Statewide Partnership Program

The SPP is not a grant. The purpose is to achieve two primary objectives:

1. Advance needed highway and bridge improvements in communities in Tennessee for which funding locally has already been identified, secured, or committed on projects that are already underway or can be delivered in TDOT’s updated 10-Year Project Plan.
2. Holistically, understand the needs of the state in terms of highway transportation investments that are already in the project development process and/or that communities see as a priority and have already begun to commit funding to advance.

As TDOT updates the 10-Year Project Plan, the department will use the SPP submissions to determine if TDOT funding can help advance these projects in the next 10 years. All submissions will be used to communicate the outstanding transportation funding needs of the State.

The SPP is for cities and counties, and we are asking communities to work with their respective MPO or RPO to ensure project submittals are included in their region’s long-range transportation plan and/or that these regional entities are aware of needs within their region.

If your community intends to request a TDOT partnership on a project, this is the means to submit that information, even if it has been previously submitted.

With a philosophy of “what gets started, gets finished,” TDOT must understand projects already in the project development process and/or for which a community requires TDOT funding. TDOT’s 10-Year Project Plan is intended to see projects to completion. In the past, funding on projects was not comprehensively budgeted, which has led to long delays in projects advancing and not having sufficient funding for completion of the project. If a community is relying on TDOT funding for their project, TDOT needs to know of that through this process to better inform our annually updated 10-Year Project Plan.

While a project does not necessarily need to be in a current STIP/TIP to be submitted as part of the SPP, projects that are in a current STIP/TIP are likely further along in the project development process and that will factor into TDOT’s review as the 10-Year Project Plan is updated.

No. The goal of the SPP is to understand Tennessee's highway investment needs, for which communities are invested, and to advance projects for which significant investments have already been made locally or for which a community is willing to contribute at a level that reflects the project's importance to their area.

For SPP projects, communities can use any type of funding they have available to them. This could include city or county funds, private funds, and/or federal funds, such as, STBG local funds or other funds that are outside TDOT funding. 

For MMAG/TAP projects, a minimum of 5 percent (5%) non‑federal funds is required on the total project cost funded through these programs. See Additional Clarifications about MMAG/TAP Submissions below for future details.

Projects in the current 10-Year Project Plan are fiscally constrained (meaning funding is available for that project in a certain year based on TDOT’s available funds). If a community can bring local, private, STBG local or urban funds, or awarded federal discretionary grant funds to the table, it is feasible that a project included in the current 10-Year Project Plan could be programmed sooner.

Yes. TDOT annually evaluates the 10-Year Project Plan. It is likely project activities have advanced or changed since the previous cycle and it is important to have this updated information. Again, if your project is not in the current 10-Year Project Plan, and you are seeking funding from TDOT for your project, you must resubmit.

TDOT is realigning its processes to have an annual SPP period that is aligned with the annual update of the 10-Year Project Plan. You must submit this cycle; otherwise, you will have to wait until 2027 when TDOT opens the SPP window again. This is the time and place to submit project requests to TDOT.

TDOT also acknowledges that Tennessee is, fortunately, a rapidly growing state, because of our sound economic policies and pro-business environment. TDOT works closely with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) to ensure communities are provided with infrastructure needs if they attract significant economic development projects. Should such project needs occur outside of the SPP planning window, TDOT will coordinate with ECD to ensure the infrastructure needs associated with those economic development projects are supported.

While a signed letter of commitment from the county executive, mayor, or city manager/administrator, or some other official documentation (TIP page, contract, etc.) can be used during the submittal phase, a signed resolution by the local elected governing body will be required to support the local commitment and must be provided to TDOT by December 31, 2026, in order to be considered for funding in the Department's updated 10-Year Project Plan or to receive MMAG/TAP funding. Signed resolutions can be provided with your submittal or after the online submission deadline, as TDOT will be reaching out to submitters between the close of the open call and December 31, 2026.

Yes. TDOT’s fiscally constrained 10-Year Project Plan is designed to provide TDOT, local agencies, and other partners with a long-term, stable plan for delivering projects on time and on budget. Projects like those outlined in the above question are likely to be strong contenders for funding through the SPP, but it is critical that TDOT be made aware of any project for which TDOT funding is being requested. Please submit projects like this through the SPP form.

Yes, and yes. TDOT remains committed to delivering all the projects listed in the IMPROVE Act. A critical part of TDOT’s 10-Year Project Planning process is evaluating projects listed in the IMPROVE Act (along with projects submitted through the SPP, projects identified in TDOT’s Congestion Studies, and other projects) for performance, delivery, and cost to deliver a fiscally constrained, stable 10-Year Project Plan. One of the factors TDOT considers when evaluating projects listed in the IMPROVE Act (along with all other projects under consideration) is local support. Projects identified through the SPP as having support, including significant financial investment from local communities, will be strong candidates for inclusion in TDOT’s updated 10-Year Project Plan.

The SPP is largely for highway and bridge improvement projects. TDOT has other funding programs and grants for which communities can submit projects, such as transit investments, rail, and aviation projects. Those types of projects are typically funded through TDOT’s annual grant calls, and information on those programs can be found in TDOT’s Transportation Funding Database.

For sidewalk and bikeway projects that have traditionally sought funding from the department through the Multimodal Access Grant (MMAG) Program or Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), this year, communities can submit these project types through the open SPP call. You will notice on the application that you can choose either the SPP or MMAG/TAP option.

Is there a maximum project amount for MMAG/TAP this year? While there is not necessarily a minimum award amount, funding for these programs is limited, and to ensure the greatest number of projects can be advanced, the maximum funding level available through this call is $2.5 million per project. While a community can request an amount above that maximum project amount, they may not receive full funding given the limited funding availability.

What costs are eligible/ineligible under MMAG/TAP? Eligible costs for MMAG/TAP include preliminary engineering/NEPA, right-of-way, and construction of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks, bikeways, shared-use paths, pedestrian crossings, ADA upgrades, and pedestrian-scale lighting. Ineligible costs include operations, maintenance, motorized facilities, recreational-only trails, and any work not directly supporting a non‑motorized transportation purpose. Additionally, it should be assumed that all federal requirements apply, as TDOT may combine state and federal funding on selected MMAG/TAP projects.

Does the MMAG/TAP project need to be on a state route? Since TDOT is combining the MMAG/TAP call, some may wonder whether sidewalk or bikeway improvements must be located along a state route. While these types of improvements often align more closely with the MMAG program, projects associated with school‑zone walking and biking improvements that are not on a state route will also be considered, along with traditional TAP‑eligible projects. TAP projects do not need to be on a state route, as long as they serve a transportation purpose and provide connectivity.

What is the required match for MMAG/TAP? For MMAG/TAP projects, a minimum of 5 percent (5%) non‑federal funds is required on the total project cost funded through these programs. Communities under 5,000 in population (based on the 2020 U.S. Census) or located in a Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development–designated Distressed County may be eligible for reduced match requirements for MMAG/TAP projects.

Can MMAG/TAP be combined with local STBG or other funds? Yes, but it is important to note that federal funds cannot be used as the 5 percent (5%) non-federal matching funds (as federal funds cannot match federal funds).

What documentation is needed to submit an MMAG/TAP project? The online application has a number of very straightforward questions that are needed for both SPP and MMAG/TAP projects. There is a spot on page 3 of the intake system that allows for the uploading of documents and information associated with the submittal. Please use this part of your submittal to attach previous local bicycle or pedestrian plans, Safety Action Plans, designs, maps, resolutions, cost estimates, or other relevant information that helps convey the level of effort that has already been put toward advancing the non‑motorized transportation investment needed.