Transport grants for Researchers

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for competitive awards totaling up to $10 million in Public Transportation Innovation Program (49 U.S.C. 5312) funds for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Bus Safety, Accessibility, and Innovation Research Program under Assistance Listing Number 20.530. As required by Federal public transportation law, funds will be awarded competitively to up to two projects to develop and prototype innovative and widely deployable concepts that are intended to make existing and new buses safer for their operators and vulnerable road users, and safer and more accessible for their passengers. 

The ATTAIN Competitive Grant Program will provide funding to deploy, install, and operate advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, intermodal connectivity, and infrastructure return on investment. Eligible applicants for ATTAIN Competitive Grant Program funds are: • State or local governments; • transit agencies; • metropolitan planning organizations; • other political subdivisions of a State or local government (such as publicly owned toll or port authorities); • multijurisdictional groups; or • consortiums of research institutions or academic institutions. ATTAIN requires a minimum non-Federal cost share of 20 percent. Applications that do not provide at least the minimum non-Federal cost share will be classified as ineligible.

The FAA hereby announces its continuing interest in receiving applications for aviation research grants and cooperative agreements to pursue the long-term growth and short-term technical needs of civil aviation, under this funding opportunity. Eligibility of applicants for the award of an aviation research grant varies depending on the nature of the proposer's organization, as well as the character of the research being proposed. In general, colleges, universities, and other non- profit research institutions under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of United States Code, are eligible to apply for an aviation research grant.   The FAA Aviation Research Grants Program encourages and supports innovative, advanced research of potential benefit to the long-term growth of civil aviation and commercial space transportation. The pursuit of basic and applied research in scientific and engineering disciplines that have the potential to further knowledge and understanding on a broad front of emerging technologies is crucial to the realization of this goal. The intent is to encourage applied research and development to enhance technology assimilation, transfer, and development in the FAA. The FAA Aviation Research Grants Program does not require the immediate application to Research and Development (R&D) programs, although this may occur in some cases. The FAA encourages the submission of proposals that embrace the entire spectrum of physical, chemical, biological, medical, psychological, mathematical, and engineering sciences.   The following list illustrates topics of interest to those who may consider applying for a grant under this funding opportunity:   1.      Capacity and Air Traffic Control Technology 2.      Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance 3.      Aviation Weather 4.      Airports 5.      Aircraft Safety Technology 6.      Human Factors and Aviation Medicine 7.      Systems Science/Operations Research   For more information, please carefully review FAA Notice of Funding Opportunity 20-01, and any supporting attachments.