Aviation Research Grants
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.108
- Agency
-
Federal Aviation Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 583 $239,425,025 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Block Grant
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 69-8108-0-7-402
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Federal Aviation Administration funds applied research in aircraft safety, air traffic systems, aviation weather, airports, human factors, and related civil aviation technologies through its Aviation Research Grants program (CFDA 20.108), with the most recent grant award dated July 20, 2023.
Award activity has declined substantially. The program disbursed 583 total grants since 2000, generating $239.4 million in federal obligations, but annual award counts have contracted sharply: 12 awards in 2019, 8 in 2020, then 2 per year in 2021 and 2022, and just 1 in 2023. The most recent opportunity on record (FAA-20-01, posted September 2020) carries a due date of September 7, 2027, with standing instructions that proposals are accepted throughout the calendar year under Program Solicitation No. FAA-12-01.
Funding concentrates heavily within the FAA itself. The main FAA office awarded 439 grants totaling $196.1 million (82% of awards by count, 82% of federal dollars). The FAA Eastern Region contributed 89 awards worth $28.2 million, and the FAA Technical Center added 55 awards worth $15.1 million. The assistance-type mix runs predominantly Project Grants (59% of awards) with substantial Cooperative Agreements (28%), and smaller Block Grant (7%) and Formula Grant (6%) components.
Recent awards span aircraft materials and engine testing, human factors in cockpit operations and training, airport infrastructure and pavement design, and ice accretion on aircraft surfaces. A July 2023 cooperative agreement funded material model development for aircraft engine fragment impact analysis at $275 thousand. A December 2022 award to support air traffic control alarm management ran $913 thousand. A March 2021 University of Illinois award examined iced wing aerodynamic effects at $188 thousand.
Applicants must be higher education institutions (public or private), 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or federally recognized tribal governments. The program evaluates proposals on intrinsic value, relevance to FAA mission, technical soundness, and research performance competence. Submission of an optional three-page white paper letter of intent is recommended but not required; the FAA allows 120 days for review. Recipients must retain technical and financial records for a minimum of three years following award completion. Multi-year grants and cooperative agreements are available with no-cost extensions upon request.
Objective and description
- Objective
To encourage and support innovative, advanced, and applied research and development in areas of potential benefit to the long-term growth of civil aviation.
- Description
The Aviation Research Grants Program utilizes grant awards to support advanced research in areas of potential benefit to the long-term growth of civil aviation, and in areas related to the prevention of catastrophic failure of an aircraft, and to contribute to the FAA mission of improving aviation safety, capacity, efficiency, and security. The Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering and Development Authorization Act of 1990 supports this program covering the following technical research areas of interest: (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 Aviation Research Grants serve the Federal Government and the general flying public by awarding research grants that are of benefit to the long-term growth of civil aviation and Commercial Space Transportation.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
(1) Accredited Institutions of Higher Education as defined by 20.U.S.C. 1001(a) including colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education. (2) Non-profit institutions under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of United States Code that are: (a) Operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar services in the public interest. (b) Not organized primarily for profit. (c) Utilizes net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Colleges, Universities, and Non-profit research institutions are eligible to benefit from assistance.
- Uses of assistance
Grants and cooperative agreements may be used to support research and development projects at colleges, universities and nonprofit institutions in the following areas: (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 Discretionary funds are not currently available. Potential grantees are encouraged to contact FAA Research Technical Program Offices for sponsorship.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Grants are awarded for a minimum of 1 Year and a maximum of 5 Years. A standard grant is a grant in which the FAA agrees to support a level of effort for a specified period of time, usually for a minimum of 1 year. A continuing grant is an agreement to support a level of effort for a specified period of time, usually for a minimum of 1 year, with a statement of intent to provide additional support of the project for additional period(s) provided funds are available and the results achieved warrant further support. Assistance is disbursed on a monthly basis. Advances are possible based on prior written approval from the FAA Grants Officer.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Pre-application form not required. Pre-application conference is not required. However, in order to streamline the application process, it is recommended (but not required) that all prospective grantees submit a 3 page white paper (letter of intent) for agency technical review. The white paper must indicate the specific FAA Technical Area(s) of Research that aligns with those specified in Program Solicitation No. FAA-12-01.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
The FAA has established the following four (4) criteria which must be met for a proposal to be eligible for funding: (1) Intrinsic Value; (2) Relevance to the FAA Mission; (3) Technical Soundness of the Proposal; (4) Research Performance Competence.
- Award procedure
Award authority has been delegated to the FAA Grants Officer for the Aviation Research Grants Program, ANG-A19. Awards will be made throughout the year. Program Solicitation No. FAA-12-01 is currently open. Any change to this will appear on the Grants.gov website at www.grants.gov.
- Deadlines
Proposals are accepted throughout the calendar year.
- Time to approval or disapproval
120 Days.
- Renewals
Multi-year grants and cooperative agreements are available; extensions are possible. No-Cost Extensions available upon request.
- Appeals
Formal protests are not an option. Debriefings may be requested.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAA Aviation Research Grants Program | Open | ||
| FAA Aviation Research and Development Grants | Closed | ||
| FAA Aviation Research Grants Open Solicitation | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 583 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwest Research Institute | $30,190,644 | 13% |
| 2 | National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc. | $16,193,170 | 7% |
| 3 | The Leland Stanford Junior University | $9,135,919 | 4% |
| 4 | Flight Safety Foundation Inc. | $6,100,000 | 3% |
| 5 | Wichita State University | $5,075,378 | 2% |
| 6 | University Of Illinois | $4,874,807 | 2% |
| 7 | Saint Louis University | $4,750,702 | 2% |
| 8 | The Ohio State University | $4,210,283 | 2% |
| 9 | George Mason University | $4,079,457 | 2% |
| 10 | Ohio University | $3,600,860 | 2% |
10 of 87 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2023 | $1,634,020 |
| FY2021 | $342,941 |
| FY2020 | $8,546,597 |
| FY2019 | $10,229,689 |
| FY2018 | $5,430,849 |
| FY2017 | $6,860,871 |
| FY2016 | $9,943,165 |
| FY2015 | $9,338,043 |
| FY2014 | $13,845,205 |
| FY2013 | $3,828,348 |
| FY2012 | $12,101,955 |
| FY2011 | $9,645,717 |
| FY2010 | $8,929,455 |
| FY2009 | $6,847,765 |
| FY2008 | $26,973,052 |
| FY2007 | $18,497,153 |
| FY2006 | $959,212 |
| FY2005 | $633,341 |
| FY2004 | $18,483,062 |
| FY2003 | $117,104 |
| FY2002 | $29,430,564 |
| FY2001 | $37,271,917 |
Show all 22
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.108?
Assistance Listing 20.108 is Aviation Research Grants, a federal grant program run by Federal Aviation Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Aviation Research Grants?
Its CFDA number is 20.108: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.108 awarded?
583 grant awards under 20.108 have obligated $239,425,025 in federal funds to 87 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.108?
The recipients obligated the most under Aviation Research Grants are Southwest Research Institute ($30,190,644), National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc. ($16,193,170) and The Leland Stanford Junior University ($9,135,919).
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.108?
1 listed opportunity under 20.108 is open or forecasted. The latest, FAA Aviation Research Grants Program, was posted on September 8, 2020.
On GovTribe
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