State Matching Grant Program (MGP) for Elderly and People with Disabilities (Connecticut General Statutes 13b-38bb)

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About the program

The State Matching Grant Program for Demand Responsive Transportation for Elderly and People with Disabilities (MGP) provides municipalities with operating funds to run demand responsive transportation for elderly and disabled populations. Funds are apportioned at a fixed level to all 169 Connecticut municipalities from a $5M total based on a formula and require a 50% local funding match. Grant funds may only be spent on operating expenses, not capital expenses. 

Applying

New applicants must fill out the full program application. The full application document only needs to be completed once per four-year cycle. The current full application covers State Fiscal Years 2025-2028. While there is an application submission deadline for this program, applications are accepted at any time. However, applications received after the deadline may not be approved or able to start service with the new fiscal year.

Applications and questions about the program should be sent to the program mailbox at DOT.PTransMGP@ct.gov.

 

Annual Certification

Current awardees must submit certification documentation every fiscal year to continue receiving funds. The annual certification process for this program begins in February each year and awards are made in the spring. Please be sure to use the current annual certification documents - they are updated every year. Documentation for the SFY 2026 annual certification and SFY 2025-2028 application cycle is available on this page. The annual certification documentation must be completed each fiscal year. 

State Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Certification Documents

State Fiscal Years 2025-2028 Application

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Provide new or expanded transportation services to seniors and people with disabilities, such as: Weekend, evening or out of town services, additional days of service or special trips. 

Yes. Besides submitting invoices, a biannual report must be submitted with specific information about ridership as outlined in the State Management Plan (page 8). This is required 2 times a fiscal year.

No. Because so many transportation programs are restrictive and may serve only specific trip purposes, CTDOT has not placed restrictions on these funds relative to trip purpose. 
Yes, they would be eligible for service. However, transit districts may not use grant funds to replace ADA paratransit funds. 
No, maximum funding allocations are determined by the Office of Policy and Management based on a formula and cannot be exceeded.
No, that would be considered capital equipment. MGP funds are to be used for operating expenses only.
Not to school or school-related activities. Since the dial-a-ride service is available to people with disabilities of any age, if a person with disabilities happens to be a student and needs transportation to places other than school or related activities, it can be provided.
The Connecticut General Statutes sec. 13b-38bb states that municipalities must apply for the MGP through a designated RPO or Transit District. If coordination is not pursued, the municipality can still apply for and, if approved, receive their full grant apportionment. 

Once an agreement or addendum with CTDOT is fully executed and the recipient has received a signed Transit Operating Document (TOD), the recipient submits an invoice to CTDOT to request payment. Starting in SFY 2026 and going forward, the recipient submits invoices for the program two times per fiscal year. Invoices cannot be paid prior to the beginning of each billing period. The billing periods follow the fiscal year and cover the following timeframes:

  • 1st period: July 1st – December 31st; invoice due July 15th
  • 2nd period: January 1st – June 30th; invoice due January 15th

Yes, so long as:

  1. the family member does not take the “seat” from an eligible rider,
  2. the vehicle does not travel any additional miles to pick up the family member(s), or the MGP funds are not used for these costs, and
  3. your insurance covers it.
Yes, as long as they are providing assistance with the trip to the target populations.
Yes, as the salary of the bus driver(s) is directly linked to the operation of the program. 
Yes, simply multiply the hours of work by a reasonable estimated wage for your area and the resulting value can be used as in-kind match.
Volunteer hours and mileage directly related to the transportation service, donated equipment and supplies, and loaned office space and equipment can be counted in full as in-kind match.

Yes. This funding is intended to supplement existing funds, not to replace municipal funding for transportation services. If a municipality reduces their transportation budget below their requested grant amount, CTDOT will reduce the municipal grant funds available to the town in order to maintain a 50% funding match. 

SCENARIO FISCAL YEAR MAXIMUM APPORTIONMENT TOWN CONTRIBUTION MGP FUNDS AWARDED
Overmatching of maximum funds A $8,000 $20,000 $8,000
Undermatching of maximum funds B $8,000 $2,000 $2,000

For example, if a town budget for dial-a-ride (DAR) was $20,000 and maximum grant funding was $8,000 in fiscal year A, but town funding is reduced to $2,000 in fiscal year B, the MGP award for fiscal year B would be reduced to $2,000. 

The reduced funding level would not become the new maximum apportionment for future years; grant funding would be restored in full once the municipality submits a budget showing a full match. If matching municipal transportation funds are restored incrementally in future years, MGP funds would increase accordingly up to the maximum apportionment.

For more information please see page 6 of the State Management Plan. 

No, matching funds cannot be regionalized. The purpose of the State Matching Grant Program (MGP) is to create a formula-based funding program for senior and disabled transportation across the state and to compensate for differences between municipalities in how these programs have traditionally been funded.
A coordinating entity is an applicant that receives MGP funds on behalf of one or more municipalities. To receive funds on behalf of a municipality, the municipality must list the coordinating entity in the Grant Assignment Certification document. Funds for the program are then sent directly to the coordinating entity only. For questions regarding how this might work for your town or region, please contact the program at DOT.PTransMGP@ct.gov.
A transportation brokerage is a method of matching travelers with a variety of transportation providers, such as multiple municipalities, through use of central dispatching and administrative facilities. 

Administration costs are costs that are not operations but are directly attributable to the program, such as salary for a dedicated program manager or a portion of rent, electricity or utilities. Non-dedicated administrative and clerical salaries, office supplies, postage, or local telephone costs are not administrative costs if they are not directly attributable to the program. Up to 10% of the total MGP award can be used towards administration of the transportation program.

Operating costs include vehicle fuel and insurance, maintenance costs, tires, lubricants, driver wages and benefits, and vehicle leasing costs due to the expansion of service. All of these operating costs are the direct cost of your dial-a-ride program. If you have a question you may contact the program at the e-mail address provided below. 
The RPOs and Transit Districts act as local coordinators, in order to help municipalities in their regions determine whether coordination of services could result in increased efficiency or cost savings. By requiring RPOs to handle the application process, the municipality and the RPO can determine what method of service delivery will best serve the municipality.