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Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program

Rural and Tribal Application Portal is Now Closed

 

$54.2 Million Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
 

The application portal for the $54.2 Million Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is now closed. The program received 799 applications across 49 states and three US territories totaling over $789 million in requested funding. 

Applications are currently under review. Please check back for award announcements, and subscribe for updates and future announcements. For questions, please contact RuralandTribalTA@dot.gov.  

Page Contents

Program Overview

FY24-25 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Resources and Additional Information

Program Overview

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) expanded the Build America Bureau’s capacity to help more communities advance infrastructure projects that enhance the safety, efficiency, and quality of the country’s transportation system. This included the creation of multiple new programs to be administered by the Bureau that provide technical assistance to help communities explore innovative financing and project delivery methods for their projects.  

The IIJA created the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program, which provides grants to support legal, technical, and financial advisors to help advance infrastructure projects. 

Eligible project sponsors may receive grant funds to select advisors to assist with pre-development-phase activities, including:  

  • feasibility studies 
  • project planning 
  • revenue forecasting and funding and financing options analyses  
  • preliminary engineering and design work 
  • environmental review 
  • economic assessments and cost-benefit analyses 
  • public benefits studies 
  • statutory and regulatory framework analyses 
  • value-for-money (VFM) studies   
  • evaluations of costs to sustain the project 
  • evaluation opportunities for private financing and project bundling   

For more information, please email RuralandTribalTA@dot.gov. 

FY24-25 Notice of Funding Opportunity

In August 2025, the Bureau issued a NOFO making up to $54.2 million available in no-match grants for qualified applicants. These funds will support legal, technical, and financial advisors to help advance infrastructure projects. The application portal for the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program is now closed. Please check back for award announcements, and subscribe for updates and future announcements. For questions, please contact RuralandTribalTA@dot.gov.   

The Build America Bureau held an information webinar on August 26, 2025. View the slides and the recorded webinar (passcode: 2N3w3^Yt). 

Eligibility 

Eligible Applicants: 

  • Local government or State government on behalf of a project— 
    • Not in a Census Bureau 2020-designated urban area. --OR--  
    • In a Census Bureau 2020-designated urban area with a population of 150,000 or less. 
  • Federally recognized Indian Tribes 
  • Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 

Eligible Projects: 

Projects that are reasonably expected to be eligible for one or more of the following programs: 

Resources and Additional Information

Last updated: Friday, October 10, 2025