State Buses and Bus Facilities

This grant is supported by state funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA) (100 percent). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

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This grant is established under the 16-year Move Ahead Washington transportation package and codified in RCW 47.66.130.

Notice of funding opportunity

We're accepting applications for the 2027-2029 State Buses and Bus Facilities grant program. The application is open in the Grants Management System. Applications are due 3 p.m., August 18, 2026. For additional information review the notice of funding opportunity (PDF 354KB).

Applicants may submit more than one application. A separate application is required for each individual project.

Application materials

State Buses and Bus Facilities 2027-2029 application instructions (PDF 740KB).

Grant award amount

The Legislature funded $37,999,972 for the 2025-2027 biennium to support this program. The Legislature will determine the funding level for the 2027-2029 biennium during the 2027 legislative session.

Eligible applicants

Any transit agency in Washington state is an eligible applicant. A transit agency is defined as:

• City transit system under RCW 35.58.2721 or chapter 35.95A RCW.
• County public transportation authority under chapter 36.57 RCW.
• Metropolitan municipal corporation transit system under chapter 36.56 RCW.
• Public transportation benefit area under chapter 36.57A RCW.
• Unincorporated transportation benefit area under RCW 36.57.100.
• Special purpose district formed to operate a public transportation system.

Eligible projects and related costs

Capital projects and related expenditures may include:

• Replacement, expansion, rehabilitation, and purchase of transit rolling stock.
• Construction, modification, or rehabilitation of transit facilities.
• Funding to adapt to technological change or innovation through the retrofitting of transit rolling stock and facilities.
• Improvements or modifications to buses and facilities that increase safety and security.

Match requirement

Applicants must provide matching funds in the form of direct contributions at a certain percentage of total project costs. Direct contributions are cash or assets that directly benefit the project and are fundamental to implementing the project.

The State Buses and Bus Facilities Grant program uses a tiered match system to determine the minimum required match an applicant must provide. Match is determined by the transit agency's most recent operating budget.

Previous eligible expenditures directly associated with the proposed project may qualify as match. Applicants may use other grants as match except for competitive state-funded grants administered by WSDOT’s Public Transportation Division.

Evaluation process

WSDOT uses a competitive process for awards from the State Buses and Bus Facilities Grant program that includes a panel of subject matter experts to review and evaluate applications.

Evaluation criteria

An independent review panel will evaluate applications based on the following evaluation criteria:

• Demonstration of need, including how the project meets agency state-of-good-repair goals, how it meets safety goals, and how it addresses environmental harms and provides environmental benefits for overburdened communities and vulnerable populations.
• Demonstration of benefits, including measurable outcomes that improve the quality or scope of service in the community.
• Local/regional prioritization.
• Project implementation strategy, including the demonstrated readiness of the project for implementation.
• Project experience.

Important dates

May 19, 2026: WSDOT posts notice of funding opportunity.
June 16, 2026: Grant application available in GMS.
2 p.m. June 23, 2026: Informational webinar for prospective applicants. Register to attend.
3 p.m. Aug. 18, 2026: Grant applications due in GMS
Aug. 18 - Sept. 22, 2026: Evaluation panel reviews and scores applications.
Oct. 30, 2026: WSDOT sends prioritized list of projects to the Legislature and Governor's Office.
May-June, 2026: WSDOT sends grant award letters to grantees after the governor signs the transportation budget.
July 1, 2027: 2027-2029 biennium begins.
June 30, 2029: 2027-2029 biennium ends.
June 30, 2031: 4-year projects end.

Sign up for grant updates

To stay informed about WSDOT public transportation grants, you can register in GovDelivery.

Awards

The table below shows nine new State Buses and Bus Facilities projects funded for nearly $38 million and awarded for the 2025-2027 biennium.