History of RCP

The RCP Program was established in 2021 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan infrastructure Law (BIL). This legislation provides the RCP Program an annual average of $50 million for planning grants and $150 million for construction grants from FY22 through FY26. Additionally, BIL authorizes DOT to use up to $30 million from funds to provide technical assistance support in building community or organizational capacity (FY22-26). In 2024, U.S. DOT awarded its third round of grant funding.

Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program FY24 Awards

On January 10, 2025, U.S. Department of Transportation announced $544.6 million in grant awards for 81 projects in 31 states through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program. These awards include 15 Capital Construction Grants and 66 Community Planning Grants.

Expressions of interest in RCP FY24 greatly outpaced the level of available funding. The RCP program received 403 applications requesting over $3 billion in funding.