This foundational course will provide an overview of the federal funding process initiated by Congress and administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and in some cases, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST). It will begin with a high level overview of Congress' budget and appropriations process, introduce the most common funding programs an MPO will interact with, and end with an explanation of the role of the State DOT and MPO's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) in context of federal funding.

At the end of this course, you will be familiar with:
• The role that Congress plays in making transportation funds available
• The basics of how the Highway Trust Fund works and what programs it supports
• How the FHWA and FTA allocate and distribute funds
• The difference between formula and discretionary programs
• The basics of FMIS and how it can be used to track progress on projects within your region

Credentialing
Upon completion of this course you will receive an MPO Institute Certificate; each course has a unique expiration date depending on the content and changing landscape. Reference the Completion Rules at the bottom of the course content overview for the length of certificate.

AICP Planners may also claim credits through the APA for this course. This course qualifies for 8CM | 1 Law.

Recommended Pacing | 3 Weeks
This course is self-paced, meaning you can take it at any time while the course is open. Because of the subject matter and level of detail, it is recommended you space this course over three weeks so you can absorb the material.

Recommended Learners
This course is open to anyone who would like to take it. You do not need to work for or with an MPO to register for this course. However, this course is specifically built with the following audiences in mind:
• MPO Board Members
• MPO Committee Members
• MPO Staff
• State DOT Staff

Disclosure
All purchases are final. You will have 180 days (~6 months) after registering to complete this course. If you do not complete it within that timeframe, you will automatically be unenrolled and lose access to materials. If you complete the course within that timeframe, you will receive your certificate upon completion, and retain access to the course until the expiration of your certificate. The MPO Institute retains the right to deactivate a course periodically to administer content updates as needed and this may briefly interrupt your access or require you to complete new material.

The AMPO Research Foundation retains all rights to the content within this course. Sharing your credentials and/or downloading, distributing, or sharing any content within this course is forbidden. If you are found to be doing either your access will be immediately revoked regardless of course completion status and no refunds will be made. You may also be subject to a ban from future Institute courses at the discretion of the administrator.