Building Power

We’re creating a strong, durable movement for change.

In order to achieve big, bold shifts in transportation funding and strategy, we need strong movement infrastructure composed of local, member-led advocacy, organizing groups, and a national coalition that can build political pressure and can name specific and tangible community-identified projects. In the U.S., people with less money, often people of color, are most likely to rely on transit. These groups lack access, influence, and political power except when highly organized. Building and supporting strong local organizations is not enough to win transformative change. Local organizations need connective tissue and infrastructure to tell the same story and make similar propositions for change nationwide. TransitCenter is building grassroots power through funding and convening a national network of transit advocates who can win the change we need.

With billions of dollars flowing to states from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – the most significant infrastructure bill in history – this is a pivotal moment for transit. We need movement infrastructure now to avoid replicating the harmful investments of the past and achieve climate and justice goals. TransitCenter, through the National Network of Transit Justice and Sustainability, is working to ensure transit survives and thrives by pushing for equitable use of currently available public dollars while laying the groundwork for much greater transit prioritization at every government level.

We provide our grantees and partners with campaign assistance, tangible policy advice, and knowledge resources that enhance understanding of local, state, and federal transportation policy choices and help unite organizations around shared challenges. TransitCenter also plays a key role in building out and facilitating the National Network for Transit Justice and Sustainability, a hub for organizations where organizations come together to strategize and reach broad agreement upon coordinated action.