Local Training & Assistance Program (LTAP)

Upcoming Webinars, Workshops, and Grants

January 14 NOFO: Rural and Tribal Assistance Grant Program -Application Webinar Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 11:00 am to n/a AKST Up to $27 Million Available – Register for Webinar: Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. ET The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Build America Bureau (Bureau) today released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program, created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The NOFO offers $27 million in technical assistance grants to rural and tribal communities for the planning and design phase development of transportation projects. There is no local funding match required to participate in this program. The Bureau designated up to $10 million for Tribal applicants. “It is critical to support rural and Tribal communities and regions, so they are able to compete in DOT’s larger grant programs,” said Bureau Executive Director Morteza Farajian. “The Bureau is committed to sharing best practices and building capacity at local levels to ensure better utilization of innovative funding and financing solutions to deliver projects efficiently and cost-effectively.” The Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program grants may be used to hire staff or advisors to assist with planning and design phase activities, including feasibility studies, preliminary engineering and design, environmental review, revenue forecasting, financial feasibility analysis, statutory and regulatory analysis, and drafting and negotiation of agreements. This program has two types of grants: Single project grants ranging from $200,000 up to $750,000 each, and Multi-community grants ranging from $500,000 up to $2.25 million each to fund projects in at least three eligible communities submitted in a single application. The Bureau will accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET. The Bureau posted a copy of the application on the website for interested entities to review and draft responses in advance. The application portal will close on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. ET. Eligible applicants include local governments or political subdivisions in rural areas or in urbanized areas that have a population less than 150,000 per the 2020 Census; state governments applying on behalf of a project in a rural area; federally recognized Indian Tribes; and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.The previous NOFO included $3.4 million. The Bureau awarded grants for 13 projects during the first round for activities such as engineering design for roadway safety improvements, a bicycle and pedestrian trail connection, port development, and a study for transit service feasibility. The Bureau will host a free webinar on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET. about the application process and what activities can be funded through the program. Participation in the webinar is not mandatory to receive funding. The Bureau will post a recording of the webinar and a copy of the presentation at Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program \| Build America (transportation.gov). Webinar Registration
January 23 The Western Alaska Drone Community of Practice Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 11:00 am to 12:00 pm AKST Nearly all communities in Western, Interior, and Northern Alaska are experiencing some form of erosion or subsidence from melting permafrost, extreme weather events, and other symptoms of a warming climate. Many of these impacts to the landscape and the infrastructure it supports are measurable through remote-sensing tools, including USA-made drones. Please join our TTAP webinar to hear from Dr. Jessica Garron about her team’s work in Western Alaska integrating placed-based knowledge and drone technology to build local capacity in community mapping for decision-making about climate change adaptation strategies, economic development, as well as search and rescue support. Dr. Jessica Garron works with a broad spectrum of scientists, community members, agency partners and industry representatives to apply science-based solutions to decision-making. Jessica works to holistically integrate actionable knowledge about the Arctic into current and future Alaskan operations and policy, and to tie the motivations of climate security needs to the Arctic research mission and Alaska Native Tribal communities along the Western edge of North America. Garron’s primary work identifies remote sensing and drone-based technological solutions to address community, scientific and operational problems focused on the circumpolar Arctic and to serve as a knowledge broker of those solutions. In her roles as research faculty at the International Arctic Research Center, Adjunct Professor with the US Army War College, and as the Deputy Director of the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center, she connects operational and community-based end users with actionable, geospatial, and model-based science information to support climate change adaptation planning and response. Please join us at https://alaska.zoom.us/j/83845992507?pwd=3Uo9zbBSIuyugSSrYphO18oDP2uAGZ.1 on January 23, 2025 at 11 am Alaska time. - no pre-registration is necessary The AKTTAP webinars are available online in the AKTTAP playlist on YouTube at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Mnj-QQMwFoAk235KE6n2K5dOkxGLsJw&si=8KZPT1dddsGe2J0G Webinar Registration

Register for DOT&PF Employee Training
(DOT&PF Employee Intranet login required) Alaska LTAP Professional Development Scholarship Application Alaska TTAP (Tribal Technical Assistance Program) FHWA Local Aid Support - Online Training Library FHWA Build a Better Mousetrap National Competition Sign up for the DOT&PF Training Notification Listserv Free NHI Web-based Training AASHTO Technical Training Solutions American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) AK-CESCL Training Site STIC - State Transportation Innovation Council

Local Agency Professional Development Scholarships

Reimbursements for up to $3000.00 are available for local road management agency employees. The funds can reimburse meeting fees, materials, and travel expenses (cannot cover salary). Of course, there are limited funds available each year. The requirement to utilize the funds is sharing the information you gain with your peers. We can help you do that too!

Give it a try by completing the form today!
Alaska LTAP Professional Development Scholarship Application

Find FREE Training on hundreds of topics!

NHI - National Highway Institute: all web-based courses are now free. Many of these courses have been updated in the past 3 years to include current National Standards and interactive components. The NHI system maintains a record of your completed course for future reference.
AASHTO Technical Training Solutions: over 280 free classes to Alaska.gov employees. Create an account, choose the class, and the charges are zeroed at checkout. Local Transportation partners can contact dot.training@alaska.gov for a promo code that makes many courses free! The AASHTO system maintains a record of your completed course for future reference.

SOA Continuing Education Documentation for AELS

The continuing education program aims to maintain a continuing level of competency and standards for professional architects, engineers, land surveyors, and landscape architects to promote public health, safety, and welfare within this state.

More information can be found on the Alaska State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors webpage hosted by the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

The State of Alaska Local Training & Assistance Program (LTAP)

provides professional development opportunities to local governments, consultants, and construction companies conducting work on behalf of the State of Alaska Department of Transportation. LTAP centers help local agencies improve their roads and bridges by supplying them with various training programs, technology updates, newsletters, and personalized technical assistance.

Working in partnership with our Municipal and Rural Planning Organizations (MPOs & RPOs) and Alaskan consultants and contractors who have active State of Alaska projects, we strive to provide up-to-date training on relevant training opportunities. The mission of the Alaska LTAP is to create a more effective and diverse workforce by giving informational opportunities to all transportation partners.

The State of Alaska LTAP Team

Cina Fisher is a lifelong Alaskan raised in North Pole, Alaska, and the Circle Hot Springs mining region. Cina believes accessible information empowers people to excel at their chosen professions. After serving in the US Army, Cina returned home to a career creating, coordinating, and delivering State and Federal training specific to Alaskans.

Cina's experience includes developing training programs for the US Census Bureau -Remote Alaska Division, the Alaska National Guard, the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, and Alaskan small businesses. During the summer, Cina enjoys the Alaskan wilderness by fishing, hunting, or berry scavenging. Her winters are full of hockey games and seeking warm beaches!

Contact Cina at 907-360-8520 (Call or Text) or cina.fisher@alaska.gov

Joshua Hyde has a combined experience of 10 years working with local and international interests in geology, mining, and tourism, along with asset protection in wildland firefighting for BLM, fleet management, and employee skill development. Joshua puts his energy in the office into sharing knowledge and information so that everyone can be sure their efforts are not in vain.

Outside the office, Joshua enjoys time on the rivers and banks of the great state of Alaska, hunting, fishing, camping, kayaking, and snow machining into the White Mountains during the winter and ice fishing whenever possible. Joshua began as Training Specialist for LTAP and T2 in March of 2023.

Contact Joshua at 907-370-2069 (Call or Text) or joshua.hyde@alaska.gov