Railroad Research and Development
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.313
- Agency
-
Federal Railroad Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 124 $93,615,138 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 69-0745-0-1-401
- 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 funds research and development projects advancing rail safety under CFDA 20.313, Railroad Research and Development, most recently awarding grants on September 1, 2025. This program finances safety-focused projects spanning rolling stock and components, track and structures, hazardous materials transportation, train occupant protection, signaling and train control systems, grade crossings, wireless digital trainline technology, employee safety, and safety culture assessments—particularly for short-line and regional railroads. Awards also support workforce development, environmental sustainability, and state of good repair initiatives.
Over 124 awards totaling $93.6 million in federal dollars obligated have been disbursed since 2001. The portfolio is predominantly Project Grants (80 awards) with a smaller share of Cooperative Agreements (25 awards). Recent award cadence has held steady at 2–4 awards annually across 2021–2025. The Federal Railroad Administration is the sole funding agency across this program.
Recent awards span multiple focus areas. The Short Line Safety Institute received $2.425 million on August 1, 2025, to support safety culture assessments, education and training, communications, and research in implementation phase activities. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign received an $11.58 million Cooperative Agreement on May 3, 2024, to operate the National University Rail Center of Excellence, funding basic and applied research on safety, efficiency, reliability, resiliency, and sustainability of urban commuter, intercity high-speed, and freight rail transportation. Smaller exploratory awards of $500 thousand typically support single-project research efforts or feasibility studies; phase-based research programs in areas such as wireless digital trainline technology and locomotive waste-heat recovery have yielded multiple tranches.
Three opportunities with recent or imminent application windows signal active funding activity. The FY25 Rail Safety Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (Rail Safety IDEA) program, posted August 5, 2025, with a due date of August 22, 2025, accepts innovative rail safety concepts from researchers, universities, inventors, and companies. The FY25 Short Line Safety Institute Program, posted July 16, 2025, with a due date of August 8, 2025, funds the Institute's four pillars of activities. A supplemental opportunity for the National University Rail Center of Excellence, solicitation FR-RRD-25-003, posted April 24, 2026, with a May 8, 2026 due date, provides additional funding to the existing UIUC cooperative agreement. Grants are non-renewable and project-oriented rather than ongoing efforts. All awards require a formal grant agreement or cooperative agreement signed by both grantee and FRA, including approved scope, schedule, and budget, before work may begin.
Objective and description
- Objective
To foster long-range enhancement of the Federal Railroad Administration's program of research in support of rail safety by developing cooperative research relationships between the Administration and university and industry organizations.
- Description
This program provides financial assistance to innovative research and development projects in support of rail safety. This may include safety-focused projects that typically yield solutions toward state of good repair, economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability goals, and workforce development.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Other public institution/organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization, Other private institutions/organizations Applicants can be major academic and industry research institutions with backgrounds in the rail transportation arena. A minimum of 5 years of railroad or railroad related research experience is typically required.
- Beneficiary eligibility
No restrictions.
- Uses of assistance
Projects must show a relationship towards advancing railroad safety and technology. Applicants must typically demonstrate 5 years of railroad research activity.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
No restriction on period of time the assistance normally is available.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
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. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov (opens in new window) (opens in new window). The applicant must submit the following information: SF424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF 424C - Budget Information for Construction, or SF 424A - Budget Information for Non-Construction, SF 424D - Assurances for Construction, or SF 424B - Assurances for Non-Construction, FRA's Additional Assurances and Certifications, and other information such as project narratives, statements of work, and budgets.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Typical criteria in descending order of relative importance: (1) Degree to which it may improve upon or advance railroad safety; (2) Overall scientific and/technical merit; (3) Likelihood for its near term adoption and implementation of possible recommendations; (4) Degree to which the proposed project fits into the Administration's overall research objectives: (5) Reasonableness and realism of the proposed cost, and the availability of funds (to include due consideration for proposed cost-sharing by the applicant).
- 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.
- Time to approval or disapproval
FRA is committed to responding to applicants in a reasonable and timely manner. Response times will vary based on size, scope, complexity and volume of applications.
- Renewals
Grants contemplated in this program are predominantly project-oriented rather than on-going efforts and are therefore non-renewable.
Grant opportunities
Show all 50
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 124 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short Line Safety Institute | $26,032,921 | 28% |
| 2 | National Academy Of Sciences | $10,951,203 | 12% |
| 3 | Railroad Research Foundation | $10,854,804 | 12% |
| 4 | University Of Illinois | $5,813,204 | 6% |
| 5 | University Of California, San Diego | $4,026,434 | 4% |
| 6 | Southern California Regional Rail Authority | $3,699,000 | 4% |
| 7 | National Research Council Of Canada | $2,685,786 | 3% |
| 8 | Board Of Regents Of The University Of Nebraska | $2,607,498 | 3% |
| 9 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | $2,341,071 | 3% |
| 10 | University Of Illinois | $2,329,332 | 2% |
10 of 40 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $245,000 |
| FY2025 | $3,425,000 |
| FY2024 | $10,025,000 |
| FY2023 | $2,925,807 |
| FY2022 | $2,971,552 |
| FY2021 | $3,099,157 |
| FY2020 | $3,172,977 |
| FY2019 | $2,637,179 |
| FY2018 | $2,892,513 |
| FY2017 | $2,608,103 |
| FY2016 | $2,416,158 |
| FY2015 | $3,965,038 |
| FY2014 | $2,165,755 |
| FY2013 | $1,838,305 |
| FY2012 | $2,778,449 |
| FY2011 | $5,010,984 |
| FY2010 | $16,909,151 |
| FY2009 | $5,933,894 |
| FY2008 | $2,409,769 |
| FY2007 | $7,228,806 |
| FY2006 | $1,152,401 |
| FY2005 | $1,879,048 |
| FY2004 | $4,000 |
| FY2003 | $699,450 |
| FY2002 | $554,000 |
| FY2001 | $269,000 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.313?
Assistance Listing 20.313 is Railroad Research and Development, a federal grant program run by Federal Railroad Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Railroad Research and Development?
Its CFDA number is 20.313: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.313 awarded?
124 grant awards under 20.313 have obligated $93,615,138 in federal funds to 40 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.313?
The recipients obligated the most under Railroad Research and Development are Short Line Safety Institute ($26,032,921), National Academy Of Sciences ($10,951,203) and Railroad Research Foundation ($10,854,804).
How much did 20.313 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 20.313 obligated $3,425,000 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.313?
No opportunity listed under 20.313 is open now. The latest, FY24-26 Center of Excellence-University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Supplemental), was posted on April 24, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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