The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the availability of $5.5 billion in competitive funding through the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity (MPDG), a package of three major grant programs for counties – Mega grants, Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) grants and Rural Surface Transportation Block Grants (Rural STBG) – authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
Counties are directly eligible for funding, and the deadline to apply is Aug. 21, 2023.
MPDG combines funding for FYs 2023 and 2024 and has a broad range of eligible surface transportation activities.
In response to NACo feedback on the common application process, USDOT has continued to offer these grant programs through a single notice of funding, allowing counties to apply to all three programs using one application.
This practice dramatically decreases the time and cost it takes to prepare a competitive application.
MEGA GRANT PROGRAM
In total, $1.8 billion is available through the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program, more commonly known as Mega Grants. This program is reserved for the largest infrastructure projects, including highways, bridges and select public transit projects.
The federal share for Mega grants is 60 percent with other federal aid sources allowed to account for up to 80 percent of eligible project costs, making the local match 20 percent.
INFRA GRANT PROGRAM
In total, $3.1 billion is available through the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects program, more commonly known as INFRA grants. This program is reserved for highway and rail freight projects, including projects to connect international borders with freight inspection facilities.
INFRA grants federal cost share is 60 percent with other federal aid sources allowed to account for up to 80 percent of eligible project costs, making the local match 20 percent.
Projects in states with less than 80 persons per square mile, based on the 2010 census, will use a sliding scale to determine a max federal share.
RURAL GRANT PROGRAM
In total, $657 million is available through the Rural STBG. Eligible projects include those eligible under these programs:
- Surface Transportation Block Grant
- National Highway Performance Program
- Tribal Transportation Program
- Highway Freight Program
- High-Risk Rural Roads (as defined by the Highway Safety Improvement Program)
Additionally, projects that provide or increase access to agricultural, commercial, and energy economies in rural areas and projects related to transportation demand systems are eligible for this program.
To be considered an eligible entity under Rural STBG, a county must meet the program definition of “an area outside an Urbanized Area with a population of over 200,000, as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau.”
The Rural Grant Program federal cost share is 80 percent and allows for counties to use other federal funding to cover 100 percent of the project cost. If the project is furthering the completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System or addresses a surface transportation infrastructure need identified for the Denali access system program, the Rural program can cover 100 percent of the costs.
Counties own and operate 45 percent of public roads and 38 percent of bridges while also directly supporting over a third of the nation’s public airports and transit systems. As intergovernmental partners, counties value federal funding opportunities like the MPDG that help counties meet our vast public infrastructure responsibilities and keep America’s transportation systems safe and efficient.
Find additional USDOT resources on this opportunity here.
