Welcome to the PreApplication Webinar for the NCMM

Welcome to the Pre-Application Webinar for the NCMM Community Mobility Design Challenge 2020 Planning Grants May 14, 2020 nc 4 mm. org/challenge-2020

The National Center for Mobility Management § Launched in 2013 § Funded through the U. S. DOT, Federal Transit Administration § Operated through a partnership of

Goal of the Center To promote customercentered mobility strategies that advance good health, economic vitality, selfsufficiency, & community

• Review key activities of the grant proposal • Review application process, eligibility, etc. Webinar Agenda • Give an introduction to human-centered design and ethnographic-style interviewing • Respond to questions nc 4 mm. org/challenge-2020

Timeline for Design Challenge Grants RFP released May 14 Applications due Successful applicants notified Kick-off webinar for selected participants Sept. July 6 Aug. 15 On-site workshops Sept. Oct Activities completed Feb 2021

Goals of the Design Challenge Planning Grants § Support residents and their communities in creating mobility solutions that promote health and well-being § Support the development of cross-sector partnerships that work together on transportation solutions for their community § Prepare communities to apply for opportunities for implementation funding

Next steps. . . after the Design Challenge grants § Stage 2: Potential to move to the NCMM-supported Limited Launch phase ($20 K) § Stage 3: Eligible to apply for NCMM’s implementation grants (approx. $75 K)

Key Facts § Total grants awarded: 4 § Duration of grants: Sept 1, 2020 to Feb 28, 2021 (7 mos. ) § Funding support: up to $25, 000 (travel, personnel, meeting expenses, development of materials, secondary research, business plan development) § Two in-person meetings (Sept. - Oct. ) [conditions permitting] § NCMM facilitator for each team § Periodic webinars

Challenge Areas How might we address community members who face transportation barriers in. . . 1. Accessing community and peer support opportunities (e. g. , substance use peer recovery groups, behavioral health peer groups) 2. Accessing healthy food (e. g. , grocery stores with fresh choices, farmers’ markets, SNAP programs) 3. Accessing economic opportunity (e. g. , training, education, jobs) 4. Accessing health care–related destinations 5. Ensuring their personal safety in the community (e. g. , safe use of public transportation, access to safe housing) 6. Accessing recreation and physical activity (e. g. , bike and walking trails, recreation centers)

Define your community § “Community” may include a formal or informally defined region, tribal nation, multi-county region, single county, city/town, neighborhood, or corridor, etc. § Choose a “community” that presents a manageable scope for the project § Should be feasible to gather primary data (interviews, observations) and define impact of your solution for the community you have chosen

Define your target population • Choose a specific target population of community members who face transportation barriers in advancing their personal well-being in any one of the six challenge areas noted. • Be as specific as possible in defining the target population; as applicable, include information about age, disability, ethnicity, and income status, as well as how the target population’s needs relate to the chosen challenge area.

Eligible Applicant Organization • Any nonprofit or government agency eligible to receive, or be a subrecipient of, federal funding • Demonstrated ability to successfully manage similar grant projects. • Should have no outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues that would make this a high-risk project. • Must indicate that they have the capacity to successfully execute the project.

§ Team lead from the applicant organization who will Team Lead(s) § convene the team § maintain the team’s momentum during the project § serve as the main point of contact with NCMM staff. § Having a co-lead from another partner organization is encouraged (but not required)

Team Composition § Team members must consist of a multisector partnership, with membership drawn from organizations most relevant to the mobility challenge the team will addressed § Team must include at least one customer from the target population and at least one nonprofit or public transportation provider.

Pre-Application Activities 1. Create a one-sentence focus question that clearly and succinctly outlines the specific opportunity the team is looking to address within the chosen challenge area. 2. Identify and implement primary research needed to gain a deep understanding of the experience of the target group and those organizations that serve them. Target: 10 -12 interviews. All team members participating; cannot be research previously done for another project. 3. Gather secondary research 4. Complete at least Modules 1 and 2 of the “Creating Innovative Transportation Solutions” course (nc 4 mm. org/e-learning) (optional) 5. Complete application (nc 4 mm. org/challenge-2020)

About the Human. Centered Design Process

About the Research

Ethnographic-Style Interviewing “Ethnography is the branch of anthropology that involves trying to understand how people live their lives. Unlike traditional market researchers, who ask specific, highly practical questions, ethnographic researchers visit customers in their homes or offices to observe and listen in a nondirected way. Our goal is to see people’s behavior on their terms, not ours. While this observational method may appear inefficient, it enlightens us about the context in which customers would use a new product and the meaning that product might hold in their lives. ” Source: Ken Anderson, Ethnographic Research: A Key to Strategy, Harvard Business Review March 2009

We go in as a blank slate. Without expectations. We are open to learning about our customers’ lives – they are the experts

§ Interview/observe in pairs § Interview in an area different from your own area of expertise Interviewing Tips § Prepare an interview guide, using open-ended questions § Use short questions and short follow-up questions to give plenty of time for your interviewee to respond § Conduct interview debrief with colleague/ partner

During the interview § Ask: “Tell me more, ” “Could you say a bit more about that? ” Please tell me about your experience when. . . § Ask questions about their transportation experience and needs; look for emotion, both positive and negative § Give time for response, however awkward, allow for the richness, the stories to emerge

After the interview § What did I learn? § What did I learn that confirms what I thought I knew? § Where do I need to look next?

xx Primary Research in the COVID-19 era § Depending on your community, try to conduct in-person interviews and observation § Conduct virtual interviews over videoconferencing platforms (e. g. , Zoom, Google virtual conferencing, Blue Jeans, other platforms) § Send out surveys and follow-up with phone interviews to discuss their answers – but surveys are not enough

§ RFP: nc 4 mm. org/challenge-2020 Questions from all potential applicants will be posted there § Questions: reckley@ctaa. org Questions? § Deadline: questions can be submitted anytime before applications are due § Application deadline: July 6, 2020, 11: 59 pm Eastern time