Public Transportation Research, Technical Assistance, and Training (20.514)
Public Transportation Research, Technical Assistance, and Training (Assistance Listing 20.514) is run by the Federal Transit Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. It awarded $8.1 million in 12 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $675,470 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $262,828. Half of the 12 awards fell between $134,076 and $446,155, and they ranged from $37,117 to $7.5 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$8.1 million
- Grant awards12
- Typical award$262,828
- Awarded in FY 2025-$340,764
- Size rank1534 of 1824
Key findings
- It is the 1534th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 10 largest recipients received 128% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 8 states and territories.
What the program funds
The Federal Transit Administration's Research, Development, Demonstration, Deployment, Cooperative Research, Technical Assistance, Standards Development, and Human Resources and Training programs are authorized at 49 U.S.C. 5312, and 5314 and collectively seek to develop solutions that improve public transportation. Its primary goals are to increase transit ridership, improve safety and emergency preparedness, improve operating efficiencies, protect the environment, promote energy independence, and provide transit research leadership; develop and conduct workforce development activities, training and educational programs for Federal, State, and local transportation employees, United States citizens, and foreign nationals engaged or to be engaged in public transportation work; and to sponsor development of voluntary and consensus-based standards to more effectively and efficiently provide transit service, as well as support the improved administration of Federal transit funds. To accomplish this, FTA funds projects to support research and development, demonstration, deployments of various technologies and operational models for transit; a national cooperative research program, a national training institute, national technical assistance centers, and transit workforce development programs. The Public Transportation Innovation program (49 U.S.C. 5312) supports research, development, demonstration, deployment, and evaluation projects. Research projects in this area are not generally undertaken by the private sector including studies on transit policy issues, operational efficiency, and travel behavior. These projects will promote the use of clean energy and air quality improvement. The program also funds long-term, high-risk, high-potential payoff investigations of new technologies, which is critical to developing a public transportation system that is efficient, attractive, and reliable. The majority of the funds (75 percent) appropriated under 49 U.S.C 5338 to support this section, must be used for a discretionary Low and No Emission deployment program. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) (49.U.S.C 5312) funds shorter-term research projects that address immediate operational issues facing the transit industry. These projects are designed to identify immediate improvements in transit safety, equipment and system design, system operations, and the economic development impact of transit investments, among other topic areas. These funds are typically awarded to the National Academies of Science which has managed the TCRP since its inception in 1992. The Technical Assistance and Standards (49 U.S.C. 5314) funds support provide resources and direct assistance to support compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), human services transportation coordination requirements, the transportation needs of elderly individuals, increased transit ridership, transportation equity needs, and any other technical assistance activities deemed necessary by FTA, such as improvements in safety and asset management. The Human Resources and Training program (49. U.S.C 5314) awards grants to transit agencies and other entities for workforce development programs and projects.
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.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Public Transportation Research, Technical Assistance, and Training (20.514) awarded$8.1 million across 12 grant awards, an average of $675,470 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contra Costa Transportation Authority | California | 1 | $7.5 million |
| Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority | Pennsylvania | 2 | $1.3 million |
| King County Metro Transit | Washington | 1 | $400,000 |
| Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District | Illinois | 1 | $386,768 |
| Utah Transit Authority | Utah | 1 | $338,155 |
| Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | District of Columbia | 1 | $175,970 |
| Volunteer Transportation Center, Inc. | New York | 1 | $145,968 |
| Atlanta Regional Commission | Georgia | 1 | $92,247 |
| Sunline Transit Agency | California | 1 | $37,117 |
| Metropolitan Transportation Authority | New York | 1 | $4,564 |
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 99% of the money, nonprofits 1.1%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 8 | $9.0 million | 99% |
| Nonprofits | 1 | $95,839 | 1.1% |
By state
2 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. They are California and Pennsylvania.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 2 | $7.2 million |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $1.3 million |
| Utah | 1 | $338,155 |
| Illinois | 1 | $282,200 |
| Washington | 1 | $267,102 |
| New York | 2 | $150,495 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $125,843 |
| Georgia | 1 | $57,025 |