Behavioral Highway Safety Grants

The PennDOT Behavioral Highway Safety Grants program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation through its Behavioral Traffic Safety Unit. The program is designed to support initiatives that improve highway safety and reduce fatalities and serious injuries resulting from traffic crashes across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Funding is derived from federal highway safety programs authorized under 23 U.S.C. Section 402 and Section 405 and administered through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These funds are distributed at the state level using data driven methodologies that prioritize areas with the greatest demonstrated safety needs. The primary purpose of the grant program is to support behavioral and programmatic interventions that address key traffic safety risks such as impaired driving, occupant protection, speeding, and other high risk behaviors. The program emphasizes evidence based strategies and requires that funded projects align with proven countermeasures. Equipment only requests are explicitly prohibited, meaning that applicants must incorporate education, enforcement, outreach, or other behavioral safety components into their proposals. Funding decisions are influenced by crash data analysis to ensure resources are targeted effectively. Eligible applicants generally include Pennsylvania local governments, including counties, municipalities, and regional entities, as well as Pennsylvania state related universities, institutions within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and nonprofit organizations with valid 501(c)(3) status. Applicants must demonstrate organizational capacity, including the ability to manage public funds responsibly, collaborate with relevant stakeholders, and implement data driven project plans with measurable outcomes. Additional requirements include maintaining appropriate certifications, registrations, and compliance with state systems such as the Central Vendor Management Unit and eGrants. The application process requires an initial preapproval step for first time applicants. Organizations must submit a letter of interest via email on official letterhead that includes a Federal Employer Identification Number, a summary of the proposed project, a budget estimate, and identification of the specific grant opportunity they intend to pursue. Only after receiving approval may applicants proceed with full application submission through PennDOT’s eGrants system. Applicants are also required to designate an authorized representative responsible for submitting proposals and managing communications. The program operates on a recurring annual cycle aligned with the federal fiscal year. The application period typically runs from April 1 through May 31, followed by a proposal evaluation phase extending through June 30. Approval decisions are made between July 1 and September 30, with funded projects beginning on October 1 and continuing through September 30 of the following year. Applicants should also anticipate ongoing communication requirements, including coordination with PennDOT program managers and regional planning teams throughout the grant period. Evaluation of proposals is based on several factors including alignment with identified traffic safety priorities, use of data driven strategies, clarity of measurable goals, and organizational capacity to execute and evaluate the project. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to assess program effectiveness and contribute to statewide safety outcomes. Additional administrative requirements, such as compliance with lobbying certification rules and access to PennDOT crash data systems, may apply depending on the applicant type and project scope. For assistance, applicants may contact the Behavioral Traffic Safety Unit via the provided program email or reach out to the Statewide Programs Administrator for guidance on the eGrants system. Technical assistance is also available for login and system access issues. The program is expected to continue on an annual basis, with future funding opportunities announced in advance of each cycle.

Focus on data-driven strategies, align with evidence-based countermeasures, and demonstrate measurable outcomes tied to crash reduction goals