science_technology_and_other_research_and_development · DOT-RITA
Tribal Transportation Safety Strategy Pilot Program
69A355 Research and Technology · TRIBALSAFETY-OSTR24
Award Range
$2.0M – $2.0M
Total Program Funding
$2.0M
Expected Awards
1
Deadline
August 28, 2026
GRANTQUICK SUMMARYPlain-English Overview
DOT is funding ONE organization ($2M over 3 years) to develop a Tribal Transportation Safety Strategy Pilot Program — addressing the crisis-level traffic fatality rates in Tribal communities (which are 3-4× the national average). The grantee will work with tribal leaders, state DOTs, and academic researchers to develop, test, and pilot safety strategies tailored to Indian Country's unique challenges (remote roads, limited infrastructure, jurisdictional complexity).
Who Should Apply
Institutions of higher education that can assemble a team spanning academia, tribal communities, transportation practitioners, and safety organizations. Must have existing relationships with tribal nations.
Who Should NOT Apply
Organizations without tribal community connections, state DOTs directly (they can be team members but not lead), individual researchers, or for-profit consulting firms.
Key Requirements (Plain English)
- •Must be an institution of higher education (lead applicant)
- •Must partner with tribal communities and leaders
- •Must include transportation practitioners and safety experts
- •Must address the specific transportation safety crisis in tribal communities
- •Single award only
💡 GrantQuick Tip
Only 1 award — but the pool is extremely narrow (universities with both tribal relationships AND transportation safety expertise). If you're a university transportation research center that's worked with tribal nations before, this is low-competition high-reward. The key is demonstrating EXISTING tribal partnerships (not just proposing to build them).
Competitiveness: Very niche — 1 award, but very few institutions have the required combination of transportation research expertise AND established tribal partnerships.
What This Grant Funds
he U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) is announcing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Tribal Transportation Safety Strategy Pilot Program. This three-year cooperative agreement is designed to address the critical public safety crisis in Tribal communities, as American Indian and Alaska Native populations experience traffic fatality rates more than twice the national average.
The primary objective of this program is to research, identify innovations, and develop a next-generation Tribal Transportation Strategic Safety Plan. The selected applicant will develop a comprehensive toolbox of training, analysis tools specifically geared toward decision making when historical crash data is not readily available, and risk-based safety planning guidelines. The project will culminate in a pilot program with at least one Federally recognized Tribal community that has a high traffic fatality rate, and will include the implementation of a temporary, low-cost safety infrastructure demonstration project.
Attachments
Who Can Apply
Eligible Applicant Types
Funding Details
- Minimum Award
- $2.0M
- Maximum Award
- $2.0M
- Total Program Funding
- $2.0M
- Expected Number of Awards
- 1
- Cost Sharing Required?
- Yes
- Funding Instrument
- cooperative_agreement
Key Dates
Agency Contact
Kelley Severns Special Projects Manager Phone 202-934-2655
kelley.severns@dot.govReady to apply?
View the full NOFO and submit your application on Grants.gov