The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has opened the Downstate Cooperative Transportation Grant Program, Funding Opportunity 27-4113-001, CSFA 494-80-4113.
Program purpose: The program supports cooperative transportation partnerships between eligible public transit agencies and public school districts, regional offices of education, public career centers, and public technical education centers administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. Eligible activities include transportation services, specialized transportation for students with disabilities during off-peak service hours, vocational and career education transportation, planning, scheduling and coordination, transportation equipment, infrastructure, and other capital needs necessary to implement an approved cooperative program.
Funding: IDOT lists $15,000,000 in estimated total program funding. The award floor, ceiling, and anticipated number of awards are not specified. No cost share or match is required. Indirect costs are allowed.
Eligible applicants: Public transit agencies participating under 30 ILCS 740. School districts, regional offices of education, public career centers, and public technical education centers participate as required or supporting educational partners rather than as the direct grantee.
Deadline: Applications are due October 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM. The official GATA summary and NOFO do not publish a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Applications are submitted through IDOT’s BlackCat Grant Management System.
Technical assistance: IDOT lists technical assistance sessions on September 8 and September 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM. The summary states that participation is not mandatory.
Required application components: At minimum, applicants must provide OP-3 describing the organization; a detailed scope covering transportation delivery, vehicles/operators, program readiness, educational-partner roles, student enrollment and ridership tracking; demonstrated transportation need and feasibility; a list of proposed educational partners; mobility/economic hardship information; and letters of support. If the community received Illinois Safe Routes to School funding within the prior two years, the application must show coordinated planning and may not use this grant to cover a Safe Routes funding shortfall.
Scoring: IDOT scores Detailed Scope (30 points), Demonstrated Transportation Need and Feasibility (35 points), Educational Partner Participation and Community Support (25 points), and Areas of Mobility and Economic Hardship (10 points).
Restrictions and post-award controls: Costs must directly support the approved cooperative transportation scope and cannot be reimbursed from another State or federal source. The program may not operate exclusive school bus service in direct competition with private school bus operators. An Opinion of Counsel must be signed by the public transit agency and each participating school district when the grant agreement is executed. Reimbursement is based on actual documented eligible costs, with quarterly reporting.
Atlas assessment: Atlas Opportunity Score 84/100. This is a strong Illinois school/education and student-access opportunity, particularly for districts and career/technical programs partnering with eligible public transit agencies and for transportation serving students with disabilities. N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. The funding is for transportation delivery, equipment, infrastructure, planning, and coordination rather than remote clinical technology. Maximum defensible N9+ revenue: $0. Direct Dr. Miltie vendor path: not viable under the published public-transit applicant structure and transportation scope.
Official sources: Illinois GATA opportunity summary; official IDOT NOFO; IDOT BlackCat application portal.