FYs 2024 through 2026 - Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Competitive Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
DOT Federal Highway Administration · Opportunity number FHWA-PROT-26-001
Details summarized from the official notice as of Oct 10, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
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Key facts
| Opportunity number | FHWA-PROT-26-001 |
|---|---|
| Agency | DOT Federal Highway Administration Department of Transportation |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 20.284 |
| Posted | Aug 27, 2026 |
| Deadline | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $60,000,000 |
| Award floor | $1 |
| Expected number of awards | 80 |
| Estimated total program funding | $787,000,000 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | Yes |
| Funding type | Grant |
| Category | Infrastructure investment and jobs act |
| Last updated here | Oct 10, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- Special district governments
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- County governments
- State governments
- City or township governments
Who should take a closer look
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
Not listed as eligible
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- Larger for-profit companies
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
Eligible applicants for the PROTECT Competitive Grant Program funding are States, metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), local governments, federally recognized Indian Tribes, public transportation agencies, port authorities, and Federal Land Managing Agencies (FLMA) when applying jointly with a State or group of States. Specific to At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants, eligibility also includes U.S. territories, plus the same entities eligible for the broader program, but limited to coastal States and other specified entities within such States (see 23 U.S.C. ยง 176(d)(4)(C)(i)). Please refer to Section B.1 of the NOFO for more details. Eligibility varies by project type between "Planning, Resilience Improvement, and Community Resilience and Evacuation Route Grants" and "At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants."
Cost sharing: this notice requires cost sharing or matching funds. Check the notice for the required share and what counts toward it.
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
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