The Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization policy board voted unanimously Sept. 19 to provide $5,000 to the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council to meet a local match requirement for a federal safety outreach grant administered by COIC.

The board’s action followed a staff presentation that summarized recent regional safety outreach funded through grants and explained that COIC is seeking partner contributions for a federal fiscal year 2026 safety grant. COIC requested local partner funds as part of a roughly $48,000 match package; COIC has committed $5,000 of its own funds and asked regional partners, including the City of Bend and the Central Oregon Health Council, for additional support.

Tyler Dede, Bend MPO staff, told the board that the regional effort grew from transportation safety action plans completed in 2018–19 and subsequent federal grant awards for education and outreach. Dede said COIC hired a dedicated safety coordinator, formed a regional safety advisory team, contracted with a public-relations class at the University of Oregon for youth outreach materials, and retained an international firm, Behavioral Insights Team, to develop a communications plan. That plan was expected in October.

Dede said the MPO has unallocated consulting funds that could cover the requested $5,000 and noted the board’s sponsorships line is budgeted at $2,500 and currently strained because a prior match was paid from that item. He described two possible internal funding sources: the MPO’s contingency or its unallocated consulting line, which he said contains about $77,000 not yet committed to specific projects.

Commissioner Phil Chang asked whether COIC had sought matching funds from law enforcement agencies; Dede said COIC’s regional safety advisory team includes one or two law enforcement members and that staff would follow up. Deschutes County representative Chris Doughty stated the county’s road department had not been approached and said the county could identify funds in its safety budget, subject to county approval.

Councilor Mike Riley moved that the MPO provide $5,000 to COIC for the federal fiscal year 2026 safety grant local-match requirement; Commissioner Phil Chang seconded the motion. The board voted unanimously to approve the payment.

Board members did not specify in the meeting the exact city fiscal line the transfer will be drawn from; staff said they could use unallocated consulting funds or contingency and would process the transfer if the board authorized it. Dede said COIC has applied again for additional federal funding and may request other partner contributions to meet the remainder of the local match.

Next steps described at the meeting included transferring the approved match to COIC and continuing coordination on the communications plan and implementation of targeted outreach.