MOBILITY EQUITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE

CFDA 20.948 Active Cooperative Agreement
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Program Funding

Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.

Latest annual funding
$3M FY2025
$3M
FY25

Program Objective

The Mobility Equity Research Initiative shall advance research and technology to expand accessibility and mobility for the American public. To achieve this, priority research areas include, but are not limited to, research proposals that support the following goals:

• Enable all people within the multimodal transportation networks to reach their desired destination safely, affordably, and with a comparable level of efficiency and ease.
• Reconnect communities and mitigating neighborhood bifurcation through land bridges, caps, lids, linear parks, investments in walking, biking and rolling assets, and other solutions.
• Increase housing supply, particularly location-efficient affordable housing, locally driven land use and zoning reform, rural main street revitalization, growth management, and transit-oriented development.
• Address the unique challenges rural and Tribal communities face related to mobility and economic development, including isolation, transportation cost burden, and traffic safety.
• Encourage an increase in housing supply, particularly location-efficient affordable housing, land use and zoning reform, rural main street revitalization, growth management, and transit-oriented development.
• Incorporate and support integrated land use, economic development and transportation planning to improve the movement of people and goods and local fiscal health, facilitates greater public and private investments and strategies in land-use productivity, including rural main street revitalization or increase in the production or preservation of location-efficient housing.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

  • Nonprofit Organization

This competition is open to all eligible parties and their partnering organizations. Eligible parties include, but are not limited to, institutions of higher education, public research entities (e.g., University Affiliated Research Initiatives (UARCs), Federally Funded Research and Development Initiatives (FFRDCs), national laboratories, and similar entities), and 501(c)3 nonprofit research entities.

How to Apply

Award Procedure

Proposals are evaluated by a panel of SMEs from within the Department and transportation practitioners on the basis of
demonstrated ability toward the current goals of the Department. The final selection is made by the
Secretary.

Decision Timeline

  • Approval: From 90 to 120 days

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards applies to this program.
Opportunity Posted Location: Grants.gov
Application Procedures Location: NOFO

Program details & compliance

Description

U.S. DOT seeks to fund a Mobility Equity Research Initiative that will advance research to support Administration efforts to create proportional impacts to all populations in a project area provide transportation solutions and decision making tool for more efficient investments.

Mission Categories

Primary: Highways, Public Roads, and Bridges

Other categories:
Urban Mass TransitRail TransportationEconomic DevelopmentRural Community Development

Use of Funds

Allowed Uses

Applicants must address mobility challenges and provide transportation solutions that connects communities and provide cost effective transportation network system.

Funding award must be used according 2 CFR 200 policy specifically but not limited to Subpart E, Cost Principles of the uniform administrative requirements

Restrictions

Funding award must be used according 2 CFR 200 policy specifically but not limited to Subpart E, Cost Principles of the uniform administrative requirements

Matching Requirements

The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out by the Mobility Equity Research Initiative is based on a 20% funding match to the Federal share. Stated differently, of all total eligible project costs, the Federal share will be 83.3 percent and the recipient non-federal matching share will be 16.7 percent. For an expected award of $2,970,000 in federal funds under this program, recipients must provide a non-federal match of no less than $594,000. Applicants must include evidence of their ability to match the Federal Share at this level.

Reporting & Compliance

Records Retention
6 years

Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts

  • Subpart B — General Provisions
  • Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
  • Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
  • Subpart E — Cost Principles
  • Subpart F — Audit Requirements

Contacts

Shawn Johnson — Grants Manager
202-860-7165
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E, E33-470, Washington, DC 20590
Data from SAM.gov Federal Assistance Listings. Source published: 2026-01-20. Spec v2.0. Last synced: 2026-05-29 05:43:03.