Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.111
- Agency
-
Federal Aviation Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 54 $21,269,574 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- 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 Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration is funding high school aviation curriculum development and teacher professional development under CFDA 20.111, with the most recent grant awards made on March 4, 2024, and an open opportunity posted May 19, 2026, due June 22, 2026.
The program funds creation and delivery of curricula designed to prepare high school students to become aircraft pilots, unmanned aircraft systems operators, or aerospace engineers, along with supporting the professional development of educators teaching these curricula. Recent awards demonstrate concrete focus: Elizabeth City State University received $500 thousand to build authentic aviation experiences including virtual reality simulation and flight simulators; Pacific Aviation Northwest received $500 thousand to expand pilot and UAS operator training; Iowa Lakes received $493.657 thousand to develop high school aviation programs and expand drone offerings; and Harrisburg University received $169.693 thousand to expand UAS curriculum delivery via hybrid training methodology. Flight simulator deployment, train-the-trainer educator certification models, and remote pilot certificate preparation appear consistently across funded projects.
Awards are split between Project Grants (56 percent, 30 awards) and Cooperative Agreements (44 percent, 24 awards). The Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Eastern Region is the sole funding source, having awarded all $21.3 million in combined federal dollars across 54 recent awards. Award volume increased from 17 grants in 2022 to 24 in 2024, signaling growing program activity. Awards typically range from several hundred thousand dollars down to zero-dollar cooperative agreements; individual project grants in the $300 thousand to $500 thousand band are common.
Eligible applicants include accredited higher education institutions, secondary and high schools, state or local government entities, air carriers, labor unions representing aircraft pilots, flight schools holding FAA Part 61 or Part 141 certificates, and organizations representing aircraft users, owners, or pilots. The program operates on a competitive merit basis with explicit priority for reaching diverse audiences across rural, suburban, and urban areas. Grants run a minimum of one year to a maximum of five years.
Two opportunities are open. Solicitation NG-AWP-25-002 (posted May 19, 2026, due June 22, 2026) accepts applications for FY 2026 funding and reserves 20 percent for the Willa Brown Aviation Education Program. Solicitation NG-AWP-25-001 (posted January 6, 2025, due February 5, 2025) covered FY 2025 funding with the same 20 percent set-aside. No subsequent solicitation is listed as open. Pre-application coordination is required; environmental impact information is not.
Objective and description
- Objective
The goal of the Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Program is to support the creation and delivery of curriculum designed to provide high school students with aircraft pilot education in accordance with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.
- Description
The program has the potential to be a solution to the pilot shortage by reaching a diverse new audience and encouraging our nation's youth to become the next generation of commercial, general aviation, drone or military pilots.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
(1) Accredited Higher Education Institution (20 U.S.C. 1001), Secondary school or high school (20 U.S.C. 7801) (2) State or local government entity (3) Air Carriers (sec. 40102, title 49) or labor unions representing aircraft pilots (4) Flight School that provides flight training (part 61, title 14) or holds a pilot school certificate (part, 141, title 14) or (5) An organization representing aircraft users, aircraft owners, or aircraft pilots.
- Uses of assistance
In general, assistance under this program may be used for projects that: (1) Create and deliver curriculum designed to provide high school students with meaningful aviation education that is designed to prepare the students to become aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, or unmanned aircraft systems operators. (2) Support the professional development of teachers using the above curriculum.
- Use restrictions
Funding cannot be used for construction.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
In general, grants are awarded for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 5 years. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254) allows for the annual allocation up to $5,000,000 each in grants funding under the Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program in Fiscal Years (FY) 2020-2023.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Pre-application coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs". An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Pre-application form not required. Consultation and assistance is available by calling (609) 485-7483. A pre-application conference is not required.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
In reviewing and selecting applications for assistance under this program, prior to selecting among competing applications based upon Merit Criteria that includes but limited to number of students the project potentially reaches. The Program is committed to ensuring the applications selected for projects established will allow participation from a diverse collection of public and private schools in rural, suburban, and urban areas.
- Award procedure
The FAA will forward a list of potential grant recipients to the Office of Secretary of the Department of Transportation for final selection.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAA Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program | Closed | ||
| FAA Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program | Closed | ||
| FAA Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program | Closed | ||
| FAA Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program | Closed | ||
| FY20 FAA Aviation Workforce Development Grant Program - Aircraft Pilots | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 54 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State University | $5,329,990 | 25% |
| 2 | County-Scottsbluff SCH Dist 16 | $2,941,379 | 14% |
| 3 | Elizabeth City State University | $769,000 | 4% |
| 4 | Department Of Workforce Development | $500,000 | 2% |
| 5 | Pacific Aviation Northwest, Inc. | $500,000 | 2% |
| 6 | The Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum | $500,000 | 2% |
| 7 | Black Pilots Of America, Inc. | $500,000 | 2% |
| 8 | Broward College | $500,000 | 2% |
| 9 | Iowa Lakes Community College | $493,657 | 2% |
| 10 | Oklahoma Department Of Aerospace And Aeronautics | $491,000 | 2% |
10 of 38 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | $3,828,195 |
| FY2023 | $10,000,000 |
| FY2022 | $7,441,379 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.111?
Assistance Listing 20.111 is Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program, a federal grant program run by Federal Aviation Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program?
Its CFDA number is 20.111: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.111 awarded?
54 grant awards under 20.111 have obligated $21,269,574 in federal funds to 38 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.111?
The recipients obligated the most under Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program are Colorado State University ($5,329,990), County-Scottsbluff SCH Dist 16 ($2,941,379) and Elizabeth City State University ($769,000).
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.111?
No opportunity listed under 20.111 is open now. The latest, FAA Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program, was posted on May 19, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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