Glossary of Terms for the Thriving Communities Program
This page provides definitions for key terms related to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Thriving Communities Program.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) |
An Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is the person authorized to submit applications on behalf of the organization via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Biz point of contact in the System for Award Management. The AOR is listed on the SF-424. |
| Capacity Building | Activities designed to improve the ability of an organization to design and implement the necessary technical, financial, business, data analysis, and management skills of grantees to access Federal funding, meet Federal requirements, undertake statewide and metropolitan long-range planning and programming activities, and implement other activities that broadly support project development and delivery. This includes developing long-term community capacity to sustain partnerships and engage non-governmental partners, leadership and workforce development, and program evaluation. |
| Community-Based Organization | The term "community-based organization" means a public or private nonprofit organization of demonstrated effectiveness that (A) is representative of a community or significant segments of a community; and (B) provides educational or related services to individuals in the community. |
| Grants.gov | The website serving as the Federal government’s central portal for searching and applying for Federal financial assistance throughout the Federal government. Registration on Grants.gov is required for submission of applications to prospective agencies unless otherwise specified in this NOFO. |
| Location-Efficient Housing | Housing that benefits from being located in communities near work, schools, services, and amenities and has accessibility to public transportation networks. |
| Meaningful Public Involvement | A process that proactively seeks full representation from the community, considers public comments and feedback, and incorporates that feedback into a project, program, or plan when possible. The impact of community contributions encourages early and continuous public involvement and brings diverse viewpoints and values into the decision-making process. This process enables the community and agencies to make better-informed decisions through collaborative efforts. |
| Place-Making | A multi-faceted and collaborative approach to the planning, design, and management of the public realm to re-activate or co-create active, accessible, and inviting public spaces that promote the well-being of people. |
| Planning | Efforts that support inclusive public participation and community engagement in developing and implementing a range of activities to identify, assess, and evaluate community needs, including but not limited to environmental reviews, data and mapping visualization, market and mobility studies, health and safety impacts, and climate vulnerability assessments. Planning assistance may involve developing or designing for a program or project that aligns with the goals of the DOT Strategic Plan. |
| Rural | For the purposes of this NOFO, rural jurisdictions are those outside of Urbanized Areas with populations below 50,000. See U.S. Census Bureau resources on Rural America and Maps of Urbanized Areas. A list of Urban Areas for the 2010 Census is available in the Federal Register. |
| Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) | A statewide prioritized listing/program of transportation projects covering a period of 4 years that is consistent with the long-range statewide transportation plan, metropolitan transportation plan, and TIPs, and required for projects to be eligible for funding under title 23 U.S.C. and title 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. |
| Technical Assistance | Programs, processes, and resources that provide targeted support, knowledge, or expertise to a community, region, organization, or other beneficiary to help them access and utilize Federal funding to develop, analyze, design, and deliver transportation plans and projects. |
| Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) | A prioritized listing/program of transportation projects covering a period of 4 years that is developed and formally adopted by an MPO as part of the metropolitan transportation planning process, consistent with the metropolitan transportation plan, and required for projects to be eligible for funding under title 23 U.S.C. and title 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. |
Last updated: Thursday, January 23, 2025