PROTECT Grant Funding Applications Now Open

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced the next round of Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) discretionary grant funding. The PROTECT Discretionary program provides funding to strengthen surface transportation to be more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, heat waves, flooding, extreme weather, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. There are four general categories of grant awards from the PROTECT program. There is a $100,000 minimum for planning grants. There is a $500,000 minimum for construction grants. Last round, planning awards ranged from $142,000 - $5.3 million and $750,000 - $60 million for construction. At least 25% of the funding must be used for projects in rural areas, at least 2% of the funding must go to Tribal area projects, and no more than 25% of total funding may be used for Intercity Rail projects. 

Eligible Facilities: Planning and resiliency grants may be awarded to support the following facilities:

  • A highway project eligible for assistance in title 23
  • A public transportation facility or service eligible for assistance under chapter 53 of title 49
  • A facility or service for intercity rail passenger transportation
  • A port facility that connects to other modes, improve the efficiency or evacuations or disaster relief or aids transportation

Eligible applicants:

  • States
  • Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO)
  • Political subdivision of a State or territory (town, city, county)
  • Federally recognized Tribal government
  • A multijurisdictional combination of any above applicant
  • Federal land agency in partnership with a state
There are unique cost share opportunities within this program which may allow an applicant to seek a greater than 80% federal share on a project submission, reducing the required local match. 
  • One way to reduce the local match burden is to ensure your project submission/idea is listed on the state’s Transportation Resilience Improvement Plan. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) would be happy to support you through this process. Allison Brietenother, Program Manager, Climate Risk would be happy to assist you and provide additional information about this process (currently listed projects may be found here). MDOT requests that you please provide at least four weeks’ notice to process any amendments with FHWA to the project list. 
  • Additionally, it is MDOT's interpretation that applicants may seek up to 100% federal share for eligible planning submissions and other federal funds, in certain cases, may be utilized to satisfy the local cost share requirement (see NOFO). So, basically, there is additional flexibility for local governments here in getting creative with the local match. 

Please contact Sean Winkler at MDOT ([email protected]) with any questions, support letter requests, or project ideas regarding the PROTECT program. 

Applications are due on February 24, 2025.

 

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