Churches running a senior transportation ministry, adult day program, or disability transport service may qualify for vehicle funding through the Federal Transit Administration's Section 5310 program — Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities. It's not a direct federal application: your church applies through your state DOT or a regional transit planning agency, and the funded vehicle can only be used for the specific mobility population your project serves, not general congregational transportation.
Key Takeaways
- FTA Section 5310 is the primary federal source for church-operated senior or disability transportation vehicles.
- You don't apply to FTA directly — applications go through your state DOT or a designated regional mobility manager.
- Funded vehicles are restricted to the approved program's population — not Sunday service shuttles or general church trips.
- A local match is required, and your project usually needs to appear in a regional coordinated transportation plan first.
- If your need is a general-purpose church van, 5310 is the wrong tool — look at foundation, denominational, or fleet-discount funding instead.
Can Churches Get Grants for a Van or Bus?
Yes, but only under a specific set of circumstances. The federal government doesn't fund general church transportation. What it funds, through the Federal Transit Administration's Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, is transportation specifically for seniors and people with disabilities who have difficulty using conventional public transit. A church that runs a shuttle for homebound seniors, an adult day program, or a ride service for congregants with mobility limitations can be a legitimate applicant. A church that just wants a 15-passenger van for youth group trips cannot.
This distinction trips up a lot of congregations. The eligibility test isn't "are you a nonprofit" — it's "does this specific vehicle serve this specific population." Keep that framing in mind as you read the rest of this guide, and see our grants for small churches overview for how transportation funding fits alongside other categories.
How the Money Actually Flows
Section 5310 is a formula grant program — FTA sends money to states and large urbanized areas, not to individual applicants. That means your church never applies to a federal office. Instead:
- Your state department of transportation (or, in large metro areas, a designated urban area agency) receives the formula allocation and runs the actual grant competition.
- Most states require your project to be identified in a locally developed Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan before you're eligible to compete — this plan is typically maintained by a regional planning agency or council of governments.
- You compete against other nonprofits, senior centers, and disability service providers in a state-run application cycle, usually annual or biennial.
- If selected, your organization becomes a subrecipient, and the vehicle is procured following federal procurement rules — you generally can't just go buy a van and get reimbursed after the fact.
The upside of this structure: state DOTs and regional mobility managers exist specifically to help applicants navigate this process, and calling your regional agency directly is usually faster than trying to piece the process together from federal guidance documents alone.
What's Typically Covered
| Category | Typically Eligible | Typically Not Eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle purchase | Accessible vans, small buses, wheelchair-lift equipped vehicles | Vehicles for general church use unrelated to the funded population |
| Accessibility equipment | Wheelchair lifts, securement systems, ramps | Cosmetic vehicle upgrades not tied to accessibility |
| Mobility management | Trip scheduling software, coordination staff time (in some state programs) | General administrative overhead unrelated to the transportation program |
| Operating assistance | Driver wages and fuel for the funded program, in states that allow it — federal share is typically capped lower than for vehicle purchases | Operating costs for trips outside the approved service population |
| Preventive maintenance | Maintenance directly tied to the funded vehicle's continued service | Maintenance on vehicles never funded through the program |
Federal cost-share rules for 5310 typically allow up to roughly 80% federal funding on vehicle purchases, with your organization responsible for the remaining local match — commonly cash, but sometimes allowable in-kind contributions depending on your state's rules. Operating assistance, where a state allows it, usually has a lower federal share, often around 50%. Because match rules and allowable in-kind sources vary by state, confirm exact figures with your state DOT's 5310 program office before budgeting.
Who Qualifies
- Nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status, or a public body approved to coordinate services for seniors and people with disabilities
- An identifiable transportation program serving seniors, individuals with disabilities, or both — not general church operations
- Inclusion in (or willingness to be added to) your region's coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan
- Capacity to meet federal procurement, insurance, and reporting requirements as a subrecipient
- Ability to fund the required local match, whether through cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination allowed by your state
Not Sure If Your Ministry Qualifies?
Complete our free eligibility review in under 2 minutes and find out which transportation and other grant programs may fit your organization.
Check Your Grant Eligibility →Documentation Checklist
✓ Transportation Grant Documentation Checklist
- IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter (current)
- Written description of your transportation program: who it serves, service area, schedule, ridership estimates
- Confirmation your project is (or can be) included in your region's coordinated transportation plan
- Vehicle specifications and cost quotes, including accessibility equipment
- Plan for the required local match — cash source or approved in-kind contribution
- Driver qualification and background check policy
- Insurance documentation meeting your state's minimum coverage requirements
- Most recent Form 990 or financial statements
Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying to FTA directly: There's no federal portal for individual 5310 applicants — every application runs through your state DOT or designated regional agency.
- Skipping the coordinated plan step: Projects not identified in the regional plan are often ineligible or automatically deprioritized, regardless of merit.
- Blurring the program population: Proposing a vehicle for "general church transportation" that happens to include some seniors won't clear review — the program has to be built around the eligible population, not retrofitted onto existing church activities.
- Underbudgeting the match: Assuming the grant covers 100% of vehicle cost is the most common early miscalculation — budget for your local share from day one.
- Ignoring post-award obligations: Funded vehicles come with ongoing reporting, useful-life requirements, and restrictions on disposal or repurposing before the vehicle's minimum service life is met.
Transportation funding often pairs well with other categories a church might already be pursuing — see our community development grants guide for CDBG-funded transportation and accessibility projects, and our government grants for churches overview for how federal programs generally reach congregations. Learn how FaithGrants helps at How It Works.