Foundations
Here's a look at documents from U.S. foundations
Featured Stories
Statement From Derek Kilmer, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs and Policy at The Rockefeller Foundation
NEW YORK, Jan. 31 -- The Rockefeller Foundation posted the following statement on Jan. 30, 2026:
* * *
Statement From Derek Kilmer, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs and Policy at The Rockefeller Foundation
Produce prescription programs have the power to transform Veterans' health and save lives. At The Rockefeller Foundation, we've seen this firsthand through our partnerships with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the research we've supported.
Veterans experience chronic health conditions at disproportionately higher rates than the general population -- including diabetes, heart
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Jan. 31 -- The Rockefeller Foundation posted the following statement on Jan. 30, 2026:
* * *
Statement From Derek Kilmer, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs and Policy at The Rockefeller Foundation
Produce prescription programs have the power to transform Veterans' health and save lives. At The Rockefeller Foundation, we've seen this firsthand through our partnerships with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the research we've supported.
Veterans experience chronic health conditions at disproportionately higher rates than the general population -- including diabetes, heartdisease, and obesity. About 27% of Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are food insecure, more than double the rate of the general U.S. population. When we integrate nutrition into healthcare through produce prescriptions, we see real results: measurable improvements in blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and weight management.
The impact goes beyond the clinical data. As one Veteran who participated in a Veterans Affairs FreshConnect ProduceRx study last year told researchers, "Instead of medicating us with drugs, medicate us with a produce prescription. That way, we take care of the underlying problem." Since 2023, The Rockefeller Foundation has partnered with the VA to pilot produce prescription programs in Texas, Utah, Maryland, New York, and North Carolina, reaching more than 2,500 veterans with monthly vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables alongside nutrition counseling. Research shows these interventions don't just improve health -- they can reduce healthcare costs by decreasing emergency room visits and hospital stays.
Establishing permanent authority for produce prescriptions within the VA would be a meaningful step toward addressing both the nutrition and healthcare needs of America's Veterans. The Foundation remains committed to advancing Food is Medicine interventions that save lives, save money, and support those who have fought for us.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/news/statement-from-derek-kilmer-senior-vice-president-us-programs-and-policy-rockefeller-foundation/
Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: Congress Introduces Bipartisan Push to Fix FCC Satellite Delays and Bolster Commercial Space
LOS ANGELES, California, Jan. 31 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Jan. 30, 2026, by technology policy fellow Richard Sill and Marc Scribner, senior transportation policy analyst:
* * *
Congress introduces bipartisan push to fix FCC satellite delays and bolster commercial space
The Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act would modernize the Federal Communications Commission's satellite licensing procedures.
*
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the bipartisan Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT)
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Jan. 31 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Jan. 30, 2026, by technology policy fellow Richard Sill and Marc Scribner, senior transportation policy analyst:
* * *
Congress introduces bipartisan push to fix FCC satellite delays and bolster commercial space
The Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act would modernize the Federal Communications Commission's satellite licensing procedures.
*
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the bipartisan Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT)Streamlining Act on Jan. 14 to modernize the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) satellite licensing procedures out of a slower, analog era into one that can keep pace with today's demand for commercial satellite investment. For many Americans, such modernizations could mean faster deployment of satellite broadband and other services that improve internet access, competition, and reliability.
The bill would amend the Communications Act of 1934 and establish review "shot clocks" for the FCC, targeting the mounting backlog of applications for satellite licenses, grants of market access, and licenses for earth stations (ground transmitters to communicate with satellites) that can take years to receive an answer. This is a welcome step that can ensure the United States remains open for the growing commercial space industry, which can bring better internet access to small businesses, rural homes, and other underserved areas.
Under the bill, the FCC must first determine within 30 days whether an application is complete and then has one year to grant or deny initial licenses and major amendments, 180 days to act on renewals, 90 days for certain minor modifications that increase capacity or spectral efficiency, and 30 days for technically similar replacements of satellites or earth stations.
Extensions of these deadlines are tightly limited to specific situations such as national security needs, extraordinary risks to life or property, or lapses in appropriations. Extensions for a particular application would be capped at two 90-day extensions to prevent regulators from undermining the shot clock's intended purpose. The FCC would also be empowered to issue emergency 180-day licenses, renewals, or modifications in "extraordinary circumstances" involving dangers to life or property or matters implicating national security or defense so that speed does not come at the expense of safety or security.
If the FCC fails to act by the end of the applicable period (including any valid extension), the application or renewal is "deemed granted" once the applicant files a public notice of the agency's inaction. Under this new framework, "time outs" would result in automatic approvals rather than indefinite limbo and give both regulators and industry strong incentives to resolve cases within the statutory window. This ensures that promising space projects, such as AST SpaceMobile's direct-to-phone satellite network, are not stranded on the launchpad by process alone.
The agency has struggled with a growing backlog of satellite applications because filing volumes and system complexity have outpaced legacy licensing processes, leaving some applications pending for years. When companies like SpaceX and Amazon cannot predict whether approvals will come in months or in years, it becomes harder to raise capital, schedule launches, or commit to serving particular markets, especially for smaller firms that lack the balance sheets of incumbent operators. That uncertainty can push cutting-edge projects to delay deployment, scale back their ambitions, or seek authorization in foreign jurisdictions with more predictable timelines. All of these risks ultimately slow innovation in satellite broadband, remote sensing, and other emerging space services that depend on timely regulatory decisions.
The FCC has already begun taking significant steps to modernize its satellite and earth-station licensing processes independently through administrative rulemaking through its December 2025 proposed rule on "Space Modernization for the 21st Century," which would implement modular "assembly line" licensing, nationwide blanket earth-station authorizations, expanded notification-only modifications, and targeted expedited processing for low-risk applications.
While these steps demonstrate the FCC's recognition of surging application volumes and the need for greater speed and predictability, they remain incremental and discretionary. The agency's proposal does not establish binding across-the-board "shot clocks" or "deemed granted" mechanisms, thus making the FCC's initiative vulnerable to resource constraints or future changes in commission priorities.
This proposed new rule is also potentially susceptible to legal challenges, arguing that the FCC is exceeding its statutory authority under a Supreme Court precedent set in 2022 in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency. Under Title III of the Communications Act, the FCC has broad authority to license and regulate all interstate and foreign radio transmissions, including the ability to oversee satellite communications as a form of radio service.
However, the commission lacks specific directives on modern licensing timelines or space-safety rules, leaving room for litigants to challenge any new agency rules that lack clear statutory authority. Former Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), the sponsor of the initial 2022 version of the SAT Streamlining Act, explicitly raised this concern as a reason to provide the FCC with clear statutory authority on these matters. The SAT Streamlining Act would provide essential legal clarity and statutory authority.
If enacted, the SAT Streamlining Act would reduce regulatory uncertainty and accelerate the deployment of next-generation space services. From these changes, many Americans can experience faster and more reliable online access in their homes and businesses. While the FCC deserves praise for pursuing modernization efforts through its internal administrative processes, only Congress can ensure these needed reforms are durable.
* * *
Richard Sill is a technology policy fellow at Reason Foundation.
Marc Scribner is a senior transportation policy analyst at Reason Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/congress-introduces-bipartisan-push-to-fix-fcc-satellite-delays-and-bolster-commercial-space/
Washington State Medical and Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Workers File Petition to Remove Machinists Union Bosses
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, Jan. 30 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
Washington State Medical and Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Workers File Petition to Remove Machinists Union Bosses
*
Majority of manufacturing workers back petition to end IAM union officials' monopoly "representation" powers
Bellingham, WA (January 30, 2026) - Albert Sherman Toribio, an employee of Trulife, Inc., has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking a "decertification" election to remove International Association of Machinists
... Show Full Article
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, Jan. 30 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
Washington State Medical and Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Workers File Petition to Remove Machinists Union Bosses
*
Majority of manufacturing workers back petition to end IAM union officials' monopoly "representation" powers
Bellingham, WA (January 30, 2026) - Albert Sherman Toribio, an employee of Trulife, Inc., has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking a "decertification" election to remove International Association of Machinists(IAM) Local 2379 union officials from his workplace. The petition, which a majority of workers support, was filed with free legal aid from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), a task that includes administering elections to install (or "certify") and remove (or "decertify") unions. The workers are requesting NLRB Region 19 schedule an election so that they can exercise their right to remove the IAM from their facility.
Toribio's petition was signed by a majority of his 58 coworkers, far more than the number of signatures required to trigger an NLRB-supervised secret ballot decertification vote.
Washington is one of the 24 states that lack Right to Work safeguards for workers, which allows IAM union bosses to impose monopoly bargaining contracts that force employees to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. By contrast, in Right to Work states like neighboring Idaho, union membership and union financial support are strictly voluntary.
"We are pleased to be able to assist Mr. Toribio and his fellow employees in their effort to exercise their rights under the NLRA to hold a secret ballot election to remove unwanted IAM union bosses from their facility," commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. "The NLRB should promptly schedule this vote so these workers can free themselves from a union that most workers want nothing to do with."
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.
***
Original text here: https://www.nrtw.org/news/washington-trulife-iam-decert-01302026/
Space Foundation Announces 2026 John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration and Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Recipients
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, Jan. 30 -- Space Foundation issued the following news release on Jan. 29, 2026:
* * *
Space Foundation Announces 2026 John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration and Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Recipients
Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to advance the global space community, today announced it has selected NASA's Voyager Team as the recipient of the 2026 John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration and the Estes Model Rocket Company as the 2026 Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award recipient.
"We are proud to
... Show Full Article
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, Jan. 30 -- Space Foundation issued the following news release on Jan. 29, 2026:
* * *
Space Foundation Announces 2026 John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration and Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Recipients
Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to advance the global space community, today announced it has selected NASA's Voyager Team as the recipient of the 2026 John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration and the Estes Model Rocket Company as the 2026 Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award recipient.
"We are proud tocelebrate the spirit of exploration, innovation and education demonstrated in both the Voyager missions and the Estes Model Rocket Company," said Space Foundation CEO Heather Pringle. "Voyager has expanded our understanding of the universe for decades, while Estes inspires curiosity and creativity in students worldwide. Together, they show how dedication can guide future generations to reach higher and dream bigger."
The John L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration honors exceptional achievements in space exploration and discovery by a company, agency or consortium. Named for astronaut Jack Swigert, a Colorado native and Apollo 13 crew member, the award reflects the mission's historic perseverance and ingenuity, and it celebrates the spirit of overcoming challenges in the pursuit of discovery.
Nearly 50 years after their launch, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 remain among humanity's greatest achievements in space exploration. Originally designed for a four-year mission, the twin probes became the only spacecraft to visit all four giant outer planets -- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune -- reshaping our understanding of the solar system. Voyager discoveries include active volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io, detailed structures within Saturn's rings, new moons, and magnetic fields around Uranus and Neptune, providing insights that continue to influence planetary science. In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018, delivering the first direct measurements of the space between stars.
The Voyager team's recent successes in sustaining and restoring communication with the aging spacecraft further strengthen its historic legacy. Operating across vast distances, the team continues to provide critical scientific data from interstellar space, demonstrating ingenuity, perseverance, and technical expertise. Their ability to generate new discoveries from a mission now in its fifth decade underscores the enduring impact of Voyager and the remarkable talent behind one of the longest-running space missions in history.
Space Foundation also selected the Estes Model Rocket Company for the 2026 Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award for its decades-long commitment to immersive STEM learning and education. Founded in 1958, the company has grown into the world's leading model rocketry manufacturer and a trusted partner for teachers and youth organizations nationwide, providing accessible tools and resources that help students explore science, technology, engineering and math in hands on ways.
Through model rockets, classroom kits, curriculum resources, and national education partnerships, Estes nurtures curiosity and builds scientific understanding from early learning through high school. Its lesson plans and hands-on activities turn abstract concepts into practical experiences that develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. From a student's first rocket launch to collaborative projects and national competitions, Estes invites learners of all ages to explore science and engineering and experience the excitement of discovery.
The awards will be presented at Space Foundation's 41st annual Space Symposium, April 13-16, 2026, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
* * *
About Space Symposium
Space Symposium, created in 1984 by Space Foundation, is the premier assembly of the global space community, bringing together more than 10,000 space professionals, business leaders, and decision-makers. Attendees from more than 40 countries gather annually in Colorado Springs to form partnerships and explore the latest in space technology. Representing all sectors of the space ecosystem, participants include space agencies, commercial businesses, military organizations, government agencies, R&D facilities, educational institutions, and entrepreneurs. The event also extends its global reach with virtual access through livestream and on-demand programming. Learn more at www.spacesymposium.org.
* * *
About Space Foundation
Space Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 as a gateway to advance the global space community. Space Foundation uniquely educates, collaborates and informs the entire space workforce, from early education through post-secondary (college, non-college, vocational), to the start of their careers as new professionals, and ultimately as leaders at the highest levels of government and commercial industry. As a charitable organization, Space Foundation receives support from corporate members, sponsors, individual giving, and grants. Visit Space Foundation at www.SpaceFoundation.org, and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.spacefoundation.org/2026/01/29/space-foundation-announces-2026-john-l-jack-swigert-jr-award-for-space-exploration-and-douglas-s-morrow-public-outreach-recipients/
Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: Despite Increased Funding, Transit Ridership Hasn't Returned in Most Areas
LOS ANGELES, California, Jan. 30 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Jan. 28, 2026, by transportation policy analyst Neliann Rivera:
* * *
Despite increased funding, transit ridership hasn't returned in most areas
States where transit continued to support local, all-day travel generally saw steadier post-pandemic recoveries than those focused primarily on peak-hour commuting into downtown job centers.
*
Before 2020, much of U.S. transit planning, especially in metropolitan areas with long-established rail networks, was built around the weekday commute. Heavy rail, light-rail
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Jan. 30 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Jan. 28, 2026, by transportation policy analyst Neliann Rivera:
* * *
Despite increased funding, transit ridership hasn't returned in most areas
States where transit continued to support local, all-day travel generally saw steadier post-pandemic recoveries than those focused primarily on peak-hour commuting into downtown job centers.
*
Before 2020, much of U.S. transit planning, especially in metropolitan areas with long-established rail networks, was built around the weekday commute. Heavy rail, light-railand downtown-oriented commuter rail systems were designed to move large volumes of workers into central business districts during peak hours, and investment decisions often reflected that priority.
Most bus systems followed a different logic. In smaller or more dispersed metropolitan areas, buses were more likely to support local, all-day travel across the metro area, serving non-commute trips such as medical appointments, shopping, and service-sector work, because bus networks are less constrained by fixed infrastructure. They have historically played a broader role in meeting everyday mobility needs beyond the traditional rush-hour commute. This model worked well for decades until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the assumptions that had long shaped how transit systems were planned and used.
During the pandemic and shutdowns, transit ridership declined rapidly across nearly every state in the United States, leading to significantly reduced fare revenue and placing tremendous financial pressure on transit agencies. In response, Congress approved the largest package of federal transit assistance programs in American history, providing approximately $25 billion through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, $14 billion via the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), and adding $30.5 billion in the American Rescue Plan for public transit.
At the time, policymakers anticipated that, once offices reopened and daily routines resumed, ridership and transit system performance would recover.
Examining metro transit recovery patterns in select areas since the pandemic
The table below groups major metropolitan transit markets by the percentage of their 2019 ridership that had returned by 2024, using unlinked passenger trips reported to the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database. Each metro is listed with the main transit agency or agencies that operate service in that area. Using metro areas rather than states avoids double-counting riders and helps explain why recovery can differ within a single state. Large urban systems that rely heavily on rail and downtown commuting have often recovered more slowly, while smaller, bus-based systems in other parts of the state have tended to rebound more quickly.
* * *
Recovery Category ... States
Exceeding 2019 Ridership ... Wilmington, DE (DART First State)
Strong Recovery of 2019 Ridership (~85-95%) ... Miami-Dade, FL (Miami-Dade Transit); New Orleans, LA (New Orleans RTA); Wichita, KS (Wichita Transit); Sioux Falls, SD (Sioux Area Metro)
Upper-Moderate Recovery of 2019 Ridership (~75-84%) ... Salt Lake City / Wasatch Front, UT (Utah Transit Authority); Detroit, MI (DDOT and SMART buses); Des Moines, IA (Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority); Boise, ID (Valley Regional Transit); Cheyenne and Casper, WY (local bus systems)
Moderate Recovery of 2019 Ridership (~65-74%) ... Phoenix, AZ (Valley Metro); Denver, CO (Regional Transportation District); Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority); Chicago, IL (Chicago Transit Authority); Boston, MA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority); Seattle, WA (King County Metro; Sound Transit); Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (Dallas Area Rapid Transit); Portland, OR (TriMet)
Below ~65% Recovery of 2019 Ridership ... Atlanta, GA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority); Twin Cities, MN (Metro Transit); New York City, NY (MTA New York City Transit); Newark-Jersey City, NJ (NJ Transit; PATH); San Francisco Bay Area (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
* * *
What the 2019-2024 transit ridership data show
After five years, the data tell a more complicated story. Although ridership has increased since its low point in 2020-2021, most places have not returned to pre-pandemic ridership levels despite unprecedented federal aid and higher state and local spending.
Some transit systems are close to recovery; a handful have surpassed 2019 ridership, but many remain well below their earlier benchmarks. Across the markets reviewed, 2024 ridership typically falls between roughly two-thirds and three-quarters of 2019 levels, with fewer regions reaching 80-90% of pre-pandemic levels, and only one region, Wilmington, Delaware, exceeding pre-pandemic use in this sample.
The data from 2019 to 2024 point to a clear conclusion: increased short-term federal funding did not consistently lead to higher transit ridership in the areas examined. Even as transit funding rose nationwide, ridership recovery varied widely by state. Pandemic-era policies treated transit ridership losses as a revenue problem to be solved with emergency aid. That approach stabilized transit agency finances but often failed to address whether transit service still matched how people were traveling after the pandemic, even as work patterns, travel behavior, and daily trip-making continued to evolve.
As my Reason Foundation colleague Marc Scribner has noted in his analysis of post-pandemic transit finances, federal relief largely addressed budget shortfalls while ridership across most regions remained well below pre-pandemic levels. The result was financial stability without a corresponding return of ridership.
This distinction matters because it reflects a shift in transit's core challenge. The issue is no longer whether transit agencies can remain solvent. It is whether the service they provide still aligns with how and where people travel.
The transit ridership divide that governments must address
Between 2019 and 2024, states worked with local governments to keep transit service operating through a period of historic ridership loss. Funding levels remained elevated across many systems even as fare revenue collapsed and travel patterns shifted. Yet ridership recovery varied widely from state to state.
Based on data reported to the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database, in Georgia, statewide ridership fell from roughly 142.3 million trips in 2019 to 55.3 million in 2021, a 61% decline. By 2024, ridership rebounded to about 80.1 million trips, still approximately 44% below pre-pandemic levels. Colorado experienced a similar trajectory, dropping from 134.2 million trips in 2019 to 66.9 million in 2021 before recovering to 92.0 million trips in 2024, or about 69% of its 2019 ridership.
Large, rail-focused states show an even clearer disconnect between funding and recovery. New York received more than $25.5 billion in federal transit funding between 2019 and 2024, in addition to substantial state and local support, yet recorded approximately 1.63 billion transit trips in 2024, only about two-thirds of its 2019 total.
New Jersey and Massachusetts followed similar patterns. Despite billions in combined federal and state funding, transit ridership in 2024 reached only about 64% of 2019 levels in New Jersey and roughly 72% in Massachusetts.
By contrast, several more rural, lower-spending, bus-focused states recovered more fully. By 2024, Delaware slightly exceeded its 2019 ridership. Kansas, after experiencing a roughly 50% decline during the pandemic, rebounded to about 87% of its pre-pandemic ridership despite comparatively modest funding levels. Other primarily bus-based states also returned closer to earlier ridership levels, including South Dakota at about 84%, Iowa at about 81%, Michigan at about 80%, and Wyoming at about 83%.
At the same time, several states with comparatively high total transit funding continued to lag in ridership recovery. Minnesota applied roughly $4.6 billion in combined federal, state, and local transit funding between 2019 and 2024, yet recovered only about 64% of its 2019 transit ridership by 2024.
Similar outcomes appear in Maryland, which applied about $7.6 billion and recovered roughly 67% of pre-pandemic ridership, Virginia, which used about $10.9 billion and recovered about 66%, and Pennsylvania, which applied approximately $30.1 billion and recovered about 65%.
Taken together, these transit ridership patterns suggest that post-pandemic recovery depended less on total spending levels and more on whether transit systems continued to serve practical, everyday travel needs rather than primarily commuter-oriented demand.
Transit ridership recovery followed usefulness, not spending
How well transit recovered after the pandemic depended largely on how systems were designed and who they served. States where transit continued to support local, all-day travel generally saw steadier recoveries than those focused primarily on peak-hour commuting into downtown job centers.
Where transit remained useful for health care workers, service-sector employees, students, and people making everyday trips, ridership returned more quickly.
In contrast, simply restoring pre-pandemic schedules in commuter-focused systems often failed to bring riders back because work and travel patterns had changed.
Decisions by state departments of transportation and transit agencies played a major role in shaping outcomes. Systems with stronger recoveries since the pandemic tended to focus on three actions:
1. Restoring frequent transit service on high-demand corridors.
2. Simplifying transit networks to make routes easier to understand and use.
3. Prioritizing safety and cleanliness to rebuild rider confidence.
Agencies that instead preserved underused routes or maintained legacy service patterns often experienced weaker ridership recoveries, even with substantial funding increases. The key question, then, is not how much funding was provided but how effectively it was used. Ridership remains the clearest measure of value, reflecting whether transit service is frequent, reliable, safe, and aligned with how people travel today.
Going forward, states and transit agencies should prioritize funding based on outcomes
To achieve better returns on future transit spending, states and transit agencies should prioritize funding based on measurable outcomes rather than established practices. What concerns transit riders the most is simple: increased service frequency that gives them options, whether the bus or train shows up when it is supposed to, and if they feel safe riding the system. Operating support for transit systems should be allocated to address these key customer priorities.
On high-ridership routes, transit should run frequently throughout the day to meet demand, not just during morning and evening rush hours. For many urban corridors, that means buses or trains should run every 10 to 15 minutes as a baseline, with more frequent service where ridership supports it. This frequency is the difference between transit being a backup option and being a reliable part of daily life. When service runs this often, people can use it for work, school, medical appointments, and errands without checking a schedule or worrying about missing a trip.
When transit service is infrequent, even motivated riders are forced to plan their day around the timetable, and many simply choose to drive instead. Frequency is not about convenience. It is about whether transit is practical to use at all.
Reliability should be evaluated from the rider's perspective rather than through internal documentation. On scheduled routes, vehicles should depart no more than one minute early and no more than five minutes late. On high-frequency routes, maintaining consistent vehicle spacing is essential to prevent excessive waits caused by vehicle bunching.
Safety should be evaluated based on real-world results rather than internal compliance. Transit riders are concerned with incidents such as assaults, operator injuries, serious collisions, and disorder that can undermine predictability and security or simply make riders feel unsafe. States should link a portion of operating support for transit to measurable improvements in these areas rather than solely to administrative compliance. Transit agencies should be required to demonstrate reductions in serious incidents and injuries.
States should also encourage transit agencies to redesign their networks according to current travel patterns rather than pre-pandemic commuter trends. This redesign should include implementing simpler routes, enhancing all-day service, and reducing low-ridership coverage routes maintained primarily due to historical precedent.
Bus speed and reliability improvements, such as dedicated lanes, signal priority, and optimized stop spacing, should be reserved for corridors with demonstrated or latent demand sufficient to justify reallocating roadway capacity. Exclusive lanes are most cost-effective where buses already carry high passenger volumes or where time savings and frequency improvements are likely to attract significant new ridership.
In areas with low or dispersed demand, dedicating lanes may result in underutilization and inefficient use of limited road space. Therefore, states and transit agencies should prioritize lower-cost reliability measures, including schedule adherence improvements, stop consolidation, running-time adjustments, and targeted signal priority, until demand justifies more intensive interventions.
Currently, many states allocate operating support using legacy formulas based on historical or geographic factors rather than current transit ridership and performance. This approach prioritizes preservation over effectiveness. Public funding should be directed toward transit routes and services that demonstrably enhance riders' mobility.
The objective should be to develop transit systems that attract and serve riders in 2026 and beyond, rather than restoring transit systems to their 2019 state.
* * *
Neliann Rivera is a transportation policy analyst at Reason Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/despite-increased-funding-transit-ridership-hasnt-returned-in-most-areas/
Connecticut Residents, Environmental, and Social Justice Groups Demand Fairness and Accountability, Rally To Make Polluters Pay
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Jan. 30 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release on Jan. 29, 2026:
* * *
Connecticut Residents, Environmental, and Social Justice Groups Demand Fairness and Accountability, Rally To Make Polluters Pay
Connecticut residents gathered near the State Capitol on January 28 to demand accountability for polluting corporations that pass on costs to local communities. Connecticut families are paying millions for climate disasters while a handful of fossil fuel executives and corporate elites rake in record profits. This is climate injustice and it's being
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Jan. 30 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release on Jan. 29, 2026:
* * *
Connecticut Residents, Environmental, and Social Justice Groups Demand Fairness and Accountability, Rally To Make Polluters Pay
Connecticut residents gathered near the State Capitol on January 28 to demand accountability for polluting corporations that pass on costs to local communities. Connecticut families are paying millions for climate disasters while a handful of fossil fuel executives and corporate elites rake in record profits. This is climate injustice and it's beingdriven by an oligarchy that pollutes our communities and sticks taxpayers with the bill.
"If you make a mess, you should clean it up. We learned this lesson as children, and now it's time Big Oil and Gas do, too," says Kendall Keelen, Conservation Law Foundation Staff Attorney. "It's not fair that Connecticut families and small businesses foot the entire bill for the damages caused by extreme weather. Especially, when those companies knew what science shows-that fossil fuels worsen it. We can't let the companies responsible continue to make millions off of the dirty fuels that destroy our homes, threaten our livelihoods, and harm our loved ones while we drain our wallets. It's common sense that the companies that make so much money from fossil fuels share in the financial burden of the cleanup."
At the rally, community members, climate advocates, and local leaders shared firsthand stories of flooding, extreme heat, rising insurance costs, and damage to homes and businesses caused by climate change. Speakers warned that fossil fuel corporations have knowingly driven the climate crisis for decades while evading accountability, and are now pushing for immunity from responsibility with support from the Trump administration and its allies. Rallygoers made clear that Connecticut families should not be forced to subsidize Big Oil's profits or bail out polluters who want a free pass for the damage they've caused.
Moving forward, advocates are calling on Connecticut lawmakers to pass Climate Superfund legislation that would require the largest fossil fuel corporations to help pay for climate-related damages and resilience efforts. The coalition urged legislators and the Governor to stand with Connecticut residents, not corporate polluters, by advancing policies that protect communities, lower taxpayer burdens, and ensure that those most responsible for the climate crisis are held financially accountable.
"The Connecticut legislature has a second chance to stop sticking taxpayers with Big Oil's bills and put the cost of extreme weather where it belongs on the corporations that contributed to the crisis," said Julianna Larue, Organizer with Sierra Club Connecticut. "A Climate Superfund would take financial burden off of families and municipalities, hold polluters accountable for the damage they knowingly caused, and deliver real relief to communities hit hardest by climate disasters."
"Young people are inheriting a climate crisis that we did not create, and we are the ones forced to live with the consequences. A Climate Superfund is about making the biggest polluters pay for the damage they've caused instead of passing the costs onto our generation. This is a necessary step to create a more livable and affordable future for us young people where we can pay for and repair the damages undone onto our communities" - Sydney Collins, Sunrise New Haven
"Environmental racism has been detrimental to the health of my family. Maintaining a decent quality of life seems nearly impossible as our water and air continues to be polluted by corporations causing us to struggle with health barriers, education, and early mortality. Along with medical bills, high energy costs, and rising rents it is necessary to hold these billion dollar corporations accountable for the damage they have done to our communities for decades and decades. We suffer while they profit and enough is enough." - Tenaya Taylor, Non-Profit Accountability Group
"We must make fossil fuel companies pay for the climate damage they have created, rather than leaving those costs to our neighbors and families. New York and Vermont have both passed similar laws to address climate pollution. We in Connecticut desperately need our own. Connecticut can build more climate-resilient towns and cities. The Climate Superfund provides an alternative to make polluters pay, not residents." - Dr. Meagan Moore, Organizer with Mothers Out Front Connecticut
"The Climate Superfund makes it clear to fossil fuel companies - you break it, you buy it." said Helen Humphreys of Connecticut Citizen Action Group. "These companies have known for decades what their product does to our planet, but refuse to take any accountability for these devastating effects. This fund would stop socializing the cost of their climate damage and take the burden off of taxpayers."
"It's reprehensible that older policymakers remain willfully ignorant of what young people are experiencing," said Christine Palm, a former state representative who decided not to run for office for a fourth term so she could launch The Active Voice, a civics and journalism internship for young environmentalists. "The 10th amendment gives states enormous power, and our state elected leaders must invoke that power in order to protect the air our youngest generations will breathe long after we are gone." - Christine Palm, The Active Voice
"Climate change continues to threaten farmers in Connecticut, creating more extreme weather patterns that lead to crop loss and top soil erosion. Farmers continue to innovate with climate smart strategies, however the increasingly hot summers, significant rain and flooding events, as well other natural disasters are all overwhelming barriers to sustaining a healthy environment and local food system." - Kaitlyn Kimball, Owner; Sunset Farm, Director of Ag; CitySeed
"Climate change disproportionately hurts people, the most vulnerable people in our society, which we, as people of faith, are asked to care for. Children, the elderly, and medically-fragile people struggle in extreme heat and extreme cold, while people who are poor don't have the resources to address the damage caused by storms and floods. Extreme weather is costing CT millions each year, meanwhile, the fossil fuel companies are making trillions. It is time that they paid to address the harms caused by climate change." - Terri Eickel, Interreligious Eco-Justice Network
"A Climate Superfund is a policy that makes sense for Connecticut and puts the responsibility for the costs on those causing it. Funding to support state and local governments with the effects of climate change will protect public services and make sure that public employees work in a safe environment." - Zak Leavy, AFSCME Council 4
Farmers and farmworkers are on the front lines of climate change. Farms in CT lost over $80 million from climate disasters in 2023 and 2024, and, despite efforts to partially reimburse those losses, they still haven't been paid. Farms suffer the effects of erratic weather, but there's also a lot they can also due to adapt and make their operations more resilient, and a lot they can due to mitigate climate change with nature-based solutions. Farmers want to make these changes, but they cost money, and Federal and state programs run out of money for climate-smart agriculture every year. The Climate Superfund would provide another source of money to help CT farms survive and help to mitigate climate change." - Kimberly Stoner, PhD. Director of Advocacy, CT NOFA
"Connecticut residents should not bear the financial burden for the damages directly caused by fossil fuel corporations. These companies knowingly pollute the environment and earn significant profits while the costs of a deteriorating ecosystem fall on our communities. We must take action by following the lead of New York and Vermont to enact Climate Superfund legislation, ensuring that those responsible for environmental harm are held accountable." - Madison Spremulli, CT Zero Waste Coalition
"It's time that those companies who are responsible for and have profited from climate pollution pay for its consequences. The status quo is that Connecticut taxpayers alone bear the costs of responding to increasingly frequent and severe disasters. That's not fair and it must change. We need to join other states in holding fossil fuel companies accountable and make polluters pay." - State Representative Steven Winter
"Connecticut communities are already paying for climate damage through flooded roads, strained budgets, and higher insurance costs. Internal documents show that many oil companies understood these risks decades ago, yet continued to mislead the public while expanding production. Now, some of those same companies are lobbying for immunity so they never have to answer for harms they long knew their products would cause. The Make Polluters Pay campaign draws a clear line: no corporation is above the law, and this cycle of damage and denial cannot continue." - Mike Urgo, Former First Selectman, North Stonington CT
"For too long polluting industries have profited off the climate crisis that they have created. Under a federal administration rampant with corporate greed we are seeing more and more people standing up and speaking out every single day. We are standing up in CT to push for progress on climate and we need our state's elected leaders to make it happen. Now is the time for real action!" - Connor Yakaitis, Deputy Director, CT League of Conservation Voters
"I think we must fight for the human right for clean air, clean water, and clean food. We must understand our history as a nation and learn from it. Connecticut, as a state, must be at the forefront for clean energy solutions such as thermal energy networks (TENs), heat pumps, and solar. We do not have time to waste. This is urgent! This is now!" - Alycia D. Jenkins, Organizer, Sierra Club CT, Hartford Resident
Experts are available for further comment.
***
Original text here: https://www.clf.org/newsroom/connecticut-residents-environmental-and-social-justice-groups-demand-fairness-and-accountability-rally-to-make-polluters-pay/
Boston Foundation: Our Meeting the Moment - Sustaining Families Work Continues With $1 Million in New Grants
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Jan. 30 -- The Boston Foundation issued the following news release on Jan. 29, 2026:
* * *
Our Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Families work continues with $1 million in new grants
Community-driven effort has now distributed $6.7 million in grants in partnership with donors
*
The Boston Foundation today announced its latest major round of grants as part of TBF's "Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Families" initiative. The Foundation is distributing $1 million to 51 nonprofit organizations that are focusing on providing critical food security to some of Greater Boston's most
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Jan. 30 -- The Boston Foundation issued the following news release on Jan. 29, 2026:
* * *
Our Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Families work continues with $1 million in new grants
Community-driven effort has now distributed $6.7 million in grants in partnership with donors
*
The Boston Foundation today announced its latest major round of grants as part of TBF's "Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Families" initiative. The Foundation is distributing $1 million to 51 nonprofit organizations that are focusing on providing critical food security to some of Greater Boston's mostvulnerable populations.
"As our communities continue to face an ongoing federal assault that deprives thousands of our neighbors of access to basic rights and needs, we stand shoulder to shoulder with other foundations, our committed donors, dedicated volunteers, and determined nonprofits. Together, we are stepping up to meet the needs of our youngest and oldest, of college students, of the homeless, of immigrants, and of those with disabilities and medical needs who need and deserve our support," said Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. "Just as so many organizations did during COVID, Greater Boston nonprofits of all sizes and stripes are bringing attention and resources to address critical needs at a critical time."
More than $7.6 million has been raised in connection with the "Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Families" initiative since it was launched in August with an initial investment of $1.9 million from TBF. Funds raised since then include grants of $1.4 million from TBF's community of donor-advised fund holders directly to food-related nonprofits, and $500,000 in grants made in partnership with the City of Boston.
With this latest round, TBF and its partners have distributed $6.7 million to respond to critical food security needs, protect critical systems, and collaboratively reimagine our work moving forward.
"As this urgent moment continues, we are expanding our support to include not only organizations whose core focus is eliminating hunger, but also other organizations that have made feeding people part of their larger missions," said Orlando Watkins, Vice President and Chief Program Officer at the Boston Foundation. "We will continue to support families and stand up against unjust policies, and we are committed to addressing hunger as one part of our broader work to strengthen the safety nets for all of our neighbors, this winter and beyond."
To learn more about Meeting the Moment and the Sustaining Families initiative, visit tbf.org/meetingthemoment.
The following 51 organizations are receiving grants in this round:
* * *
Arlington EATS (Arlington) ... $20,000
BAMSI (Brockton) ... $10,000
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless (Boston) ... $25,000
Boston Higher Education Resource Center (Boston) ... $10,000
Boston Home (Boston/Dorchester) ... $25,000
Boston Jobs Coalition (Boston) ... $15,000
Boston Medical Center (Boston) ... $25,000
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (Boston/Chinatown) ... $15,000
Bread and Roses (Lawrence) ... $15,000
Breaktime (Boston) ... $25,000
Bridges from School to Work (Boston) ... $15,000
Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Boston) ... $25,000
Center for Teen Empowerment (Boston) ... $10,000
Cooperative Elder Services (Middlesex County) ... $25,000
East Boston Social Centers (East Boston) ... $15,000
Center to Support Immigrant Organizing (Boston) ... $25,000
Family Food Connection - Boston Children's Hospital (Boston) ... $25,000
Farm to Community Collaborative (South of Boston) ... $15,000
Fenway Health (Boston) ... $10,000
Food Security Leadership Council (Boston) ... $50,000
Franklin Cummings Tech (Boston/Roxbury) ... $10,000
Freedom House (Boston/Roxbury) ... $10,000
GreenRoots (Chelsea) ... $15,000
Groundwork Somerville (Somerville) ... $10,000
Hebrew Senior Life (Boston) ... $25,000
Hyde Square Task Force (Boston/Jamaica Plain) ... $10,000
Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (IBA) (Boston) ... $25,000
ICNA Relief (Dedham) ... $10,000
JB Line (Japanese Bostonians Support Line) (Stoneham) ... $10,000
Lemontree (Statewide) ... $50,000
Mass. Food and Systems Collaborative (Statewide) ... $50,000
Madison Park Development Corporation (Boston/Roxbury) ... $10,000
Mass. Immigrant Collaborative (Greater Boston) ... $25,000
Massachusetts HeadStart Association (Statewide) ... $50,000
Massasoit Community College (Brockton) ... $20,000
Mystic Valley Elder Services (North of Boston) ... $25,000
North Shore Community College (Lynn) ... $20,000
Northern Essex Community College (Lawrence/Haverhill) ... $20,000
Partners of Youth with Disabilities (Boston) ... $15,000
Rogerson Communities (Boston) ... $25,000
Roxbury Community College (Boston/Roxbury) ... $10,000
Sociedad Latina (Boston/South End) ... $10,000
Somerville Cambridge Elder Services (Somerville) ... $25,000
The BASE (Boston/Roxbury) ... $10,000
UMass Boston's U-ACCESS Food Pantry (Boston) ... $25,000
Urban College of Boston (Boston) ... $10,000
Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (Boston) ... $15,000
Vital CxNs (Boston) ... $25,000
West End House (Boston/Allston-Brighton) ... $10,000
Yad Chessed (Statewide) ... $15,000
YouthBuild Boston (Boston/Roxbury) ... $10,000
* * *
Original text here: https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2026/january/meeting-the-moment-round-3-grants
