseline model to improve from. This allows the ITD to more accurately produce research and advocate for policy reforms that will have the most effect on communities of color. Lastly, ITD’s research will produce a proper roadmap to decarbonization, policy reforms, and investments in communities of color will become more than just points of advocacy, they become a reality.  

Submission Guidelines and Eligibility Requirements

Grants are open to any and all professional researchers working in non-profit organizations, universities, or national laboratories. The following submission guidelines & requirements apply to this Call for Proposals:

1. Proposals should include a short abstract or executive summary (maximum 500 words).
2. The project description should include the following:
   • A description of the research and its stage of completion. If not completed, a specific timeline should be given with completed research before the end of the ITD grant timeframe.
   • An explanation of how the research outcome will help inform decision-makers at the federal level. 
   • Give specific examples of how this research will help further the grant’s goals and relevant policy goals and how it could benefit environmental justice goals.
   • Propose a policy engagement strategy, including the public, Executive Branch, and Congressional engagement.
3. All applicants must submit a line-item program budget with their application for funding. Such budget shall stay within the following prescribed limits or include a narrative justification for costs in excess of those limits:
   • Indirect costs up to 20% of the project budget. 
   • Salary for policy engagement up to 25% of the project budget. 
4. List of staff and relevant background information.

Selection Process

All submitted grants will be reviewed by ITD staff and the Advisory Board. Our selection process is as follows: 

• The Senior Fellow and all Advisory Board members will sit on the reading committee. 
• All applications will be reviewed in a blind review process, where committee members will not see the identity of the submitting party(ies). 
• Applications will be screened for meeting eligibility requirements. 
• All eligible applications will be reviewed, and those selected will be those that best meet the evaluation factors in the Call for Proposals. 

Selection Criteria

Grants are open to any and all professional researchers working in non-profit organizations, universities, or national laboratories. The following submission guidelines & requirements apply to this Call for Proposals:

1. Responsiveness to the goals set forth in this Call for Proposal: What policy question can the applicant’s research help inform?
2. Relevant past performance/experience: Has prior research resulted in policy actions or led to industry-wide change?
3. Applicable research areas to the named policy: Does the applicant have prior experience specific to the named policy area?
4. Technical expertise/experience of PI and relevant staff: Does the research team have expertise in chemistry, engineering, environmental science, biological science, or other relevant technical areas?