DOT — Department of Transportation

DOT grants primarily go to state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, transit agencies, port authorities, and tribal governments. Some programs like SBIR are open to small businesses developing transportation technology.

RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) is DOT's flagship competitive multimodal infrastructure grant, funding roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and multi-use trails. Annual appropriations are typically $1–1.5 billion with thousands of applications received. Awards range from $1 million to $25 million for most projects. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, tribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities. Projects must demonstrate merit in safety, equity, climate, and economic competitiveness.

FTA distributes over $14 billion annually through formula grants (Urbanized Area Formula, Rural Area Formula) and competitive capital investment grants. The Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program funds new and expanded heavy rail, light rail, streetcar, and bus rapid transit (BRT) projects. FTA also funds transit research, workforce development, and zero-emission bus programs. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) program federal transportation dollars through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for their regions.