Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), a local government entity headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the recipient of 171 federal grants (99% of its award footprint) from the Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA), with combined obligated dollars of $1.51 billion against $11.4 million in combined potential value across 172 awards tracked in the source data. RTA operates as a prime grant recipient in capital infrastructure and operations funding; it does not hold federal contracts or serve as a subcontractor.

RTA's federal footprint is dominated by FTA grants. The Federal Transit Administration accounts for 134 of 156 awards covering 91% of the source data, with the remaining awards split across the Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration (4 awards, $5.4 million combined potential value), the Department of Transportation's Immediate Office of the Secretary (3 awards, $3.3 million), the Department of Justice Executive Office for US Trustees (8 awards, $256 thousand), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (7 awards). The gap between combined potential value ($11.4 million) and obligated dollars ($1.51 billion) reflects the long-running nature of FTA capital grants with multi-year funding streams and appropriations disbursed over project completion windows extending to 2033.

RTA's recent grant work centers on fleet modernization, accessibility compliance, and transit planning. In June 2026, FTA awarded $13.29 million for compressed natural gas (CNG)-fueled bus replacement through 2031. In March 2026, a second FTA $4.042 million project grant funds additional CNG vehicle procurement through 2030. An August 2025 FTA award of $20 million funds reconstruction of eight Blue Line light rail station platforms to achieve full Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, with completion by December 2029. A $10 million project grant from FTA (March 2025) funds ADA-compliant reconstruction of the East 79th Street light rail station through March 2029. A September 2025 FTA formula grant of $2.903 million supports vehicle purchases and facility maintenance—pavement, HVAC, roofing, rail track rehabilitation, overhead catenary construction, IT upgrades, and ADA enhancements—through March 2032. An August 2025 $7.142 million FTA formula grant (CFDA 20.507) funds CNG vehicle replacement through March 2026. RTA also received a $700 thousand FTA planning grant (CFDA 20.500, September 2025) for a comprehensive Bus Rapid Transit feasibility plan along the Lorain Avenue corridor through April 2028, and an $540 thousand FTA planning grant (August 2024) for multimodal connectivity planning along the Broadway Corridor through March 2028. Earlier funding includes a $49.3 million FTA State of Good Repair grant (August 2021) for light rail track rehabilitation, rail and bus vehicle replacement, facility repairs, and preventive maintenance through March 2029, and an $11.25 million FTA Community Project Funding grant (April 2024) for rail fleet replacement through March 2033. A $136.108 million American Rescue Plan operating assistance grant (August 2021) provided pandemic emergency operating funds through December 2024. RTA also received FTA funding via the Ohio Department of Transportation for CNG vehicle purchases under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant program (CFDA awarded May 2022, covering $3.287 million in FY 2019–2020 federal match with local sales tax share).

Activity has remained relatively modest in recent years—two awards in 2022, one in 2023, six in 2024, six in 2025, and two in 2026—reflecting the long-tail, multi-year nature of FTA capital grants rather than annual competitively solicited procurements. Four awards reach ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months and will face recompete or renewal. RTA's grant portfolio includes no subrecipient activities; all work is performed directly by RTA. One identified sub-award appears in the source data: RTA received a November 2021 sub-award from the Ohio Department of Public Safety Emergency Management Agency for Account 4507 (PA), allocating funds to RTA's Cuyahoga County operation. RTA's federal customer base beyond FTA includes limited exposure to TSA (4 awards, $5.4 million for transportation security activities) and DOT's Secretary-level offices (3 awards, $3.3 million).