USDOT Discretionary Grant Funding Matrix

USDOT has a variety of competitive discretionary grant programs used to fund various types of transportation projects and activities. The matrices shown on the following pages illustrate these programs broadly, organized by applicant type and project activities. After considering the summary information in this toolkit, potential applicants should review program-specific guidance to make informed decisions about each program.

How to use the USDOT Discretionary Grant Funding Matrix

1. Identify the type of applicant interested in grant funding and refer to the applicable matrix. Each matrix lists grant programs (rows), which can be matched with the type of activities (columns) the project hopes to fund. Applicants are grouped into six categories:

• State governments, agencies, and authorities: State Departments of Transportation, other State agencies, and interstate compacts
• Tribal governments: Federally-recognized Tribes
• Local governments and agencies: Communities, counties, municipalities, local law enforcement, public transportation authorities, and metropolitan planning organizations
• Transportation providers and operators: Airports, rail carriers, port authorities, transit providers, and private sector transportation companies
• Non-profit organizations: Public and private non-profit organizations
• Academic and research institutions: Accredited institutions of higher education

2. Review the list of programs applicable to that applicant type and project activity. To obtain more information on each program, either click on the program name to be taken to the relevant website or find the corresponding program in the “USDOT Mode and Resource Descriptions” section of this toolkit. This section contains additional information about each program, including specific criteria or language related to rural applicants or projects.

3. Reach out to the USDOT program point of contact with questions about the application process or eligibility. Program points of contact should be available on the program websites linked in the matrix or the Grants.gov opportunity.

4. Review program application requirements and proceed with the application process. Consider the “Maximizing Award Success” section of this toolkit for additional guidance related to compiling an application.

5. Monitor updates on Grants.gov after submission and respond to any clarifying questions from the USDOT program point of contact.

State Governments, Agencies, and Authorities

		PLANNING (Includes project design, site assessments, environmental reviews and/or analysis)	CONSTRUCTION (Includes asset and facility development, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion)	EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS  (Includes acquisition, purchase, and/or leasing of vehicles and machinery)	OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (Includes program management expenses, system management and performance, and compliance)	TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS AND DEPLOYMENT (Includes installations and system integration)	TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING (Includes skills development, public awareness campaigns, and information sharing)	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Includes prototyping, testing, and modeling)
Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST)	Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants (page 35)
	Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants (page 35)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)	Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstrations (page 42)
	Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) (page 42)
	Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (page 42)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)	Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) Financial Assistance Program (page 46)
	Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training Program (page 46)
	High Priority Program – Commercial Motor Vehicles (HP-CMV) (page 46)
	High Priority Program – Innovative Technology Deployment (HP-ITD) (page 47)
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)	Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) (page 49)
	Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair (page 49)
	Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grant (page 49)
	Restoration and Enhancement Grants  (page 50)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)	Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program (page 53)
	Capital Investment Grants (CIG) (page 53)
	Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program (ICAM) – Mobility for All (page 53)
	Low or No Emission Grant Program (page 54)
	Passenger Ferry Grant Program (page 54)
Maritime Administration (MARAD)	America’s Marine Highway Grants (page 58)
	Port Infrastructure Development Program (page 58)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)	911 Grant Program (page 62)
	State Notification to Consumers of Motor Vehicle Recall Status (page 62)
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)	Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grants (HMEP) (page 65)
	One-Call Notification Systems Grants (page 66)
	State Damage Prevention Program Grants (SDPP) (page 66)

Tribal Governments

	PLANNING (Includes project design, site assessments, environmental reviews and/or analysis)	CONSTRUCTION (Includes asset and facility development, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion)	EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS  (Includes acquisition, purchase, and/or leasing of vehicles and machinery)	OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (Includes program management expenses, system management and performance, and compliance)	TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS AND DEPLOYMENT (Includes installations and system integration)	TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING (Includes skills development, public awareness campaigns, and information sharing)	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Includes prototyping, testing, and modeling)
Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST)
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants (page 35)
Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants (page 35)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstrations (page 42)
Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (page 42)
Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund (TTPSF) (page 43)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) Financial Assistance Program (page 46)
High Priority Program – Commercial Motor Vehicles (HP-CMV) (page 46)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program (page 53)
Low or No Emission Grant Program (page 54)
Public Transportation on Indian Reservations (Tribal Transit) (page 54)
Restoration and Enhancement Grants  (page 50)
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
America’s Marine Highway Grants (page 58)
Port Infrastructure Development Program (page 58)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
911 Grant Program (page 62)
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) (page 67)

Local and Government Agencies

	PLANNING (Includes project design, site assessments, environmental reviews and/or analysis)	CONSTRUCTION (Includes asset and facility development, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion)	EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS  (Includes acquisition, purchase, and/or leasing of vehicles and machinery)	OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (Includes program management expenses, system management and performance, and compliance)	TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS AND DEPLOYMENT (Includes installations and system integration)	TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING (Includes skills development, public awareness campaigns, and information sharing)	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Includes prototyping, testing, and modeling)
Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST)
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants (page 35)
Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants (page 35)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) (page 42)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) Financial Assistance Program (page 46)
Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training Program (page 46)
High Priority Program – Commercial Motor Vehicles (HP-CMV) (page 46)
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) (page 49)
Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair (page 49)
Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grant (page 49)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program (page 53)
Capital Investment Grants (CIG) (page 53)
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program (ICAM) – Mobility for All (page 54)
Low or No Emission Grant Program (page 54)
Passenger Ferry Grant Program (page 54)
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
America’s Marine Highway Grants (page 58)
Port Infrastructure Development Program (page 58)
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) (page 67)

Transportation Providers and Operators

	PLANNING (Includes project design, site assessments, environmental reviews and/or analysis)	CONSTRUCTION (Includes asset and facility development, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion)	EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS  (Includes acquisition, purchase, and/or leasing of vehicles and machinery)	OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (Includes program management expenses, system management and performance, and compliance)	TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS AND DEPLOYMENT (Includes installations and system integration)	TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING (Includes skills development, public awareness campaigns, and information sharing)	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Includes prototyping, testing, and modeling)
Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST)
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants (page 35)
Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants (page 35)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) (page 38)
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Supplemental Grant Funding (page 38)
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) (page 49)
Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair (page 49)
Restoration and Enhancement Grants  (page 50)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program (page 53)
Capital Investment Grants (CIG) (page 53)
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program (ICAM) – Mobility for All (page 54)
Low or No Emission Grant Program (page 54)
Passenger Ferry Grant Program (page 54)
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
America’s Marine Highway Grants (page 58)
Assistance to Small Shipyards Grant Program (page 58)
Port Infrastructure Development Program (page 58)

Non-profit Organizations

	PLANNING (Includes project design, site assessments, environmental reviews and/or analysis)	CONSTRUCTION (Includes asset and facility development, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion)	EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS  (Includes acquisition, purchase, and/or leasing of vehicles and machinery)	OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (Includes program management expenses, system management and performance, and compliance)	TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS AND DEPLOYMENT (Includes installations and system integration)	TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING (Includes skills development, public awareness campaigns, and information sharing)	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Includes prototyping, testing, and modeling)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
High Priority Program – Commercial Motor Vehicles (HP-CMV) (page 46)
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) (page 49)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program (page 53)
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program (ICAM) – Mobility for All (page 54)
Low or No Emission Grant Program (page 54)
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training (ALERT) (page 65)
Community Safety Grants (page 65)
Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grants (HMEP) (page 66)
Supplemental Public Sector Training Grants (SPST) (page 67)
Technical Assistance Grants (page 67)

Academic and Research Institutions

	PLANNING (Includes project design, site assessments, environmental reviews and/or analysis)	CONSTRUCTION (Includes asset and facility development, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion)	EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS  (Includes acquisition, purchase, and/or leasing of vehicles and machinery)	OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (Includes program management expenses, system management and performance, and compliance)	TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS AND DEPLOYMENT (Includes installations and system integration)	TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING (Includes skills development, public awareness campaigns, and information sharing)	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Includes prototyping, testing, and modeling)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training Program (page 46)
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) (page 49)
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Competitive Academic Agreement Program (CAAP) (page 65)