Agenda Item Request:
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Authorization to enter into an grant extension agreement between Cumberland County and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies for Mobility, Access, and Transportation Insecurity program (MATI) funding for Phase II in the amount of $700,000 for two years.
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Background and Purpose of Request:
Requestor: Liz Blackwell-Moore, Public Health Director
In 2024, the Cumberland County Public Health (CCPH) was awarded Phase 1 funding of $150,000 from University of Minnesota’s (UMN) Center for Transportation Studies for a 9-12-month planning process for a mobility management demonstration project. In July, 2025 after a year of community engagement and planning, CCPH submitted a plan for a demonstration project called Dirigo Access, an income-eligible fare program with reduced and free fare categories that would be delivered through a network of community-based organizations. With funding from the Federal Transit Administration, UMN has chosen Cumberland County Public Health’s demonstration project to move forward to Phase 2. With the contract extension, CCPH will be awarded $700,000 over 2 years to implement the Dirigo Access demonstration project and create a cooperative purchasing model that will fund the pass program beyond the two-year demonstration project period.
Funding Amount and Source:
No matching funds are required and no additional county funding will be needed to complete the requirements of the grant.
Effective Date if Applicable: 10/20/2025