Transit Zero-Fare for Working Families Grant

Grant Applications are Opening soon for FY 2027!

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a program designed to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency. States receive block grants to design and operate programs that accomplish one of the following four purposes of TANF:

· Provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives;
· End the dependence of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;
· Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and
· Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

The Virginia Transit Association (VTA) has been awarded up to $500,000 in FY 2027 funds from the Virginia TANF block grant program in partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services. The purpose of the appropriation, as provided in the FY 2027 Virginia budget, is to enable VTA to offer competitive grants to organizations that can provide public transportation to persons that have a dependent child and are below 200% of the federal poverty level.

VTA will award up to $500,000 in Fiscal Year 2027 to help end dependency of needy families by promoting access to employment or job training through public transit. Through its Transit Zero-Fare for Working Families grant program, VTA intends to award the grant funds to organizations that serve TANF eligible persons in need of public transit. Key aspects of the program include:

· The Zero Transit Fare grant program is a reimbursement program. Subrecipients must expend funds up front and may request reimbursement on a monthly basis.
· There is no match requirement. Transit Zero-Fare funds may be used to fund 100 percent of the transit services to be provided.
· All grant funds must be spent by June 30, 2027. Accordingly, VTA is seeking subrecipients that can quickly mobilize and begin providing services by July 1, 2026.

Applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm on April 17, 2026. For all questions or information requests, please contact VTA at [email protected] with subject “VTA TANF FY 2027 Application”. 

Returning grant recipients are invited to reapply.

FY 2027 Materials:

FY 2027 Materials:
-VTA/TANF Program Guideline (FY2027)
-VTA/TANF Grant Application (FY2027)
-VTA/TANF Grant Budget Form (FY2027)

FY 2026 Materials:
-VTA/TANF Program Guideline (FY2026)
-VTA/TANF Grant Application (FY2026)
-VTA/TANF Grant Budget Form (FY2026)
-VTA/TANF Grant Procedure Presentation (FY2025)
-VTA/TANF Subrecipient Outcome Reporting Form (FY2026)
-VTA/TANF Subrecipient Reimbursement Form (FY2026)

Reminder for current Grantees: All grant funds must be spent by June 30, 2025. Accordingly, VTA is seeking subrecipients that can quickly mobilize and begin providing services by July 1, 2024.

Contact Information:
Danny Plaugher, Executive Director 
Virginia Transit Association
1108 E. Main Street, Suite 1108
Richmond, VA 23219
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804-643-1166