Transportation Planning, Research and Education
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.931
- Agency
-
Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 74 $47,424,600 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Innovative and Advanced Transportation Research
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 69-0102-0-1-407
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Transportation Immediate Office of the Secretary Transportation funds research and development on innovative transportation systems and related applied technologies through the Transportation Planning, Research and Education program (CFDA 20.931), with the most recent grant award issued on September 1, 2026.
Award activity has declined sharply in recent years. The program issued 74 total awards since 2006, but annual award volume has contracted to 2–4 awards per year in 2023–2026, down from 15 awards in 2014. Combined federal dollars obligated total $47.4 million, with recipients contributing an additional $32 million in non-federal matching funds for a combined obligation of $79.2 million.
Recent funded activities span transportation planning studies, infrastructure monitoring systems, workforce transportation analysis, electric vehicle infrastructure planning, suicide prevention barriers on bridges, rail trails, autonomous vehicle demonstration centers, and remote sensing applications for transportation asset management. The Department of Transportation Immediate Office of the Secretary Transportation accounts for 72 of 74 awards and $46.2 million in federal funding; the Federal Aviation Administration Great Lakes Region and Federal Highway Administration each account for one award. Cooperative Agreements dominate the portfolio at 64 percent of awards (47 awards), with Project Grants comprising 36 percent (27 awards). Typical cooperative agreement terms span 2.5 years with quarterly reimbursement; most recent Project Grants have ranged from $250,000 to $1.3 million.
Representative recent awards include a $1 million cooperative agreement to the Pacific Northwest Economic Region Foundation for the Build Northwest Export Accelerator (awarded September 2026), a $1.3 million Project Grant to Bath for workforce transportation and facilities improvements (November 2025), and a $1 million Project Grant to develop an electric vehicle infrastructure masterplan (September 2025). A $650 thousand award funded the Town of Normal's northwest economic growth area infrastructure and planning study (January 2026).
Program eligibility is restricted by congressional appropriation legislation; only organizations specifically identified in the annual DOT appropriation can apply. Eligible applicant categories include public non-profit institutions, state and local governments, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, and private non-profit organizations. The program operates through a two-step competitive process requiring white papers and full technical and cost proposals. No current grant opportunities are posted.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide funds to conduct research and development on innovative transportation systems and related applied technologies.
- Description
To provide funds to conduct research and development on innovative transportation systems and related applied technologies.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
These grants are mandated by Congress in US DOT's Annual Appropriation Legislation. Therefore, only those organizations specifically identified in the appropriation legislation can apply.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Public Non-Profit Institutions/Organizations; Sponsored Organizations; State; Local; Other Public Institutions; Federal Recognized Indian Tribal Government; US Territory or Possession; Private Non-Profit Institutions/Organizations; Quasi-Public Non-Profit Institutions/Organizations; Native American Organizations.
- Uses of assistance
Assistance was used for innovative technology based projects directed towards application on national transportation infrastructure development and construction in planning, design and operations.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The typical length of the cooperative agreements averaged 2.5 years and expenditures were reimbursed on a quarterly basis.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Concept, technical approach, cost, background, and partnerships.
- Award procedure
The award procedure typically required two-step process - White Papers and Full Technical and Cost Proposals.
- Time to approval or disapproval
The deadlines, if any, were established in each grant application package.
- Renewals
Requests were submitted to the Program Office for approval.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 74 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan Technological University | $4,396,258 | 9% |
| 2 | Delaware State University | $3,283,000 | 7% |
| 3 | University Of Massachusetts Lowell | $2,870,406 | 6% |
| 4 | University Of California, Santa Barbara | $1,995,330 | 4% |
| 5 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $1,861,998 | 4% |
| 6 | George Mason University | $1,835,316 | 4% |
| 7 | University Of North Carolina At Charlotte | $1,808,420 | 4% |
| 8 | Georgia TECH Research Corp | $1,456,584 | 3% |
| 9 | University Of Alaska Fairbanks | $1,372,241 | 3% |
| 10 | Rector & Visitors Of The University Of Virginia | $1,212,980 | 3% |
10 of 45 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $2,520,000 |
| FY2025 | $2,254,300 |
| FY2024 | $2,720,000 |
| FY2023 | $250,000 |
| FY2019 | -$11,443 |
| FY2018 | -$5,839 |
| FY2017 | -$46,977 |
| FY2016 | -$58,499 |
| FY2015 | -$596,637 |
| FY2014 | $9,743,696 |
| FY2013 | $1,514,436 |
| FY2012 | $3,168,672 |
| FY2011 | $7,695,000 |
| FY2010 | $6,485,902 |
| FY2009 | $35,000 |
| FY2008 | $4,124,347 |
| FY2007 | $1,490,933 |
| FY2006 | $7,235,163 |
Show all 18
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.931?
Assistance Listing 20.931 is Transportation Planning, Research and Education, a federal grant program run by Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Transportation Planning, Research and Education?
Its CFDA number is 20.931: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.931 awarded?
74 grant awards under 20.931 have obligated $47,424,600 in federal funds to 45 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.931?
The recipients obligated the most under Transportation Planning, Research and Education are Michigan Technological University ($4,396,258), Delaware State University ($3,283,000) and University Of Massachusetts Lowell ($2,870,406).
How much did 20.931 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 20.931 obligated $2,254,300 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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