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The Safe Routes to School grant program was created in 2005, and is administered by the United States Department of Transportation. Grant funds are distributed to each state, who in turn in responsible for selecting applicants based on competitive applications. This program provides grant funds for municipalities and school districts to encourage children to walk or bike to school, and to create safer environments for them to do so.

A generation ago, a majority of students walked to school. Today it is only a small percentage. This grant program was created to change these percentages by increasing safety in and around school zones, to encourage parents to be more involved, and to strengthen communities.

In addition to improving safety for children who walk to school, another benefit of the program is the cost savings to school districts. When children walk to school, there is less traffic congestion, fewer school buses on the road, and less fuel consumed in transportation. It also encourages physical activity for students, which has declined drastically in the last two decades.

The Safe Routes grant program funds a variety of projects with the same goals. There have been many innovative projects, including educational programs, construction of pedestrian and bike paths, installation of bike racks, traffic diversion, and the creation or improvement of walkways and bridges.

Projects can be as small as a single sidewalk in front of one school, or a project that changes policy across an entire school district. The criteria for funding are the effectiveness of the project, and being able to measure the result of increased safety.