Livable Centers Small-Area Planning Set-aside | Denver Regional Council of Governments

Downtown Golden, Colorado, two people are riding bicycles as a silver car passes them and a man walks a dog through an intersection as cars are stopped.

DRCOG is accepting letters of interest for the Livable Centers Small-Area Planning program!
This program offers a unique opportunity to plan for the future of your community through fully funded small-area plans that integrate land use, housing and multimodal transportation strategies.
Who can apply? County and municipal governments, regional agencies, nonprofits, state offices and public colleges and universities. Non-governmental organizations must have local government support. The project must be located in the metropolitan planning organization area due to the funding source.
November 15 is the deadline to submit a letter of interest.
Staff look forward to receiving letters of interest and collaborating on projects to enhance livability and connectivity in the DRCOG area.

What are livable centers?

Livable centers are diverse types of central locations for different communities. They may often be called urban centers, employment centers, activity centers, multimodal centers, historic town centers, station areas, neighborhood centers, transit centers, activity centers, or centers and nodes. Livable centers does not refer to a formal designation in Metro Vision.

Program overview

The Livable Centers Small-Area Planning Program is DRCOG-led technical assistance funded through the fiscal years 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program. Small-area planning projects will identify ways to enhance and increase livability in connected multimodal centers. The program can fund a wide range of small-area plans and studies related to land use, housing and transportation within centers or nodes on the region’s multimodal transportation system. The goals of this program are derived from Metro Vision to:

Increase housing and employment in connected centers.
Support the investment in multimodal enhancements and transit access along corridors connecting centers.
Promote investment and reinvestment in existing communities.
Increase opportunities for diverse housing accessible by multimodal transportation.
Improve access to and from the region’s developed and emerging housing and employment centers.
Improve multimodal access to employment, commerce, educational, cultural and recreational opportunities for residents of all ages, incomes and abilities.

Program highlights

Total funding: $2.5 million is identified as a set-aside in the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program.
Current cycle: $835,000 available for the 2025-2026 application cycle, which is open from October 1 to November 15, 2025.
Fully funded: Project sponsors are not required to provide local match. Projects will be fully funded using federal funding and state toll credits, thanks to a partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Small-area planning projects: DRCOG will procure consultant services for planning and analysis.
Project management: DRCOG staff will manage procurement, provide project management support and maintain the intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Collaboration and partnership: Project sponsors and DRCOG staff will work together in close partnership to support community needs and goals.

Call for letters of interest

DRCOG will accept project proposals through a short letter of interest application available online from October 1 through November 15. Review the call for letters of interest overview, which includes important information about the process.

Steps to participate

Review the call for letters of interest overview.
View the recording of the informational webinar.
Reach out to DRCOG staff to discuss project ideas.
- For Livable Centers, schedule a meeting with Kaitlyn Service.
- If the project could fit under multiple DRCOG set-aside programs (Community-Based Transportation, Innovative Mobility, and Livable Centers), schedule a joint meeting with DRCOG staff representing all three programs.
Prepare the project's proposal. Reference these resources:
- PDF version of the letter of interest application
- Evaluation criteria (page 64-65)
- DRCOG data tool
- Informational webinar
- Livable Centers application questions:
  - Describe how the project location functions as a “Livable Center” in the community.
    - The Livable Centers program supports small-area planning in centers or nodes located on the regional multimodal transportation system. Both “centers” and “nodes,” as well as their relationship to the regional multimodal transportation system, are inclusive concepts- applicable to a wide range of community contexts- and will look different in each community across the region.
      In the application, describe how the project location functions as a “livable center” within the community, or how the proposed planning effort will support its evolution into a livable center. Discuss how the project area connects to the regional multimodal transportation system by reviewing the following layers in the DRCOG Data Tool:
      - Transportation System Layers (regional rapid transit system; regional roadway system)
      - Active Transportation Layers (active transportation corridors; short trip opportunity zones; pedestrian focus areas)
  - Describe the scope of the proposed project.
    - Describe the scope of the proposed project, including a clear description of how it integrates a land use or housing strategy with a multimodal transportation strategy.
Prepare a letter of understanding acknowledging a commitment to attend recurring project meetings, share relevant data, support community engagement, and contribute to future implementation efforts. The letter should also state that the project sponsor will review deliverables, serve as a liaison with local officials, and provide updates to the local board or council. It should be signed by the sponsor’s senior leadership with authority to commit staff time. This partnership with DRCOG will be essential to achieving shared goals and making a positive community impact.
Submit a letter of interest for a set-asides project between October 1 and November 15, 2025.
Projects will be evaluated and prioritized based on the evaluation criteria adopted by the DRCOG Board of Directors.
Stay tuned for project approvals! Projects will be recommended through the DRCOG Transportation Advisory Committee and Regional Transportation Committee and approved by the DRCOG Board of Directors.

Timeline

Letters of interest solicitation: October 1 - November 15, 2025.
Informational webinar: October 14, 2025. View the recording.
Project selection and approvals: November 2025 - March 2026.
Scope development and consultant procurement: Spring and summer 2026.

Projects underway

DRCOG identified the following projects through the 2024 letter of interest process. Each project aligns with evaluation criteria approved by the Board of Directors and reflects Metro Vision goals. The Board approved the selection in December 2024 after receiving recommendations from the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Regional Transportation Committee.

Arapahoe County: The Florida Corridor Multimodal Improvements project will enhance transportation options along Florida Avenue in Denver, Aurora and unincorporated Arapahoe County. The study will improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, strengthen connectivity and increase access to transit hubs, parks and commercial areas. The project will also address challenges across jurisdictions. DRCOG will coordinate the effort with the Florida Corridor Micromobility Hubs project, funded through the Innovative Mobility Set-Aside, which will identify potential micromobility hub locations along the Florida corridor and the Four Square Mile area.
Boulder County: The Mobility Needs Assessment Framework for the Boulder County Housing Authority will develop a toolkit for evaluating multimodal transportation improvements to enhance connectivity and access to key destinations for residents of housing authority properties. The project will pilot the framework at the housing authority's properties to address current and future mobility needs.
City of Arvada: The Livable Centers in Transit Oriented Communities project will conduct a land use, housing type diversity and needs assessment in Arvada's transit areas to enhance housing options and connectivity. The study will inform future planning strategies for diverse and affordable housing in key transit corridors and urban centers.
City of Aurora: The Fitzsimons Innovative Transportation Solutions Study will assess current transportation conditions and explore strategies to enhance multimodal access to the Fitzsimons Urban Center, improving connectivity for residents, employees and visitors while reducing traffic congestion. The study intends to develop coordinated transportation and parking solutions to support the area's ongoing growth and ensure efficient use of land and infrastructure.
City of Centennial: The East Midtown Centennial Small Area Plan will provide a framework for the evolution of the East Midtown area, guiding its development into a cohesive district with housing, commercial spaces and enhanced multimodal transportation options. The plan will address infrastructure needs, zoning updates and connectivity to envision a transit-oriented hub within the city.
City of Edgewater: The Edgewater Livable Center project's intention is to enhance land use, housing and transportation strategies to improve livability and multimodal connections. The study's objective is increasing housing opportunities, addressing affordability, and improving pedestrian, bicycle and transit access.
City of Sheridan: The City of Sheridan Housing and Transportation Strategies Study will develop policies and strategies to enhance housing opportunities and transportation access, aligning with state requirements. This project's objective is increasing housing around transit corridors, addressing barriers to development, and promoting sustainable growth through infill and redevelopment.

Additional resources

View pages 61-67 of the TIP Set-aside policies for more detail on eligible project types and eligible project locations.

To discuss a Livable Centers project proposal, email Kaitlyn Service, program manager, or schedule a meeting.

Considering multiple DRCOG set-aside programs? Schedule a meeting with DRCOG staff representing three programs (Community-Based Transportation, Innovative Mobility and Livable Centers) to discuss your project proposal, eligibility, and which program may be the best fit.

Considering a smaller planning effort? Livable Centers projects are detailed small-area plans, studies, or analyses developed over several months and include consultant procurement, with a recommended minimum project size of $100,000. For smaller or more targeted efforts, consider an Urban Land Institute Technical Advisory Panel- a two-day engagement offering expert land use guidance. Learn more and apply.

Additional Background

The Livable Centers Small-Area Planning Program is part of the DRCOG Board-adopted Transportation Improvement Program Set-Aside Programs for fiscal years 2024-2027, designed to help implement Metro Vision, the region’s long-range growth and development plan. The set-aside uses federal Surface Transportation Block Grant funding to provide technical assistance and small-area planning in communities across the region, with the goal of increasing livability, connectivity, and multimodal accessibility in key centers and corridors.

Unlike traditional Surface Transportation Block Grant projects, which typically fund large-scale infrastructure, Livable Centers planning efforts involve smaller dollar amounts ($100,000-$300,000). Due to the significant administrative requirements and federal compliance burdens tied to the funding, many jurisdictions find the smaller planning awards difficult to administer and not cost-effective from a local agency perspective. As a result, many local governments have expressed pursuing these funds independently is not worth the effort.

To address the issue, the DRCOG Board authorized DRCOG staff to manage the program centrally. DRCOG holds the contract, procures consultant services and manages the intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation, helping to streamline the process, remove administrative barriers, and ensure efficient use of federal dollars. The regional approach also eliminates local match requirements, as a result of DRCOG’s coordination with CDOT to apply state toll credits, making these projects fully funded for local partners. The centralized delivery model is also the standard approach across three other Board-adopted set-aside programs (including Transportation Corridor Planning, Community-Based Transportation Planning and Innovative Mobility).

The program is a strategic, Board-directed initiative to advance regional goals through an efficient, centralized delivery model for federal funds often inaccessible to many communities. By strategically managing the program, DRCOG enables transformational planning efforts to implement Metro Vision and expand the capacity of local government partners.