Since 2013, TransitCenter has spent over $50 million to support transit advocacy – both our own and that of allied organizations.
Our 2025 grants list is available to review below:
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
This general operating support grant provides resources to Tri-State Transportation Campaign (TSTC), TransitCenter support of TSTC’s work is rooted in the following elements of our local powerbuilding strategy to build a base of advocates for transit. The grant to TriState enables the organization to do direct organizing efforts in areas outside of New York City (Westchester and New Jersey), and playing a leadership role in NYC transportation advocacy, including participating in the New Yorkers For Transportation Equity coalition.
Sierra Club Foundation
This project grant support grant provides resources to the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club in its efforts to grow the base of support in Maryland for transit, walkable communities, and electric vehicles. Their campaign engages residents and organizations to advocate for transit funding over highway expansion, maintains media attention on clean transportation, monitors the Maryland Department of Transportation’s budget priorities, and hosts educational events to showcase the benefits of sustainable transportation solutions. The Sierra Club co-leads the Transform Maryland Transportation statewide coalition, and this grant allows them to continue in this work and expand their organizing efforts.
Riders Alliance
This general operating support grant provides critical resources to Riders Alliance as it implements both local and state-wide base building activities to defend and expand transit in both the New York City region and state-wide. TransitCenter support of Riders Alliance work is deeply rooted in the core elements of our local powerbuilding strategy to build a base of advocates for transit, strengthen local organizing, and broaden the stakeholders for transit, in this case organized labor. With this grant, Riders Alliance continues their grassroots organizing in New York City’s 5 boroughs to ensure that rider voices are present in decision-making, as well as enables their leadership in New Yorkers For Transportation Equity, a state-wide coalition building a base to change state decision-making and priorities on transportation.
Climate Advocacy Lab
This project grant support grant provided resources to Climate Advocacy Lab to conduct a grantee evaluation project to assess training needs across TC’s network of grantees. The project involves surveying grantees, conducting follow-up interviews, and delivering findings and recommendations for priority knowledge gaps, recommended training series, potential partners, and implementation cost estimates to strengthen Transit Center’s support for its grantee organizations. TransitCenter support of Climate Advocacy Lab is rooted in our goal to build the movement for transit, and in our local powerbuilding strategy, focusing on efforts to strengthen local organizing – through training, convening, and strategic planning.
Piedmont Environmental Council dba Coalition for Smarter Growth
This general operating support grant provides resources to the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) as it works at the policy level in the DMV region (VA, MD, DC) to advance and implement sustainable transportation policy. TransitCenter support of CSG work is rooted in our local powerbuilding strategy to build a base of advocates for transit, and broaden the stakeholders for transit, in this case business interests in the region. While CSG is not a direct grassroots organization, they play an important role by bringing together grasstops advocates and stakeholders in coalition to advocate for transit across the region.
MoveLA Project
This project grant support grant provides resources to Move LA as it advocates at the local and state level for state-level transit support. TransitCenter support of Move LA work is rooted in the core elements of our local powerbuilding strategy to build a base of advocates for transit, strengthen local organizing, and broaden the stakeholders for transit, in this case organized labor. With this grant, Move LA continues to engage organized labor on aligned priorities for transit and transportation investments, sit on the California Transportation Transformation Task Force, and advance local efforts (specifically LA’s transportation agenda for the Olympics and Paralympic Games).
Transportation Riders United, INC
This general operating support grant provides resources to Transportation Riders United (TRU) as it implements a local and state-wide advocacy strategy to defend and expand transit in both the Detroit region and across MI. TransitCenter support of TRU work is rooted in the core of our local powerbuilding strategy: to build a base of advocates for transit. With this grant, TRU is expanding their grassroots organizing capacity, developing a strategy to engage with organized labor state-wide, and is participating in the creation of a statewide coalition for transportation and transit in Michigan in advance of the Gubernatorial race.
Active Transportation Alliance
This general operating support grant provides critical resources to Active Transportation Alliance (ATA), as a critical voice in the Chicago region and state-wide for walking, biking and public transit. ATA plays a central role as a co-leader of the Clean & Equitable Transportation Campaign, working across stakeholders to educate about the importance of public transit to communities and the need for sustainable support. TransitCenter support of ATA’s work is rooted in our local powerbuilding strategy, focusing on building a base of advocates for transit. This grant enabled ATA to mobilize their own list of grassroots supporters, engage with key stakeholders (including real estate, labor, and other policy advocacy organizations), and supports ATA’s organizing of key constituencies through participation and leadership within the Transit Equity Network.
Pittsburghers for Public Transit Association
This project grant support grant provided resources to Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) for its Spring training event, where nearly 100 transit advocates gathered to learn and share best practices on subjects including engaging with organized labor, storytelling, and recent state budget campaigns. TransitCenter’s grant allowed PPT to bring in nearly a dozen advocates from out of state, and covered some of the logisticial costs of the event, allowing PPT staff to focus on creating a quality experience for attendees. Elements of this training may be used as a model for future local and regional trainings.
Pittsburghers for Public Transit Association
This general operating support grant provides critical resources to Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) as it implements both local and state-wide base building activities to defend and expand transit in both the Pittsburgh region and state-wide. TransitCenter support of PPT work is deeply rooted in the core elements of our local powerbuilding strategy to build a base of advocates for transit, strengthen local organizing, and broaden the stakeholders for transit, in this case organized labor.