Frequently Asked Questions

Implementation Manual (IM) is the governing document for CMO, and provides detail on how the program works and the requirements for applicants and awardees. Information on these pages is subject to change and interested applicants should refer to the IM as the guiding document.

Frequently Asked Questions

We recognize and understand that Californians are currently responding to the evolving health and economic crisis. To ensure that applicants have enough time to refocus their energy and safely complete all the requirements for their application (including community engagement), we have adjusted the timeframe of the program as we work to accommodate and respond to shifting circumstances.

The 2020 Mobility Project Voucher application window is closed to all applicants as of 6pm PT on February 26, 2021.

Due to the health crisis, WE WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS THROUGH IN-PERSON DELIVERY . Please call us at (626) 744-5670 if this poses an inconvenience.

As directed by the California Department of Public Health, in-person meetings and gatherings at this time for this project are not permitted. We do, however, encourage creative ways of meaningfully engaging community residents through virtual or other remote means.

Please tell us how we can best support you, and if you have any concerns or questions, please contact us.

Each new mobility project can receive up to $1,000,000. A project expanding an existing mobility service can receive up to $600,000. Each community transportation needs assessment projects could receive up to $50,000. Please note that that needs assessment funds are fully subscribed and we are no longer accepting applications at this time.

A voucher is a type of contract that serves as a “promise of payment”. Payments are issued on a reimbursement basis. Vouchers are awarded based on minimum eligibility criteria and are not competitive in CMO, which makes them different from other Low Carbon Transportation Investment grant opportunities.

The community transportation needs assessment voucher is a smaller funding amount that is intended to help applicants get ready to submit an application for a mobility project voucher. Please note that needs Assessment funds are fully subscribed and we are no longer accepting applications. One of the application requirements for the mobility project voucher is submission of a community transportation needs assessment. Once the assessment is complete, those applicants can apply for the mobility project voucher. Applicants do not need to apply for the community transportation needs assessment voucher in order to do a needs assessment.

Yes. A community transportation needs assessment is a prerequisite for a mobility project. Applicants may apply for funding for both voucher types in the same program year if the projects will be conducted in different project areas. Additionally, awardees of grants for community transportation needs assessments may apply for a needs assessment and then use the needs assessment to meet criteria for a mobility project application in an overlapping project area as long as the needs assessment is complete before submitting the mobility project application. Please note that needs Assessment funds are fully subscribed and we are no longer accepting applications. 

The Mobility Project voucher will cover up to three years of project costs after the voucher agreement is signed, including one year of planning and construction and two years of operations. Applicants have to commit to operating the project for two years after the voucher funding term ends to ensure that the project is sustainable – voucher funds will not cover costs during this period. The needs assessment project voucher will cover up to nine months of project costs.

A lot! Funding can cover activities relating to project planning and design, outreach and marketing, capital costs, operations and maintenance, and implementation costs. Some examples of eligible costs include infrastructure, zero-emission vehicles, equipment, outreach and community engagement activities, staff time for operating services, and vehicle maintenance. See the Implementation Manual for more detail.

The 2020 Mobility Project Voucher application window is closed to all applicants as of 6pm PT on February 26, 2021. As of 6pm PT on June 2, 2020, 2020 Community Transportation Needs Assessment funds are fully subscribed. As a result, we are no longer accepting needs assessment applications at this time.

Organizations that do not receive voucher funds for a Needs Assessment but that are still interested in applying for a Mobility Project are encouraged to contact the administrator to request technical assistance to develop their Mobility Project applications, including the needs assessment component.

NO EARLY SUBMISSIONS: Early submissions will be rejected and asked to resubmit during the application window timeframe. When submitting by mail, please make sure the package is postmarked on or after the date the window opens.

NO INCOMPLETE SUBMISSIONS: Only complete applications will be accepted. Incomplete applications will be rejected. To ensure that you submit a complete application, please see the application checklists on the Applications Materials page.

NO LATE SUBMISSIONS: Applications submitted after the window is closed will be rejected.

Please continue to check the website and subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates and further details. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us.

Applications will be processed and approved on a first-come, first-served basis until all available funds are committed. All who apply and meet the minimum eligibility criteria within the submission window will receive funding until funding is exhausted. For the first round of applications in 2020, $21.15 million total is available for Mobility Projects and $1,150,000 million total is available for Community Transportation Needs Assessment projects. 

 ✦  Please note that that needs assessment funds are fully subscribed and we are no longer accepting applications at this time.

You can only apply as a lead applicant for one voucher application (this applies to both Mobility Projects and Community Transportation Needs Assessments). The one exception is if the project area you are applying for is entirely located in an unincorporated community (which means no city government represents the project area). In this case, you may apply as a lead for up to three projects as long as all of them are in unincorporated communities.

The community transportation needs assessment voucher is a smaller funding amount that is intended to help applicants get ready to submit an application for a mobility project voucher. One of the application requirements for the mobility project voucher is submission of a community transportation needs assessment. If an applicant has not completed a needs assessment in their community, they can apply for the needs assessment voucher to fund the assessment effort. Once the assessment is complete, those applicants can apply for the mobility project voucher.

Yes. A community transportation needs assessment is a prerequisite for a mobility project. Applicants may apply for funding for both voucher types in the same program year if the projects will be conducted in different project areas. Additionally, awardees of grants for community transportation needs assessments may apply for a needs assessment and then use the needs assessment to meet criteria for a mobility project application in an overlapping project area as long as the needs assessment is complete before submitting the mobility project application.

In order for community transportation needs assessments to be eligible, they must include all of the elements as explained in the Implementation Manual.

There is no match requirement. There does need to be some resource contribution from the applicant team, and there is flexibility about how this is done. See the Implementation Manual for more details on fulfilling this requirement. 

Motor vehicles funded by the program must zero-emission vehicle (ZEVs), which include battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles are eligible, but only for vehicle models with six seats capacity or above.

Applicants can find professional mobility operators by consulting the Clean Mobility Provider Directory.

Applicants can request that the Program Administrator share their information with other interested parties in the same geography by emailing [email protected].

If applicants have additional questions about finding project partners, please contact the Program Administrator at [email protected] or through this form.

To determine whether your proposed project will provide a new or existing service, first determine the boundaries of your project area. A new service is a mobility service that you are proposing to introduce into the proposed project area. In other words, it is not currently operating in any location of the proposed project area. An existing service is a mobility service (for example, a vanpool program) that is currently operating in some locations of or the entire proposed project area.

One example is replacing the existing fleet of an on-demand, non-emergency medical transportation program that serves residents in a disadvantaged community, with zero-emission vehicles.

Most of the mobility services and infrastructure funded by a voucher must be located inside the project area to deliver intended benefits to residents. At least 80 percent of the infrastructure must be within the project area. Twenty percent can be located outside of the project area. The percentages can be determined in several ways (e.g. 20 percent of total capital costs, 20 percent of the area in square miles, 20 percent of vehicles and/or chargers, 20 percent of route length, etc.).

Yes, and that is encouraged! However, other funds from the Low-Carbon Transportation Investments program cannot count towards an applicant’s required “resource contribution.” Additionally, applicants may not stack funding that leads to payment for an amount greater than the value of an item. For example, an applicant may not stack CMO funding with funds from the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, because CMO funding can already reimburse the full value of a passenger vehicle.

No, they are different programs, but both are funded by California Climate Investments and are in the Low Carbon Transportation Investments suite of projects. The CMO Voucher Pilot is a non-competitive program that provides funding through an administrator (CALSTART) for small-scale clean mobility projects and community transportation needs assessments. STEP is a competitive program in which applicants will receive funding directly through CARB for larger scale projects that may include multiple clean transportation options and supporting projects. The solicitation for STEP is currently open and closes on August 31, 2020. You can access materials about STEP at the STEP website or CARB’s Low Carbon Transportation Investments & Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) website.