The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has opened the 2026 Statewide Transit Capital Call for Projects, Funding Opportunity 2026-DTIF-1, under the Transit Downstate Transit Improvement Fund Program (CSFA 494-80-1284).
Program purpose: The competitive program provides capital funding to eligible downstate public-transit participants for construction, improvements, deferred maintenance, acquisition of buses and other revenue or nonrevenue vehicles, facilities, and other equipment used to provide or maintain public transportation.
Funding: IDOT lists $100,000,000 in estimated total program funding, with an award range of $0 to $100,000,000. No cash match, in-kind match, or other funding requirement is published. Indirect costs are not allowed.
Eligible applicants: Eligible applicants are participants as defined in 30 ILCS 740/2-2.02, including qualifying local mass transit districts and local governments outside the Northern Illinois Transit Authority region. The NOFO further states that eligible applicants have received an IDOT Transit Operations Grant agreement within the past calendar year and must have an active PCOM in good standing with IDOT to administer a transit capital award.
Eligible project types: Acquisition, construction, extension, reconstruction, and improvement of mass-transportation assets, including facilities, revenue and nonrevenue vehicles, and other equipment used in connection with providing public transportation. Costs or obligations incurred before contract execution are not reimbursable unless specifically authorized by IDOT.
Deadline: Applications are due October 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM. The official GATA summary and NOFO do not publish a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Applications and supporting materials are routed through IDOT’s transit application resources and BlackCat.
Technical assistance: IDOT lists an optional technical-assistance session for October 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM. Questions are accepted through October 23, 2026 at DOT.CH.OIPITransitDocs@Illinois.gov. IDOT states that an FAQ will be posted after the webinar.
Application requirements: Applicants may submit multiple projects but must prioritize them based on need. Each project must include either a recent independent cost estimate prepared within 18 months of submission, with detailed line items and year-of-expenditure inflation, or documentation of a formal procurement completed within the prior six months accompanied by a price analysis. The NOFO also directs applicants to the published scoring rubric and forthcoming FAQ for supporting-document requirements.
Scoring: The 220-point framework includes Planning & Coordination (13), State of Good Repair (93), New Construction & System Expansion (50), Innovation & Sustainability (20), System Performance (9), and Project Readiness & Application (68). IDOT also considers geographic equity, recent transit-capital award history, and whether existing IDOT capital obligations can be fully funded.
Atlas assessment: Atlas Opportunity Score 72/100. This is a substantial Illinois public-transit capital opportunity for already-qualified IDOT transit participants. It is not a direct healthcare or school grant, although accessible and community transportation projects may indirectly support access to services. N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. The published scope is transportation capital, vehicles, facilities, and transit equipment rather than remote clinical technology. Maximum defensible N9+ revenue: $0. Direct Dr. Miltie vendor path: not viable under the published applicant and capital-transportation structure.
Official sources: Illinois GATA opportunity summary; official IDOT NOFO; IDOT transit program page.