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STIF Formula

​Key Terms​

  • ​Qualified Entity (QE) - mass transit districts, transportation districts, counties without either a mass transit or transportation district, and federally-recognized tribes. Map of ODOT QEs.
  • ​ Public Transportation Service Provider (PTSP) - cities, counties, Qualified Entities, special districts, intergovernmental entities, and any other political subdivision or municipal or public corporation that provides public transportation services.
  • Sub-Recipient – any entity that has entered into an agreement with a recipient in order to complete one or more tasks specified in the agreement between the recipient and ODOT. A PTSP may be a sub-recipient, but it is not required that an entity be a PTSP, as defined by administrative rule, to be eligible to receive STIF Formula funding as a sub-recipient. Other potential sub-recipients include but are not limited to nonprofits, private for-profits, or public entities.​

Formula F​und

  • Only a Qualified Entity may submit a STIF Plan.
  • Sub-recipients are eligible to receive STIF Formula funding through their Qualified Entity by submitting project proposals for consideration by the Qualified Entity's STIF Advisory Committee.​
  • Two or more Qualified Entities may jointly manage the STIF funds disbursed to them. See OAR 732-040-0040 for additional details pertaining to joint management of funds.
  • A Qualified Entity may wish to consult their regional transit coordinator​ on the options for establishing Sub-Recipient or contractor relationships for projects identified in the STIF Plan.​

The STIF Plan is an electronic form created by ODOT and it serves as the mechanism for accessing STIF Formula funds. Each Qualified Entity shall adopt a written STIF Plan to establish a list of projects for public transportation within its area of responsibility. ODOT staff also publish an electronic form called the Sub-Recipient Project Application for each solicitation cycle. This form is optional but can be an efficient way for Qualified Entities to collect project information from relevant sub-recipients.​

The STIF Plan may also be accessed through the Funding Opportunities page under the STIF Formula fund tab. More information about STIF Plan requirements can be found in Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 732-042-0015.

STIF Plans may cover either one or two biennia, and they must address the transportation needs of people residing in or traveling into and out of the Qualified Entity’s area of responsibility. A STIF Plan must be approved by the Qualified Entity’s Governing Body before it is submitted to ODOT, and it must also be signed by a person with the authority to enter into legally binding agreements on behalf of the Qualified Entity.​

The following guidance documents outline the STIF Formula Fund application process and provide instructions for completing and submitting the STIF Plan.​​

The major steps in developing a STIF Plan are outlined in the graphic below. This schedule should be used as a guide only as the order of events may vary depending on local process.

STIF Plan Application Timeline.png

The STIF Formula program has broad project eligibilities. Funds may be used to improve, expand, or maintain public transportation services. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

  • ​Capital projects such as vehicles, facilities, equipment, technology, and transit-supportive bicycle, pedestrian and shared mobility infrastructure;
  • Operations projects including fuel, staff wages, maintenance;
  • Planning and research projects;
  • Project administration; and
  • Program reserves and project contingency.
STIF funds may not be used for light rail capital expenses. However, they may be used for light rail operations expenses.

All applicants seeking funding for fixed route transit services must have a process in place for creating and maintaining public General Transit Feed Specification data that describe the service.

Client-only transportation services are generally not eligible to receive STIF Formula funding if the proposed use of the money is to pay for services that are not open to the general public. Client-only providers participating in a planned and coordinated community transportation program, however, could be eligible for STIF Formula funding. The coordinated transportation system, when viewed in the big picture, would be open to the general public and marketed to the public as "public transportation.” The level of coordination and participation of client-only providers, and the amount of STIF Formula funds individual providers qualify for, would be associated with their levels of participation in the coordinated public transportation system. These types of projects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

STIF Formula funds may not be used to supplant local funding sources to maintain existing services. If a proposed project was previously funded by local dollars that are now being reallocated for non-transit purposes, this may result in denial of the funding request because it could be considered supplanting. A Qualified Entity with questions about whether a situation would be considered supplanting should be discussed with its Regional Transit Coordinator before submitting its STIF Plan.​​

Once a Qualified Entity submits its STIF Plan to ODOT, there are several stages of review before the STIF Plan is sent to the Oregon Transportation Commission for approval. ODOT staff build a grace period into the submission schedule so that Qualified Entities can resubmit any missing or incomplete information before the STIF Plan is passed for review. The major steps in this process are outlined in the graphic below. This schedule should be used as a guide only as the order of events may vary depending on local process.

STIF Plan Approval Timeline Graphic.png



STIF Formula fund recipients are responsible for completing all quarterly and a​​​​nnual reporting requirements.

  • Quarterly Reporting: Qualified Entities must prepare a STIF Plan Report (SPR) that contains information on project progress, outcomes, and expenditures. This report is completed in the Oregon Public Transit Information System (OPTIS) and must be submitted to ODOT each quarter.
  • Annual Reporting: All STIF Formula fund recipients and sub-recipients must submit the following items to ODOT on an annual basis to fulfill requirements outlined in OAR 732-040-0025: 
    • Low-income impact mitigation report: form(s) + cover letter
    • Qualified Entity’s adopted annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year: sent to ODOTPTDReporting@odot.oregon.gov no later than 30 days after adoption 
    • Results of any relevant financial audits of the Qualified Entity or any sub-recipient located within the area of the Qualified Entity 
                  Helpful Resources:

​Any Qualified Entity or Public Transportation Service Provider, as defined under OAR 732-040-0005, that receives STIF money, is required to be audited on the use of those funds per OAR 732-040-0015. Consistent with guidance provided by the Oregon Secretary of State, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) developed Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) for the program audit of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF).

The following AUP engagement requirements are established in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) AT-C Section 215. These represent the minimum procedures required for STIF programs. These agreed upon procedures, revised June 2021, are to be added to the STIF Recipient's annual financial statement audit process. Entities engaging in the audit may include additional STIF procedures as applicable to the STIF.

Quarterly STIF Disbursements

ODOT updates the allocation estimates each fiscal year which forecasts the amount of funding that is likely to be available to each Qualified Entity. ​

STIF Discretionary

​Key Terms​

  • ​ Public Transportation Service Provider (PTSP) - cities, counties, Qualified Entities, special districts, intergovernmental entities, and any other political subdivision or municipal or public corporation that provides public transportation services.
  • Sub-Recipient – any entity that has entered into an agreement with a recipient in order to complete one or more tasks specified in the agreement between the recipient and ODOT. These entities include nonprofits, private for-profits, and public entities.

Discretionary and Intercommunity Discretionary

  • Only Public Transportation Service Providers, as defined in OAR 732-040-0005(24), are eligible applicants. See OAR 732-040-0005 for additional definitions. Non-profit transit providers and for-profit transit providers are not eligible. Eligible STIF Discretionary Fund applicants may contract with a non-profit or for-profit transit provider following procurement requirements applicable to the source(s) of project funding.
  • Under OAR 732-044-0020, potential recipients of STIF Discretionary Funds are required to meet, or demonstrate the capacity to meet, the following qualifications as applicable to the type of project being funded:
    • Be an entity eligible to enter into agreements
    • Have the legal, managerial, and operational capacity to perform the project within the agreed schedule
    • Not be debarred or suspended from receiving federal grants
    • Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations including, but not limited to, those pertaining to passenger transportation, civil rights, labor, insurance, safety, and health, as applicable
    • Comply with applicable laws, Oregon Administrative Rules, and the policies of the applicable grant fund
    • Proper use of STIF funds
    • Perform the project in a safe, prudent, and timely manner


The major steps in the project application and selection process are as follows:

  1. ​​Applicants submit a letter of interest to ODOT staff who will provide feedback on the project as needed.
  2. Applicants submit grant applications to ODOT.
  3. ODOT reviews applications for completeness, applicant eligibility, and project eligibility consistent with OARs 732-044-0005, 732-044-0015, and 732-044-0020 and with federal requirements, where relevant.
  4. ODOT forwards eligible applications to relevant Area Commissions on Transportation for review and comment and to Qualified Entities for review, recommendation, and, potentially, project prioritization following consultation with their STIF Advisory Committees.
    • ​​​Qualified Entities, with STIF Advisory Committee guidance, review and recommend whether each project should be awarded funding. Qualified Entities may recommend a prioritized list of projects for their Qualified Entity’s geographic area of responsibility.
    • Advisory Committee reviews should be conducted in compliance with Committee bylaws.
    • Qualified Entity reviews should consider the extent to which each project meets the project selection criteria established by the Oregon Transportation Commission in OAR 732-044-0030.
  5. An ODOT Project Selection Committee reviews applications, Qualified Entity recommendations, and Area Commission on Transportation comments and provides a ranked list of project applications recommended for funding to the Public Transportation Advisory Committee.
  6. The Public Transportation Advisory Committee considers the ODOT Project Selection Committee’s ranked list of projects, Qualified Entity recommendations, and Area Commission on Transportation comments and provides a rank-ordered funding recommendation to the Oregon Transportation Commission.
  7. The Oregon Transportation Commission reviews and decides which projects will be awarded funds.
  8. ODOT posts the Oregon Transportation Commission’s funding awards on the ODOT Public Transportation Division website and notifies applicants via email of the posting.

Projects eligible to receive grant funding under the STIF Discretionary and Intercommunity Discretionary Funds include, but are not limited to capital, operations, technology, planning and research activities, including bicycle and pedestrian projects that facilitate greater access to transit services.​

STIF Discretionary funds may not be used to support ongoing operations, and STIF funding is not available for light rail capital expenses.

Quarterly Reporting: The recipients of STIF Discretionary, STIF Intercommunity Discretionary and FTA Section 5311(f) funds are required to prepare a quarterly report which details expenditures, project progress, updates to vehicle asset information, and outcomes achieved with discretionary STIF funds and submit it to ODOT. This is done through the Agency Periodic Report in the Oregon Public Transit Information System (OPTIS). Reports must detail outcomes for both the recipient and sub‐recipients. (See OAR 732-044-0040(1)(a)).

Annual Reporting: All STIF Discretionary, STIF Intercommunity Discretionary and FTA Section 5311(f) fund recipients and sub-recipients must submit the following items to ODOT on an annual basis to fulfill requirements outlined in OAR 732-040-0025:

  • Low-income impact mitigation report: form(s) + cover letter
  • Qualified Entity's adopted annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year is to be submitted to ODOTPTDReporting@odot.oregon.gov no later than 30 days after adoption
  • Results of any relevant financial audits of the Qualified Entity or any sub-recipient located within the area of the Qualified Entity

           Helpful Resources:

  • For more information about how to use OPTIS and request individualized training, please visit the OPTIS webpage.

​Any Qualified Entity or Public Transportation Service Provider, as defined under OAR 732-040-0005, that receives STIF money, is required to be audited on the use of those funds per OAR 732-040-0015. Consistent with guidance provided by the Oregon Secretary of State, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) developed Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) for the program audit of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF).

The following AUP engagement requirements are established in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) AT-C Section 215. These represent the minimum procedures required for STIF programs. These agreed upon procedures, revised June 2021, are to be added to the STIF Recipient's annual financial statement audit process. Entities engaging in the audit may include additional STIF procedures as applicable to the STIF.



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Contact

Email EmailEmailEmailEmail Ben Goldberg
STIF Program Coordinator
971-701-0195

Email Jillian Trinkaus
Statewide Intercity Network Coordinator
503-986-3300

Email EmailTammy Garcia
STIF Fund Coordinator
971-345-1369

Learn about and contact your Regional Transit Coordinators