Pre-Development Accelerator Program (PDAP)

To apply for TAC support you will need to coordinate with your local planning organization (MPO/RPA) and receive a letter of support from them confirming that they have reviewed and selected your project to be submitted to TAC. When you have received the letter of support, you will then use the application links in the above section of the document to apply. Please see the list of MPOs/RPAs to find your local planning agency. 

Yes, in one of two ways: 

•  MPOs and RPAs can submit applications on behalf of their member localities or eligible community entities who will be the recipients of the funds and carrying out the pre-development activity awarded. When doing so, the MPO/RPA serves as the applicant and is responsible for coordinating with the community to prioritize projects and gather the necessary information for the application. MPOs/RPAs must ensure that the community or eligible entity has the capacity to complete the pre-development work funded or will provide a description of how they will assist the community in completing the work.  MPOs/RPAs will still provide letters of support prioritizing the projects in the region. 

 

• MPOs and RPAs can submit applications for direct funding as long as the pre-development work they perform results in local projects within their region applying for federal funding within 12 – 18 months.  MPOs/RPAs must provide a listing of the projects in the pipeline to benefit from their activities, the federal funding sources being targeted, and a timeline for applying for federal funds.  Funded activities undertaken by MPOs/RPAs may benefit more than one project/municipality. Additionally, each municipality with a benefitting pipeline project must provide a letter of support detailing the project, the federal funding source to sought and the timeline.    

There is no cap on how many project applications you can submit. Each application should correspond to a single project and can include multiple types of pre-development activities to be funded as needed. If an applicant wishes to request support for a different project, a separate application must be submitted for that project. This structure allows TAC to evaluate each project on its own merits while providing flexibility for communities to request a combination of services tailored to their needs. We highly recommend to only submit applications for projects that are top priorities across the region, and to ensure they align with the application criteria provided. If you need help prioritizing projects and services to apply for, please contact us.

There is no formal matching fund requirement for TAC pre-development activities. However, communities are expected to demonstrate a commitment to the project that is at least equal to the amount of funding requested. This can include the value of staff time dedicated to the project, in-kind contributions, or other resources that support pre-development work. TAC considers this commitment an important indicator of the community’s engagement and capacity to advance the project through pre-development and toward future federal funding opportunities. 

MiEJScreen is Michigan’s environmental justice mapping tool that identifies census tracts with higher environmental or social vulnerability. For this question, you should determine which census tracts fall within your project area and identify those with MiEJScreen scores at the 60th percentile or above (meaning the tract is in the top 40% statewide for EJ concerns). Then, calculate the percentage by dividing the number of high-percentile tracts by the total number of tracts in your project area and multiplying by 100. This percentage indicates the share of your project area that serves communities with elevated environmental justice needs.

No. All three categories are equally eligible. MIO TAC does not prioritize one type over another; competitiveness is based on project readiness, need, and alignment with federal funding opportunities. 

Yes. Communities that were not awarded federal funding may apply for PDAP to complete the pre-development tasks needed to make a future application more competitive. This includes filling gaps identified in prior feedback. 

Communities using a local no-bid process must still demonstrate that costs are reasonable. They must provide historical contracts or invoices with the proposed vendor, evidence that pricing is consistent with past work, and documentation showing the vendor was originally selected through a fair process (or choose a MiDEAL vendor). MiDEAL remains a streamlined alternative. 

Award timing depends on the volume of applications received. MIO TAC anticipates notifying applicants of preliminary awards by the third week of December and issuing final award decisions by January 2026, allowing communities to begin work promptly. 

MIO TAC maintains fact sheets for federal programs for which the TAC has previously provided free grant writing support. These are available on the MIO TAC website. Communities may also review the full database of federal funding opportunities on Grants.gov to identify additional eligible programs. 

The Pre-Development Accelerator Pilot is funded at $1,500,000, which will be awarded across eligible communities based on project need, readiness, and alignment with PDAP priorities. 

Yes. In addition to pre-development support, the TAC offers other services such as grant identification, grant writing support, and assistance with matching funds to help communities advance their infrastructure projects for federal funding. 

Yes. The provider delivering the pre-development support is responsible for reporting progress to MIO TAC throughout the service delivery process. In addition, each recipient will be asked to complete a feedback form at the conclusion of the technical assistance, and recipients are expected to report whether the project ultimately received a federal grant or funding award. This ensures TAC can track outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of pre-development support.