Railroad Safety
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.301
- Agency
-
Federal Railroad Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 162 $43,771,938 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 69-0700-0-1-401
- 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 Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funds railroad safety programs through grants and cooperative agreements under CFDA 20.301, with the most recent award dated September 1, 2025. The program supports training, public education, rail trespassing prevention and enforcement, emergency response preparedness, grade crossing safety improvements, and state inspector certification activities across the United States.
The portfolio spans 162 awards since 2010, with combined federal dollars obligated at $43.8 million and total obligated funding (including non-federal match) of $78.8 million. FRA is the sole funding source. Recent award cadence shows 5 awards in 2021, declining to 2–3 annually in 2023–2025, suggesting a narrowing focus. The assistance-type mix is predominantly Project Grants (80 percent, 129 awards) with a smaller Cooperative Agreement share (20 percent, 33 awards).
Representative recent awards include Operation Lifesaver public information and education programs on railroad rights-of-way and highway-railroad grade crossing safety ($1,333,333 obligated, September 2025), rail safety and hazmat emergency response training and equipment ($150,000, September 2025), an Amtrak emergency egress and fire-life-safety project at Washington Union Station ($4.7 million, July 2025), and rail trespassing suicide prevention outreach and training initiatives for commuter rail operators ($48,000 to $79,000 per award). State participation grants for inspector training, travel, and equipment typically range from $2,500 to $166,000 per state. Cooperative agreements for grade crossing improvements have obligated $1.4 million to $1.5 million per project.
Three opportunities closed recently. FY25-OLS (Solicitation FR-OLS-25-001), posted September 23, 2025 with due date September 25, 2025, funded Operation Lifesaver Inc. public information and education activities. FY25 Transportation Emergency Response Training (FR-SEC-25-001), posted September 17, 2025 with due date September 22, 2025, supported emergency responder and first-responder training on tank car nomenclature and railroad operations. FY25-27 Railroad Safety State Participation Grant (FR-SPP-25-001), posted November 13, 2024 with due date December 9, 2024, provided state agencies funding for approved technical training, travel to conferences and training, and laptop computers for inspector reporting and data analysis. No opportunities currently open to new applicants are present in the source.
Objective and description
- Objective
Funding for this program supports the certification of state inspectors to conduct investigative and surveillance activities to ensure that the application and interpretation of federal railroad safety rules, regulations, orders, and standards reflec
- Description
Conduct investigative and surveillance activities to ensure that the application and interpretation of federal railroad safety rules, regulations, orders, and standards reflect the same national uniformity.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other public institution/organization, Profit organization States, Local, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education), Other public institution/organization, Profit organization
- Beneficiary eligibility
General public.
- Uses of assistance
Railroad Safety initiatives, including: 1) Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grants - to provide funding for local law enforcement activities intended to reduce trespassing on rail rights-of-way. 2) Railroad Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grants - for the implementation of railroad trespassing suicide prevention programs. 3) Operation Lifesaver (OLI) - to support administration of public education and awareness programs related to highway-rail grade crossing safety and railroad trespass prevention in the United States, and consists of four tasks: States Assistance Programs, Training and Education Programs, Communications Programs and OLI Program Administration. 4) Security - to establish, develop, and implement plans, procedures, and networks to send and receive security-sensitive or emergency-related information from the Government to rail stakeholders and from rail stakeholders to the Government. 5) American Chemistry Council (Chemtrec and TRANSCAER) - to ass
- Length and time phasing of assistance
No restriction on period of time the assistance normally is available. Funding is obligated through cooperative agreements or grants, and outlays occur as reimbursement. Funding will only be obligated and disbursed as milestones are achieved.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Preapplication 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.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applications proceed through a three-part application review process, as follows: • Screening applications for completeness and eligibility; • Evaluating the technical merit and benefits of eligible applications; and • Selecting projects for funding Evaluation criteria included: PTC Deployment Benefits; Technical Merit; and Project Development approach. The following selection criteria ensured that the projects selected for funding advance FRA's current mission and key priorities: 1) Alignment with the DOT Strategic Goals and Priorities 2) Project Delivery Performance 3) Region/Location 4) Innovation/Resource Development.
- Award procedure
FRA will contact applicants with successful applications with information and instructions about the award process. This notification is not an authorization to begin proposed project activities. A formal grant agreement or cooperative agreement signed by both the grantee and the FRA, including an approved scope, schedule, and budget, is required before the award is considered complete.
- Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Grant opportunities
Show all 33
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 162 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. | $16,044,119 | 37% |
| 2 | Department Of Transportation New York | $5,307,649 | 12% |
| 3 | City Of Grandview | $3,567,500 | 8% |
| 4 | National Railroad Passenger Corporation | $2,400,431 | 5% |
| 5 | Providence And Worcester Railroad Company | $2,376,683 | 5% |
| 6 | Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District | $2,367,278 | 5% |
| 7 | American Chemistry Council, Inc. | $1,427,966 | 3% |
| 8 | City Of Shelby | $953,954 | 2% |
| 9 | Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board | $940,357 | 2% |
| 10 | Railroad Research Foundation | $712,848 | 2% |
10 of 74 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$4,411 |
| FY2025 | $3,424,565 |
| FY2024 | $1,018,433 |
| FY2023 | $1,130,993 |
| FY2022 | -$173,890 |
| FY2021 | $945,420 |
| FY2020 | $2,641,898 |
| FY2019 | $6,581,180 |
| FY2018 | $9,302,071 |
| FY2017 | $9,529,053 |
| FY2016 | $1,058,851 |
| FY2015 | $1,210,719 |
| FY2014 | $1,194,518 |
| FY2013 | $1,106,911 |
| FY2012 | $1,379,302 |
| FY2011 | $315,000 |
| FY2010 | $2,396,325 |
Show all 17
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.301?
Assistance Listing 20.301 is Railroad Safety, a federal grant program run by Federal Railroad Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Railroad Safety?
Its CFDA number is 20.301: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.301 awarded?
162 grant awards under 20.301 have obligated $43,771,938 in federal funds to 74 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.301?
The recipients obligated the most under Railroad Safety are Operation Lifesaver, Inc. ($16,044,119), Department Of Transportation New York ($5,307,649) and City Of Grandview ($3,567,500).
How much did 20.301 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 20.301 obligated $3,424,565 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.301?
No opportunity listed under 20.301 is open now. The latest, FY25-OLS-Railroad Rights-of-Way and Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing Safety Information and Education Program, was posted on September 23, 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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