CARB and Data for Social Good’s Mission

CARB’s clean mobility initiatives provide funding for projects that promote community-driven transportation planning and enhance access to environmentally friendly transportation options beyond just personal vehicles. The primary goal of these programs is to develop planning and mobility strategies that transform the state’s transportation systems towards cleaner, more active, and shared modes of travel, particularly in lower-income areas that have historically faced limited transportation options.

The Planning and Capacity Building component aims to deliver substantial benefits to communities by ensuring meaningful engagement of marginalized groups throughout all phases of planning. It seeks to empower community leaders and residents to take an active role in shaping transportation decisions that affect their lives. This includes outlining specific guidance or requirements for applicants to support the transition to a zero-emission economy through training programs and local hiring whenever possible, as part of clean mobility initiatives. Ultimately, these projects aim to enhance local understanding of residents’ transportation needs, direct communities towards appropriate incentive funding opportunities, and equip them to implement clean transportation and land use projects effectively.

Policy Drivers

The following essential legislation shapes the priorities and execution of Planning and Capacity Building:

SB 150: This bill mandated the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to evaluate the progress of each region in meeting regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets as established by SB 375. The Planning and Capacity Building Project aims to tackle some of the challenges to achieving the State’s climate objectives highlighted by CARB in its Draft 2022 Progress Report for California’s Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act.

SB 350: This legislation instructed CARB to conduct a study to gain insights into the obstacles that low-income residents face in accessing zero-emission and near-zero-emission transportation and mobility options, as well as to generate recommendations for improving access.

The Planning and Capacity Building Project specifically targets many of these challenges and adheres to the suggestions presented by CARB in the Low-Income Barriers Study, Part B: Overcoming Barriers to Clean Transportation Access for Low-Income Residents.

Project Funding

Planning and Capacity Building was officially established as a distinct funding category with the FY 2022-23 Funding Plan. In the previous fiscal years, $4.85 million was dedicated to various Planning and Capacity Building initiatives, including Access Clean California, the Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program (CMO), and STEP, as detailed below.

For FY 2023-24, funding includes:

At least $7.5 million allocated for applications through a new Planning Request for Applications (RFA) and to fully support a partially funded application from the FY 2022-23 Planning, CMIS, and STEP RFA.

Up to $2.4 million designated for the Statewide Planning and Capacity Building Administrator, who will offer implementation support to five additional CMIS and STEP awardees funded with FY 2023-24 resources, provide technical assistance and outreach for the upcoming Planning RFA, and manage up to 15 more Planning projects chosen through the forthcoming RFA.