FAA Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program

The Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grant Program is administered by the Federal Aviation Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation to address a critical national shortage of qualified aircraft pilots and unmanned aircraft systems operators. This competitive discretionary grant program is designed to strengthen the aviation workforce pipeline by supporting education, recruitment, and career transition initiatives. The program is authorized under federal aviation legislation and aligns with broader federal workforce development priorities focused on expanding access to high-quality training and improving workforce readiness across the aviation sector. The primary purpose of the program is to expand the pool of future pilots and enhance the overall aviation workforce by funding projects that provide meaningful aviation education and training experiences. These efforts target a wide range of participants including high school students, postsecondary students, veterans, certified flight instructors, and educators using aviation curricula. The program supports initiatives that create or improve training pathways, including curriculum development, scholarships, internships, apprenticeships, outreach programs, and transition support for individuals entering aviation careers. Special emphasis is placed on facilitating the transition of military personnel into civilian aviation roles and increasing awareness of aviation career opportunities. Funding for the program is provided through competitive awards with an estimated total program funding of approximately $13 million, supporting around 13 recipients. Individual awards may not exceed $1 million for a performance period of up to 24 months. A portion of the funding is reserved for the Willa Brown Aviation Education Program, which prioritizes activities conducted in or connected to qualified opportunity zones. Allowable uses of funds include curriculum development, training program implementation, scholarships, and certain equipment purchases, while restrictions prohibit expenditures such as aircraft acquisition, heavy equipment purchases, construction, lobbying, and certain operational costs like initial flight training hours for student pilots without a private pilot license. Eligibility for the program is broad and includes air carriers, accredited educational institutions, flight schools, labor organizations, aviation-related nonprofit organizations, and state, local, territorial, and Tribal government entities. Individuals are explicitly excluded from applying. Applicants must provide documentation verifying eligibility and must be registered in the System for Award Management. Partnerships are encouraged to strengthen proposals, although sub-awards are not permitted. Applicants may only submit one application as a lead entity but may participate as partners in other submissions. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes several mandatory components such as the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, project abstract, project narrative, detailed budget, and supporting documentation including proof of eligibility. The project narrative must address specific evaluation criteria including project plan, organizational capacity, project impact, and administrative oversight. Applications must adhere to strict formatting requirements and page limits. Failure to comply with submission requirements or provide complete documentation will result in disqualification. Applications are evaluated through a structured review process beginning with an eligibility screening followed by a technical evaluation based on merit criteria. Each application is scored across four primary criteria: project plan, applicant capabilities, project impact, and administration. Only applications meeting the minimum threshold score are considered for funding. Additional considerations include alignment with federal priorities, geographic distribution, and support for underserved populations such as rural communities and veterans. Final award decisions are made by the selecting official based on recommendations from the review process. The application window opens on May 19, 2026, and closes on June 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Award announcements are anticipated in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026, between July and September. Successful applicants will enter into a cooperative agreement and must comply with federal reporting requirements, including quarterly progress reports and a final closeout report. Program performance is measured through metrics such as participant engagement, training completion, certification attainment, and job placement outcomes. Questions regarding the program may be directed to the FAA via the official grants email provided in the notice.

Ensure project plan includes measurable SMART objectives; clearly align project with workforce development goals; demonstrate strong organizational capacity and accounting systems; emphasize measurable outcomes such as certifications and job placement; strictly follow formatting and page limits