About

Guilford County is seeking a Request for Ideas (RFI) solicitation to gather Transportation Pilot Program ideas that will improve access to jobs, human services, and care, especially for people most in need. The county will use $1 million allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fund pilot programs. 

Project Purpose and Goals

Through numerous listening sessions, community survey input, and collaborative involvement with local officials from the cities of Greensboro and High Point and the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART), Guilford County has determined and identified the following areas of concern:

• People to Work
  • Challenge: Potential and current employees need transportation to existing and emerging employment hubs because there is a lack of timely, quick, and dependable service to key employment hubs or limited/no service during certain hours and days.
  • How can our community assist individuals most in need who work 2nd and 3rd shift, on the weekends, and/or who may not live or work in an area accessible to a bus route access or maintain their employment?
• People in Need to Services
  • Challenge: Lack of transportation negatively impacts everyone, but specific populations will face larger burdens, specifically those who are justice-involved, experiencing homelessness, or need to use the county’s public human services (e.g., Social Services, Public Health, non-crisis Behavioral Health, etc.). A lack of timely and accessible transportation is cited as a reason some individuals are unable to attend mandatory appointments or meetings to complete their assigned programs or access needed benefits.
  • How can our community assist individuals most in need get to necessary appointments (medical, mental health, SUD, court-ordered service, etc.) or access public human services so they can attend mandatory appointments or meetings to complete their assigned programs or access needed benefits?
• People in Crisis to Care
  • Challenge: Our current transportation systems are not the best options for people experiencing a behavioral health crisis to navigate community resources and connect to services, especially beyond fixed route systems and outside of regular operating hours and days.
  • How can our community better support people most in need who are suffering an acute behavioral health issue or crisis to navigate and connect to needed services wherever and whenever the need arises?

Guilford County is requesting ideas for projects specifically designated to meet the transportation needs and concerns of Guilford County residents. Applications for the Transportation Pilot Program (RFI) must address at least one of the areas of concerns mentioned above including supporting residents most in need of access to employment, increase independence, and assist individuals who may be in crisis to attain better access to services within their community. 

RFI Information Session Recording 

Contact Us

For questions about the RFI application, please email arpa_rfi@guilfordcountync.gov. 

Available Funding

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners has allocated approximately $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) enabled funds to help support promising initiatives that advance the shared transportation vision and better connect residents, especially those most in need, to jobs, human services, and care. While there is not a funding limit for any single project, the intent is to help support several pilot initiatives that show the greatest potential to quickly and effectively address the challenges identified in this RFI.

Ideas and proposals that may require funding beyond the amount allocated for this RFI are also welcome, as are ideas without a funding request that make us aware of promising initiatives in place or being considered in other communities. While these proposals may not be able to be funded through this RFI, the most promising submissions will be shared with the Board of Commissioners and partner stakeholders for future consideration.

RFI Timeline

May 2, 2024: First Virtual Information Session

May 8, 2024: Open RFI Application

May 8, 2024: Second Virtual Information Session

June 30, 2024: RFI Application Deadline

July 2024: RFI Application Review Process Starts