FYs 2024 through 2026 – Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Competitive Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
🏛 DOT Federal Highway Administration (DOT-FHWA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 3, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for state, local, and tribal transportation authorities seeking to improve surface transportation resilience. Eligible applicants include states, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, federally recognized Indian Tribes, public transportation agencies, port authorities, and Federal Land Managing Agencies (when applying jointly with states). Projects must address resilience of highways, transit systems, ports, or intercity rail. The program includes two tracks: Planning/Resilience Improvement Grants (nationwide) and At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants (coastal states and territories only).
Cost-sharing is required. Project types vary by grant track, with different eligibility criteria for planning versus coastal infrastructure projects.
Refer to the full NOFO on Grants.gov for detailed eligibility requirements specific to your project type and location.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
The intent of the PROTECT Competitive Grant Program is to fund projects to improve the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Program goals include protecting: surface transportation assets by making them more resilient; communities through resilience improvements and strategies that allow for the continued operation or rapid recovery of surface transportation systems; coastal infrastructure; and natural infrastructure that protects and enhances surface transportation assets.
This NOFO provides PROTECT Competitive Grant Program funding of up to $787 million from FYs 2024 through 2026, plus any remaining PROTECT Competitive Grant Program funding from prior years. Please refer to Grants.gov for the full NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (including risk assessment and resilience strategy)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of commitment from cost-share partners
- Environmental documentation (if applicable)
- Feasibility studies or engineering reports (for capital projects)
Program contact
- 👤 DOT Federal Highway Administration
- 📧 support@grants.gov
- 📞 202-366-4004
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 20.284 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$56,400,000
-
$55,504,799
-
$55,000,000
-
$35,534,600
-
$34,224,649
-
$27,241,000
-
$20,267,957
-
$18,046,551
-
$16,668,500
-
$16,456,000
Top States by Funding
- CA 18 awards $221.9M
- IA 2 awards $59.7M
- TX 1 awards $55.5M
- MI 1 awards $55.0M
- FL 2 awards $52.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 20.284). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2025 | $2 | |
| 2026 est. | $876,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for PROTECT grants?
States, local governments, MPOs, Indian Tribes, public transit agencies, port authorities, and Federal Land Managing Agencies (jointly with states). Coastal infrastructure grants also include U.S. territories.
What types of projects are eligible?
Projects improving resilience of highways, public transit, ports, and intercity rail. This includes protecting infrastructure and enabling rapid system recovery after disruptions.
Is cost-sharing required?
Yes, cost-sharing is required. Check the full NOFO for the specific match percentage for your project type.
What is the funding range?
Individual awards range from $1 million to $60 million. The program has $787 million available across FYs 2024–2026.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is October 9, 2026. Check Grants.gov for any updates or rolling application periods.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate clear climate or disaster risk to your transportation infrastructure. Resilience is the core focus; generic improvements alone won't be competitive.
- Quantify the benefits: show how your project protects users, reduces downtime after events, or improves system redundancy. Use data from flood maps, weather events, or vulnerability assessments.
- If applying for coastal infrastructure grants, clearly document why your coastal assets are "at-risk" and align with federal flood/climate projections.
- Coordinate with regional partners early. Many PROTECT projects involve multiple agencies; strong collaboration letters boost credibility.
- Budget conservatively and document all cost-share sources. Federal reviewers scrutinize match funding; use in-kind contributions only if defensible.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack specific risk data or vulnerability assessment. Vague resilience goals without measurable outcomes or timelines. Insufficient detail on how the project protects or recovers critical transportation functions. Weak or undocumented cost-share commitments that raise enforceability concerns.
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