The Tribal Elderly Transportation Assistance Program provides the eleven federally recognized Tribes of Wisconsin with financial assistance to provide transportation services to tribal elders both on and off the reservations.
Annual allocation
The Governor’s biennial budget includes an appropriation under §85.215 Wis. Stats in the amount of $435,600 annually. Wisconsin’s Federally-recognized Tribes determine the distribution of these grant funds. At present, all eleven Tribes that submit an application by the deadline will receive an equal share of annual appropriation.
Eligible expenditures include:
- Directly provide service to tribal elders
- Purchase transportation service from a public or private organization
- Directly reimburse elder passengers for their use of transportation service
- Volunteer driver escort reimbursement
- Reimburse elderly persons for use of their personal means of transportation under certain conditions
- Perform or purchase planning or management studies on transportation
- Coordinate transportation services
- Perform or Purchase in-service training relating to transportation service
- Co-payments (fares or donations)
Annual application
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), in collaboration with the Tribal Aging Units, developed an 85.215 Grant Application. WisDOT administers this grant application on-line through WisDOT’s BlackCat® Grant Management System.
The application was released September 6, 2023, for submission in December.
The BlackCat® website requires a user name and password. If you are new user to BlackCat® and/or need your password reset, please contact either WisDOT 85.215 Program Managers, Lori Jacobson or Eric Anderson, for assistance.
If you have questions regarding the 85.215 program, please contact the WisDOT Specialized Transit Program Managers:
Lori Jacobson
lori.jacobson@dot.wi.gov
(608) 266-1128
Eric Anderson
eric1.anderson@dot.wi.gov
(608) 267-1845