Office of the Secretary of Transportation: Key Grant Programs
Agency Description
The Office of the Secretary of Transportation oversees the formulation of national transportation policy and promotes intermodal transportation through programs and grants which support the USDOT’s mission to deliver the world’s leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy through the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.
Other responsibilities include negotiating and implementing international transportation agreements; assuring the fitness of U.S. airlines; enforcing airline consumer protection regulations; issuing regulations to prevent alcohol and illegal drug misuse in transportation systems; and preparing transportation legislation.
Competitive Grant Programs
Below are brief descriptions of OST grant programs.
For more information on these opportunities, follow the links in each description, which lead to individual grant program pages in the Grant Applicant Toolkit’s DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard, where you can search federal grant opportunities at USDOT and other federal agencies that can aid communities in meeting their transportation infrastructure needs.
Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program
The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program supports freight and highway projects of national or regional significance to improve multimodal safety, efficiency, and reliability.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program page.
National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) Program
The National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) Program provides funding for large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility, or safety benefits.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program page.
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD)
The Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program funds capital investments in surface transportation that will have a significant local or regional impact.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development page.
Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program
The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP) funds planning and construction to remove, retrofit, or mitigate transportation facilities such as highways and rail lines that create mobility, access, or economic barriers to community connectivity.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program page.
Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program
The Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program aims to advance transportation infrastructure projects in rural and Tribal communities by providing early planning financial, technical, and legal advisory services and direct grants to eligible project sponsors.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program page.
Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (Rural)
The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (Rural) supports projects to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas, improving connectivity, safety, and economic vitality.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program page.
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program
The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program funds a range of initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on multimodal roads and streets involving all roadway users.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program page.
Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP)
The Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) provides funding to help small communities address air service and airfare issues in the form of grants that are disbursed on a reimbursable basis.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Small Community Air Service Development Program page.
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants
The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program supports public sector agencies to conduct planning and prototyping demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation page.
Thriving Communities Program (TCP)
The Thriving Communities Program (TCP) facilitates the planning and development of transportation and community revitalization activities and provides tools to ensure that under-resourced communities can access the historic funding provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s Thriving Communities Program page.
University Transportation Center (UTC) Program 2022-2026 Grants
The University Transportation Center (UTC) Program supports nonprofit institutes of higher education to operate Tier 1, regional, or national University Transportation Centers.
Learn more about this grant opportunity on the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard’s University Transportation Center Program page.