Railroad Safety
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.329
- Agency
-
Federal Railroad Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- Not on record
Program facts
- Treasury account
-
- 69-0700-0-1-401
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated .
About this program
The Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration funds activities that improve railroad safety and reduce railroad-related casualties and accidents under Assistance Listing 20.329, with grant opportunities currently open through late August 2026.
This program operates as a reactivated Assistance Listing, created in August 2025 after consolidation from the former ALN 20.301; prior financial obligations under the predecessor listing are referenced for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The program funds both grants and cooperative agreements awarded upon request for reimbursement as milestones are achieved. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, private nonprofit institutions and organizations (including higher education institutions), other public institutions and organizations, and profit organizations. Preapplication coordination is required, and a formal grant agreement or cooperative agreement signed by both the grantee and the FRA—including an approved scope, schedule, and budget—must be executed before an award is considered complete.
Two grant opportunities are currently open. FR-OLS-26-001, due August 31, 2026, funds Operation Lifesaver Inc's rights-of-way and highway-railroad grade crossing safety information and education program using fiscal year 2026 budget authority. FR-SEC-26-001, due August 21, 2026, funds training for emergency responders, emergency medical technicians, police, and fire personnel on tank car nomenclature, railroad operations, and related topics useful in mitigating railroad emergencies.
Recipients must retain all data, documents, reports, records, contracts, and supporting materials relating to grant performance for three years after completion. Standard 2 C.F.R. Part 200 audit requirements and record-keeping obligations apply to private nonprofit and for-profit grantees. The program has no restriction on the period during which assistance is normally available, and renewals and extensions are approved as necessary.
Objective and description
- Objective
To improve railroad safety and reduce railroad-related casualties and accidents. This Assistance Listing 20.329 created in August 2025 was included in the previous ALN 20.301, please refer to former ALN 20.301 for FY24 and FY25 financial obligations.
- Description
To improve railroad safety and reduce railroad-related casualties and accidents.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
States, Local, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education), Other public institution/organization, Profit organization
- Beneficiary eligibility
Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant 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. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Assistance is usually awarded upon request for reimbursement.
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.
- 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.
- Renewals
Renewals and extensions are approved as necessary.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY26 Railroad Rights-of-Way and Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing Safety Information and Education Program | Closed | ||
| FY26 Transportation Emergency Response Training | Closed |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.329?
Assistance Listing 20.329 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 20.329: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.329?
No opportunity listed under 20.329 is open now. The latest, FY26 Railroad Rights-of-Way and Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing Safety Information and Education Program, was posted on August 18, 2026.
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