FTA will competitively award grants for planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans for projects eligible under Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code that will assist “Areas of Persistent Poverty” or “Historically Disadvantaged Communities”.  Eligible activities may include, planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans for improved transit services; new transit routes; engineering for transit facilities and improvements to existing facilities; innovative technologies; planning for low or no emission buses; planning for a new bus facility or intermodal center that supports transit services; integrated fare collections systems; or coordinated public transit human service transportation plans to improve transit service in an Area of Persistent Poverty or Historically Disadvantaged Community, or to provide new service such as transportation for services to address the opioid epidemic, as well as increase access to environmental justice populations, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change. For projects eligible under the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program applicants should reference FTA Circular 8100-1D - Program Guidance for Metropolitan Planning and State Planning and Research Program Grants and FTA Circular 9030.1E - Urbanized Area Formula Program: Program Guidance and Application Instructions.