Metropolitan Transportation Planning and State and Non-Metropolitan Planning and Research (20.505)
Metropolitan Transportation Planning and State and Non-Metropolitan Planning and Research (Assistance Listing 20.505) is run by the Federal Highway Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. It awarded $966 million in 1,841 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $524,536 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $124,924. Half of the 1,841 awards fell between $49,802 and $403,040, and they ranged from $0 to $20.5 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$966 million
- Grant awards1,841
- Typical award$124,924
- Awarded in FY 2025$195 million
- Size rank260 of 1824
- Type of assistanceFormula grants
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $177 million in fiscal 2021 to $195 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 260th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 75% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 54 states and territories.
What the program funds
The Metropolitan Transportation Planning and State and Non?Metropolitan Planning and Research Program supports states, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and regional partners in developing coordinated, data?driven transportation planning products. The program provides financial assistance for preparing and maintaining Metropolitan Transportation Plans, Statewide Long?Range Transportation Plans, Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs and STIPs), and other technical studies needed to guide investment decisions in a unified and officially coordinated statewide and metropolitan transportation planning process. These planning activities ensure that federal, state, and local transportation priorities are aligned; support performance?based decision?making; and help advance multimodal, environmentally responsible, and fiscally constrained transportation systems. Assistance Listing 20.505 will no longer be used for new awards beginning in FY 2026. The program was divided into two separate, program?specific Assistance Listings; Metropolitan Transportation Planning (Section 5303), AL 20.517, and Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning and Research (Section 5304), AL 20.535. Beginning in FY 2026, all new funding awards, obligations, and activities will be made under these two new listings, and AL 20.505 will remain available only for administrative closeout of previously awarded grants.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Metropolitan Transportation Planning and State and Non-Metropolitan Planning and Research: State Apportionments were made to the States for 1) statewide planning and 2) formula distribution to the Metropolitan Planning Organizations designated for the urbanized areas within each State for planning within urbanized areas. State Apportionments for metropolitan planning and for state planning and research are made to the States. Funds for metropolitan planning are distributed by formula to the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) designated for the urbanized areas within each State. AoPP: Eligible projects that sought funds for the AoPP Program had to be located: (1) in a county that had greater than or equal to 20 percent of the population living in poverty over the 30-year period preceding the date of enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-58, Jan 03, 2022), as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial census and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, or (2) in a census tract with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent as measured by the (2014-2018) 5-year data series available from the American Community Survey of the Bureau of the Census; or (3) in any territory or possession of the United States. States, tribes, and designated or direct recipients eligible under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 49 U.S.C. 5310, or 49 U.S.C. 5311 that are located in areas of persistent poverty.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Metropolitan Transportation Planning and State and Non-Metropolitan Planning and Research: In metropolitan areas, activities assisted under this section included preparation of transportation plans including transportation improvement programs and management systems; studies related to transportation management, operations, capital requirements, economic feasibility, performance-based planning, public transportation agency safety plans, transit asset management plans, evaluation of previously funded capital projects; and other related activities in preparation for the construction, acquisition, or improved operation of transportation systems, facilities, and equipment, public participation in transportation planning, security and emergency transportation planning. In nonurbanized areas of the state, eligible activities included planning, and technical studies and assistance. A State could have authorized the use of a portion of these funds to supplement and administer Metropolitan Planning.
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title 49 , Part 5305(d)(e), Subpart (d),Public Law IIJA.Statutory References: 49 U.S.C. §§ 5303-5305, IIJA §§ 30002-30004The matching requirements varied. Funds obligated for State or metropolitan planning are granted an 80 percent federal, 20 percent local ratio. In addition, funds could of been transferred from the Federal Highway Administration to form Consolidated Planning Grants which permit a higher Federal match for Metropolitan funds.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Oct 31, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range and average of financial assistance varies. Contact the program manager listed in this Assistance Listing for specific information.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Metropolitan Transportation Planning and State and Non-Metropolitan Planning and Research (20.505) awarded$966 million across 1,841 grant awards, an average of $524,536 per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 99% of the money, tribes less than 0.1%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 1,806 | $952 million | 99% |
| Other | 32 | $13.2 million | 1.4% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 3 | $755,488 | less than 0.1% |
By state
52 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 155 | $139 million |
| Florida | 115 | $90.4 million |
| Texas | 116 | $77.8 million |
| Illinois | 101 | $47.9 million |
| New York | 7 | $45.7 million |
| Maryland | 8 | $41.2 million |
| New Jersey | 66 | $31.4 million |
| Ohio | 13 | $31.4 million |
| Pennsylvania | 27 | $30.1 million |
| Michigan | 90 | $26.3 million |
| Georgia | 9 | $26.0 million |
| Washington | 16 | $21.1 million |
| Arizona | 47 | $20.4 million |
| North Carolina | 8 | $20.1 million |
| Massachusetts | 136 | $20.1 million |
| Iowa | 5 | $19.9 million |
| Virginia | 7 | $18.7 million |
| Tennessee | 69 | $15.2 million |
| Kansas | 3 | $15.2 million |
| Colorado | 20 | $14.9 million |
| Indiana | 85 | $14.9 million |
| Oregon | 89 | $14.6 million |
| Wisconsin | 9 | $12.3 million |
| Minnesota | 46 | $12.2 million |
| Arkansas | 6 | $12.2 million |
| Nevada | 18 | $10.8 million |
| Utah | 40 | $10.4 million |
| Puerto Rico | 5 | $9.5 million |
| South Carolina | 96 | $8.8 million |
| Connecticut | 16 | $7.9 million |
| Missouri | 55 | $7.4 million |
| Louisiana | 4 | $6.3 million |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $6.3 million |
| Alabama | 20 | $6.0 million |
| Mississippi | 47 | $6.0 million |
| Kentucky | 4 | $5.2 million |
| Delaware | 38 | $4.9 million |
| Maine | 34 | $4.8 million |
| Alaska | 22 | $4.8 million |
| Hawaii | 12 | $4.6 million |
| Idaho | 41 | $4.2 million |
| Nebraska | 4 | $4.0 million |
| Montana | 10 | $3.9 million |
| New Mexico | 6 | $3.8 million |
| Wyoming | 13 | $3.7 million |
| Rhode Island | 11 | $3.6 million |
| North Dakota | 20 | $3.6 million |
| Vermont | 11 | $3.5 million |
| South Dakota | 8 | $3.4 million |
| District of Columbia | 6 | $3.4 million |
| New Hampshire | 20 | $2.8 million |
| West Virginia | 21 | $1.8 million |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1 | $800,000 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 1 | $375,000 |