Project Design Guide

The CMO Project Design Guide provides a STEP-BY-STEP process for putting together CMO projects, with tips and tools suggested for each step. Interested applicants should start by reading through the Project Design Guide to get a complete sense of what is involved in applying for Mobility Project Vouchers and Needs Assessment Vouchers. For specific eligibility requirements, please refer to the Implementation Manual.

REFERENCE:

•  Implementation Manual

TOOL:

• Project Design Guide: ( PDF / Word )

SEE THE STEPS BELOW AND ACCESS HELPFUL TOOLS BELOW EACH STEP.

STEP 1

STEP 1: Decide on your project area. CMO projects are intended to benefit residents of underserved communities by assessing mobility needs and providing clean transportation services that help meet unmet needs. The project area is defined as the location where users of the service live, and it is where voucher-funded services and infrastructure will be based. These CMO tools can help you understand what project areas are eligible for voucher funding:

TOOLS:

•  Eligible Project Area Reference Sheet

• Project Design Guide: ( PDF /  Word )

STEP 2

STEP 2: Find out what community members in your project area need. Once you’ve determined the project area, talk to residents to find out more about their transportation habits and what kinds of mobility services might work best to increase their access to transportation, through a Community Transportation Needs Assessment (Needs Assessment).

Needs Assessments are a required component in Mobility Project Voucher applications. If you need funding to complete a needs assessment, consider applying for a Needs Assessment Voucher for support in developing one, and then apply for a Mobility Project Voucher at a later date. Needs Assessment Voucher applicants can skip to Step 5 to access tools for developing a Needs Assessment Voucher application.

A needs assessment must include both input and analysis based on both a data analysis (at least three transportation access data sources and a resident survey) and direct community engagement (at least two types) as specified in the Implementation Manual. These CMO Tools can help:

TOOLS:

•  Data Collection Guide for Community Needs Assessment

• Community Engagement Guide:  Coming soon

• Sample Resident Survey for Community Needs Assessments (English) ( PDF  / Word )

• Sample Resident Survey for Community Needs Assessments (Spanish) ( PDF / Word )

WEBINAR:

• Webinar on Community Needs Assessment:  Presentation and presentation slides:  slide set 1 and  slide set 2.

STEP 3

STEP 3: Determine what kind of mobility service(s) could best meet that community need. Once you’ve identified mobility needs in your community and residents’ priorities, you can design a clean mobility project such as zero-emission carsharing, carpooling/vanpooling, bikesharing/scooter-sharing, innovative transit services, and ride-on-demand services. Helpful tools below:

TOOLS:

•  Mobility Case Studies

•  Clean Mobility Provider Directory

STEP 4

STEP 4: Build a team to help you get the job done. Once you’ve determined what kind of project model will be developed, you’ll need to find partners and resources to help with implementation. Our Technical Assistance Team can help point you in the right direction. Once you’ve established your team, you can work together to develop detail around questions like what equipment you need, how you’ll keep residents engaged in the process and get the word out, and how operations will be financially sustainable. CMO partnership tools include:

TOOLS:

•  Clean Mobility Provider Directory

• Financial Sustainability Resource: (  PDF /  Word )

• Project Cost Guide ( PDF)

WEBINARS:

• Webinar on Clean Mobility Options Program Overview – General Audience.  Presentation and  presentation slides.

• Webinar on Partnerships with Mobility Providers.  Presentation and  presentation slides.

STEP 5

STEP 5: Describe your project in the Voucher application. Voucher applications are designed to be streamlined and straightforward. Use these CMO tools to develop your application:

Needs Assessment Voucher Applications

REFERENCE:

• See Application Materials page for the Application Checklist, Application, and Budget Worksheet for the Needs Assessment Voucher.

TOOL:

• Sample Needs Assessment Voucher Application: ( PDF /  Word )

WEBINAR:

• Community Transportation Needs Assessment Application Walk-Through.  Presentation and  presentation slides.

Mobility Project Voucher Applications

REFERENCE:

• See Application Materials page for the Application Checklist, Application, Budget Worksheet, Infrastructure Site and Needs Profile Worksheet, and Team Profile Worksheet for the Mobility Project Voucher.

TOOLS:

• Financial Sustainability Resource: ( PDF / Word )

• Samples of Letters of Support and Letters of Commitment ( PDF / Word )

• Sample Mobility Project Voucher Application ( PDF )

• Project Cost Guide ( PDF)

• Budgeting for Mobility Project Voucher Application ( Video )

WEBINAR:

• Mobility Project Voucher Application Walk-Through: Presentation and  presentation slides.

Please contact our Technical Assistance Team with any project development questions.