Carbon Reduction Program (CRP)

The Carbon Reduction Program (CRP), administered through the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA), provides federal funding for smaller-scale transportation initiatives aimed at reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from on-road highway sources. This funding program aligns with broader federal transportation and environmental goals to support sustainable infrastructure and emissions mitigation strategies across metropolitan regions. MAPA, serving as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Omaha-Council Bluffs region, oversees the regional implementation of federal transportation programs, including CRP. The CRP supports a variety of project types that reduce vehicular CO2 emissions. Eligible activities include traffic monitoring improvements, electrification of vehicles, development of carbon mitigation strategies, and enhancement of pedestrian, bicycle, and public transportation infrastructure. The program is especially tailored to smaller-scale projects that can deliver localized but meaningful impacts on transportation-related emissions. Eligible applicants must note that this cycle will only provide amendments to existing projects, per the source. Submissions are reviewed and incorporated into the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a six-year plan that catalogs all federally funded transportation projects within the MPO area. CRP funding is made available periodically through MAPA’s open call for projects, typically released in the fall. Applications for the FY2027 CRP cycle were opened on October 29, 2025, with a final submission deadline of January 17, 2026. Applicants are required to submit through MAPA’s Transportation Improvement Program process, where they can access policy guides and instructions. Following submission, proposals are reviewed by selection committees, subjected to public comment periods, and evaluated for inclusion in the final TIP. MAPA outlines a structured timeline for the CRP process. Following application submission, the public comment period runs from February 5 to March 5, 2026. Applications are then reviewed by selection committees from March 24 through April 25, 2026. Draft TIP inclusion occurs in May, with final approval from MAPA’s Board of Directors and state authorities by the end of June. Award notifications and project publication are scheduled for July 11, 2026. For more information or to provide feedback, applicants may contact MAPA at 402-444-6866 or via email at transportation@mapacog.org. While a dedicated CRP application guide PDF is not linked, resources are accessible through the TIP section of the MAPA website. This grant opportunity is part of a recurring federal funding mechanism to support sustainable transportation infrastructure and carbon reduction across metropolitan planning regions.

Strong alignment with carbon reduction goals and integration into regional planning efforts may improve selection prospects.