Capital Assistance - Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
Capital Assistance supports Virginia public transportation providers with vehicle, facility, and equipment investments to keep assets in good repair and improve or expand transit services.
Funder: Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
Due Dates: December 1, 2026 (MAJ pre-application) | February 1, 2027 (Full application)
Funding Amounts: Up to 68% of total project cost for Non-Major SGR and MIN; up to 50% for Major SGR and Major Expansion
Summary: Supports capital investments that maintain, improve, or expand public transportation services throughout Virginia.
Key Information: Major Expansion projects require a pre-application through WebGrants.
Description
Capital Assistance is administered by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) through Making Efficient and Responsible Investments in Transit (MERIT). It supports existing and prospective public transportation providers in Virginia with vehicle purchases and rehabilitation, transit facilities, maintenance equipment, machinery, passenger amenities, safety equipment, and other capital investments.
DRPT prioritizes maintaining existing assets in a state of good repair while supporting improvements and expansion of transit services. Projects are classified and ranked separately by category, with funding allocated according to scores and available resources. The FY28 prioritization framework distinguishes Non-Major and Major State of Good Repair projects and places all vehicle expansion projects in Minor Enhancement. Major Expansion investments are evaluated for transportation, economic, accessibility, safety, environmental, and land-use benefits relative to requested state funding.
