KEY PLAYERS IN THE PROCESS
The Transportation Enhancement Program process is a coordinated effort between the Department, other State agencies,  regional planning organizations (RPOs), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Each project must have a designated Project Sponsor, defined as a representative of a regional planning organization, transit district, tribal nation, or a government agency.

• In most instances, this will be a local public agency (LPA) - i.e. municipalities. The Project Sponsor will be responsible for the project application and implementation of TE activities under this program, including entering into an agreement with the Department for receipt of project funds.
• In some cases, the identification of the project will originate from a Project Advocate, an entity, either an individual or an organization, which does not qualify as a Project Sponsor. In these cases, the Project Advocate must secure a Project Sponsor.

Eligible entity within Section 213 is defined as follows:

• a local government;
• a regional transportation authority;
• a transit agency;
• a natural resource or public land agency;
• a school district, local education agency, or school;
• a tribal government; and
• any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for or oversight of transportation or recreational trails (other than a metropolitan planning organization or a State agency) that the State determines to be eligible, consistent with the goals of this subsection.