Tribal Transportation Safety Strategy Pilot Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, is offering the Tribal Transportation Safety Strategy Pilot Program under Assistance Listing 20.909 and Funding Opportunity Number TRIBALSAFETY-OSTR24. The program will be administered by OST-R as a competitively selected cooperative agreement. The program responds to the disproportionately high traffic fatality burden experienced by American Indian and Alaska Native communities. USDOT cites traffic fatality rates for these populations that are more than twice the national average and identifies a need for additional infrastructure planning, strategic safety updates, and research-based approaches that can support Tribal communities. The competition will make one award to a consortium led by a qualified institution of higher education. The objective is to research innovations and best practices and develop a next-generation Tribal Transportation Strategic Safety Plan. Work is expected to leverage existing Federal, state, and local transportation programs and university research; develop risk-based safety planning guidelines; identify data and tools that can support decision making where site-specific historical crash data are limited; identify cost-effective infrastructure improvements; and develop innovative tools, guides, and training for Tribal communities. The project will also update the comprehensive Tribal Transportation Strategic Safety Plan with assistance from a Tribal Transportation Safety Steering Committee. The work must ultimately include a pilot with at least one Federally recognized Tribal community with a high traffic fatality rate and implementation of at least one temporary demonstration safety improvement designed to inform the research. The cooperative agreement covers 36 months and is organized into three phases. Phase 1 consists of six months of research and development during Year 1, including review of current practices, analysis of traffic safety conditions and data gaps, investigation of artificial intelligence, machine learning, roadway and design tools, and establishment of a Tribal Transportation Steering Committee. Phase 2 covers 12 months during Years 1 and 2 and includes development of the updated strategic safety plan, tools, guides, training, a website portal, and pilot testing of those resources. Phase 3 covers 18 months during Years 2 and 3 and includes selection of a Tribal community partner, piloting of planning and design tools and training, construction of a temporary demonstration safety installation, post-implementation evaluation, and policy briefs. Required deliverables include quarterly technical and financial reports, monthly online meetings, bi-annual in-person sponsor meetings, training webinars and workshops, technical reports, software, and training materials. Federal funding is fixed at $2,000,000, with one award anticipated. The recipient must provide non-Federal matching funds of not less than 50 percent of the Federal funding amount, identified in the detailed cost-sharing provisions as at least $1,000,000, resulting in a stated total project amount of $3,000,000. Matching funds may be cash or in-kind, must support the program objectives and cooperative agreement, and must be fully documented. Other Federal funds cannot satisfy the match requirement. Award funds may not be used for construction activities or projects, although temporary or removable measures used as a demonstration to inform the research may be eligible. Purchases of equipment with a unit value of $10,000 or more using award or matching funds require advance OST-R approval after award. Eligible applicants are qualified institutions of higher education leading a consortium. The consortium must include members from academia, Tribal communities and leaders, Tribal, local and state agency transportation practitioners, and nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Applicants and their teams must demonstrate knowledge and experience in Tribal traffic safety research, assessment, and mitigation and established relationships with Tribal leaders, including Tribal Council members and Tribal and local transportation practitioners. The lead institution must have a substantive role in carrying out the cooperative agreement and will be the direct and primary recipient of USDOT funds rather than serving primarily as a conduit for awards to other parties. The technical proposal is limited to 25 pages including the cover page and attachments and must address the proposal summary, program activities, methods and design, schedule and timeline, applicant organization, key personnel, partners, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability. A separate cost proposal must provide a task-level cost breakdown, cost-share details, mandatory Federal forms, the latest negotiated indirect cost rate agreement when applicable, cost-match funding sources, and other relevant cost information. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applicants must have a Grants.gov account, a Unique Entity Identifier, and an active System for Award Management registration, and submissions must be electronically signed by an Authorized Organizational Representative. Both a technical proposal and cost proposal are required. The application deadline is August 28, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT. Applications will be evaluated for team composition and expertise, approaches to Tribal crash mitigation, innovative tools and low-cost improvements, Tribal engagement and feedback, post-implementation analysis and sustainability, multidisciplinary leadership experience, cost reasonableness, required matching, budget controls, program quality and feasibility, organizational capacity, monitoring and evaluation, sustainability, and partner participation. A USDOT review committee will rate eligible applications, with only highly recommended applications considered for final selection, followed by a required Federal risk review. The anticipated program start date is November 1, 2026. Questions about the agreement application process may be directed to Program Manager Kelley Severns at Kelley.Severns@dot.gov; the Grants.gov synopsis also provides the phone number 202-934-2655.

Demonstrate specific Tribal traffic safety research, assessment, mitigation, and implementation expertise and existing relationships with Tribal leaders and transportation practitioners. Clearly explain innovative crash mitigation approaches, tools, guides, and low-cost infrastructure improvements that account for differing Tribal community conditions. Provide a feasible implementation timeline, measurable output and outcome indicators, strong budget controls, and a detailed and reasonable budget. Explain meaningful Tribal engagement and feedback mechanisms, post-implementation cost and benefit analysis, sustainability, and each partner's substantive role. Clearly connect the research to safer and more efficient travel for families.