Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.223
- Agency
-
Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 30 $40,943,455 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- TIFIA Credit Program
- Assistance type
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury accounts
-
- 69-4123-0-3-401
- 69-4173-0-3-401
- 69-4145-0-3-401
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Transportation's Office of the Secretary is awarding Cooperative Agreements under the Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) Program (CFDA 20.223) to support planning, technical assistance, and innovative financing strategies for surface transportation projects eligible for TIFIA credit assistance, with the most recent award issued November 2, 2026.
The program funds entities in developing regional infrastructure priorities and financing strategies to accelerate delivery of transportation projects that can pledge revenue streams or dedicated funding sources. Recent awards support activities including stakeholder engagement, financial modeling, public-private partnership assessments, transit-oriented development design, preliminary engineering, environmental review, and project pipeline evaluation. Recipients develop work plans, quarterly reports, and maintain compliance with 2 CFR 200. Award recipients include state departments of transportation, city and county governments, transit authorities, special authorities, and regional planning commissions.
Funding concentration is split between the Federal Highway Administration (18 awards, $29.1 million) and the Office of the Secretary (12 awards, $11.8 million), accounting for $40.9 million in combined federal obligations across 30 awards since February 2022. The portfolio is exclusively Cooperative Agreements. Award velocity has accelerated: two awards per year in 2022 and 2023, fourteen awards in 2024, and twelve awards through November 2026. Recent awards range from $650 thousand to $2 million, with typical awards in the $1.15 million to $1.75 million range and three-year performance periods.
Recent representative awards include $1.15 million to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for exploring innovative funding strategies and long-term planning for regional transit (November 2026); $650 thousand to City of Tampa for stakeholder engagement and P3 assessments (October 2026); and $1.75 million to Bay Area Rapid Transit District for advancing transit-oriented development projects including Mandela Station and El Cerrito Plaza (August 2024).
The Build America Bureau issued a NOFO (DOTBAB01062025) on May 8, 2025 with a due date of June 25, 2025, soliciting applications from eligible U.S. public entities for $20 million in RIA grants. An earlier NOFO (DOTBAB01062024) posted October 28, 2024 for $10 million closed January 9, 2025.
Objective and description
- Objective
To finance projects of national or regional significance by filling market gaps and leveraging substantial non-Federal and private co-investment. Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) credit assistance is intended to facili
- Description
The TIFIA Credit Program provides flexible, low-interest financing for various eligible surface transportation projects and project sponsors throughout the United States. Because the TIFIA Program offers credit assistance, rather than grant funding, its potential users are infrastructure projects capable of pledging revenue streams generated through user charges or other dedicated funding sources.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Public or private entities seeking to finance, design, construct, own, or operate an eligible surface transportation project may apply for TIFIA assistance. Examples of such entities include state departments of transportation; local governments; transit agencies; special authorities; special districts; railroad companies; and private firms or consortia that may include companies specializing in engineering, construction, materials, and/or the operation of transportation facilities.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Public or private entities seeking to finance, design, construct, own, or operate an eligible surface transportation project. Examples include state departments of transportation; local governments; transit agencies; special authorities; special districts; railroad companies; and private firms or consortia that may include companies specializing in engineering, construction, materials, and/or the operation of transportation facilities.
- Uses of assistance
Eligible projects include highway, transit, passenger rail, intercity bus vehicles and facilities, certain port facilities, surface transportation facilities at airports, rural infrastructure projects, transit-oriented development projects, and any other type of project that is eligible for grant assistance under Title 23 or Chapter 53 of Title 49 of the United States Code. Additionally, TIFIA credit assistance may be used to capitalize State Infrastructure Banks to fund rural infrastructure projects. TIFIA credit assistance is available in the form of either secured (direct) loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit. Specific cost eligibility is determined by USDOT prior to approving a loan application.
- Use restrictions
Examples of costs that are ineligible for funding include TIFIA debt service reserve amounts, Project Sponsor opportunity costs, and the USDOT's costs of various advisory services to review TIFIA Letters of Interest and Loan Applications. However, specific cost eligibility is determined by USDOT prior to approving a loan application.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
As a part of the application package, the borrower provides a projected timetable for the completion of the project. The funding will be made available to reimburse the Borrower for prior payment of allowable costs incurred in connection with the project.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
For more information, please visit the TIFIA website at https://buildamerica.dot.gov/financing/tifia.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
USDOT reviews Letters of Interest and Applications for TIFIA credit assistance on a "first come, first served" basis. The Build America Bureau reviews all Applications for TIFIA credit assistance to ensure compliance with all statutory eligibility criteria, including creditworthiness. The USDOT's Council on Credit and Finance provides policy direction and makes recommendations to the Secretary regarding the selection of projects for TIFIA credit assistance.
- Award procedure
USDOT will evaluate applications and advise applicants of approval or disapproval as required by statute. Final approval authority is reserved by the Secretary of Transportation. The USDOT then negotiates terms and conditions of the TIFIA credit instrument, which, if executed by the Borrower, will set forth the criteria for the subsequent disbursement of TIFIA loan proceeds.
- Time to approval or disapproval
After a complete application has been filed with all supporting documents, processing time is approximately 60 to 90 days. The average time to execute a TIFIA credit agreement from the date of Secretarial approval is 1 to 6 months.
- Renewals
Disapproved applicants may reapply at any time.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program - NOFO Reissuance | Closed | ||
| Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program | Closed | ||
| Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program | Closed | ||
| Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program Notice of Funding Opportunity | Closed | ||
| Regional Infrastructure Accelerators | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 30 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Association Of Governments | $3,215,254 | 8% |
| 2 | Fresno Council Of Governments | $2,730,201 | 7% |
| 3 | Executive Office Of The State Of Louisiana | $2,650,000 | 6% |
| 4 | Centralina Council Of Governments | $2,400,000 | 6% |
| 5 | Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority | $2,400,000 | 6% |
| 6 | City Of Tampa | $2,400,000 | 6% |
| 7 | Montgomery County, Maryland | $2,000,000 | 5% |
| 8 | Regional Transportation Commission Of Southern Nevada | $2,000,000 | 5% |
| 9 | Pacific Northwest Economic Region Foundation | $2,000,000 | 5% |
| 10 | Department Of Transportation California | $2,000,000 | 5% |
10 of 24 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $11,800,000 |
| FY2025 | -$19,799 |
| FY2024 | $24,198,000 |
| FY2023 | $2,954,842 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.223?
Assistance Listing 20.223 is Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Program, a federal grant program run by Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Program?
Its CFDA number is 20.223: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.223 awarded?
30 grant awards under 20.223 have obligated $40,943,455 in federal funds to 24 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.223?
The recipients obligated the most under Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Program are San Diego Association Of Governments ($3,215,254), Fresno Council Of Governments ($2,730,201) and Executive Office Of The State Of Louisiana ($2,650,000).
How much did 20.223 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 20.223 obligated -$19,799 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.223?
No opportunity listed under 20.223 is open now. The latest, Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Program - NOFO Reissuance, was posted on May 8, 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
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