INFRA Grants

The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants program is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Office of the Under Secretary for Policy. This program is part of a broader federal effort to modernize and strengthen the nation’s transportation infrastructure under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. INFRA is a competitive discretionary grant program designed to support large-scale, nationally or regionally significant freight and highway projects. The Department has consolidated multiple funding opportunities into a single Multimodal Projects Discretionary Grant opportunity to streamline application processes and increase efficiency for applicants. The primary purpose of the INFRA program is to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of freight and highway systems across the United States. Funding supports projects that enhance freight movement, reduce congestion, improve supply chain resilience, and promote economic competitiveness. Eligible project types include highway freight projects on designated freight networks, bridge improvements, intermodal freight facilities, rail-highway grade crossings, and projects connected to ports or border crossings. The program also supports innovative transportation solutions that integrate environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and technological advancements. Funding under this opportunity is substantial, with approximately $2.7 billion available for awards in this cycle and individual awards ranging from $5 million to over $2.2 billion. The program requires cost sharing, indicating that applicants must contribute matching funds toward project costs. While specific allowable expenses are not exhaustively listed in the summary, funding is intended for capital infrastructure investments that directly support transportation systems and freight mobility. Projects must demonstrate readiness and the ability to proceed efficiently toward implementation. Eligibility for INFRA grants is broad and inclusive, covering a wide range of public sector entities. Eligible applicants include state governments, metropolitan planning organizations serving urbanized areas with populations over 200,000, local governments, political subdivisions, special purpose districts such as port authorities, tribal governments, federal land management agencies (when applying jointly with states), and multistate or multijurisdictional partnerships. This inclusivity ensures that projects of varying scale and geographic scope can compete for funding, particularly those with regional or national impact. The application process is conducted through Grants.gov, where applicants submit a single application that may be considered across multiple related discretionary grant programs under the consolidated opportunity. Applicants are not required to submit duplicate applications for each program. The submission must include detailed project information, including economic analysis, project readiness documentation, and alignment with statutory requirements. Applications are evaluated based on several criteria, including safety, state of good repair, economic impacts and job creation, environmental sustainability, equity and quality of life, and innovation in technology or project delivery. The timeline for this funding opportunity includes a posted date of March 25, 2024, and a final application deadline of May 6, 2024. There is no indication of a pre-application requirement such as a letter of intent. Applicants are expected to prepare comprehensive proposals by the deadline, after which the Department will conduct evaluations and determine awardees. While specific award notification timelines are not provided, the program emphasizes readiness and the ability to quickly advance projects once funding is awarded. For additional support or technical issues, applicants may contact the program via the official email provided by the Department of Transportation.

Align proposal strongly with the six evaluation criteria especially economic impact and project readiness; demonstrate measurable outcomes and readiness to proceed; emphasize innovation and climate resilience