Technical Assistance and Workforce Development (20.531)
Technical Assistance and Workforce Development (Assistance Listing 20.531) is run by the Federal Transit Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. It awarded $73.3 million in 33 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $2.2 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $1.6 million. Half of the 33 awards fell between $400,000 and $2.6 million, and they ranged from $11,924 to $12.5 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$73.3 million
- Grant awards33
- Typical award$1.6 million
- Awarded in FY 2025$7.4 million
- Size rank903 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants, direct payments for specified use, dissemination of technical information, training
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $18.1 million in fiscal 2021 to $7.4 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 903rd largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 13 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 9 states and territories.
What the program funds
This program aims to strengthen public transportation systems nationwide by providing technical assistance, developing industry standards, and supporting workforce training. The goal is to help transit agencies improve service delivery, operate safely and efficiently, meet federal requirements under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53, and ensure that workers have the skills needed for modern transit operations. Funding supports activities such as developing best practices for system safety and security, training and certification programs for frontline workers, assistance with compliance requirements including ADA and Buy America, research on workforce needs, and support for the National Transit Institute to deliver training for public transportation professionals. Through these efforts, the program helps agencies maintain reliable operations, adopt new practices, strengthen their workforce, and enhance mobility for the public.
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
Federal Government departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government; Metropolitan Planning Organizations; State and local governmental entities; providers of public transportation; and national non-profit organizations (that have the appropriate demonstrated capacity to provide public transportation-related technical assistance); public four-year degree-granting institutions of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) to carry-out the duties of the institute.
What the money can and cannot pay for
See Objectives. Generally, the program supports technical assistance, training, workforce projects, and standards development not undertaken by the private sector. Funding will provide for training and educational programs which may include courses in recent developments, techniques, and procedures related to intermodal and public transportation planning; management; environmental factors; acquisition and joint use rights-of-way; engineering and architectural design; procurement strategies for public transportation systems; new technologies; emission reduction technologies; ways to increase public transportation access to individuals with disabilities; construction, construction management, insurance, and risk management, maintenance; contract administration; inspection; innovative finance; workplace safety; and public transportation security. This program funds technical assistance to assist providers of public transportation to: Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); comply with human services transportation coordination requirements and enhance the coordination of related Federal resources; meet the transportation needs of elderly individuals; and address transportation equity.
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title 49 U.S.C. §?5314 — Technical Assistance and Workforce Development, Part Subtitle?III, Subpart 5314,Public Law IIJA.Technical Assistance and Standards – The government share of the cost of an activity carried out using a grant may not exceed 80 percent. The nongovernment share of the costs of an activity carried out using a grant may be derived from in-kind contributions. Human Resources and Training, including Innovative Public Transportation Frontline Workforce Development Program – The government share of the cost of project carried out using a grant shall be 50 percent. Allow recipients to use up to 0.5 percent of their section 5307, 5337 and 5339 funds to support Workforce Development program activities and partake in NTI training under section 5314, at up to 80 percent.Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
FY 2023: Range: $250,000 to $5,000,000; Average: $1,250,000. FY 2024: Range: $300,000 to $5,000,000; Average: $1,300,000 FY 2025: No budget appropriated.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2016: FY 2016 projects approved for award under the Technical Assistance program for funding in accordance with the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act are: EXAMPLES OF APPROVED FUNDED PROJECTS: • National Aging and Disability Transportation Center: The NADTC’s mission is to promote the availability and accessibility of transportation options that serve the needs of people with disabilities, seniors and caregivers with a focus on effectively leveraging FTA’s Section 5310 Enhance Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities formula grants and other transit investments. Section 5310 (I) requires FTA to collect, review, and disseminate innovative practices, program models, new service delivery options, and findings. NADTC also provides transportation-related technical assistance to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as to meet the transportation needs of elderly individuals. • National Transit Institute: Provides training to the transportation industry across a host of areas to help FTA grantees understand processes and learn tools to remain or become compliant with federal regulations. Target audiences include a broad range of titles and skill sets from paratransit operations managers, to trainers, construction managers, and project finance professionals.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Technical Assistance and Workforce Development (20.531) awarded$73.3 million across 33 grant awards, an average of $2.2 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers, the State University | New Jersey | 5 | $26.6 million |
| Community Transportation Association of America | District of Columbia | 8 | $15.0 million |
| International Transportation Learning Center | Maryland | 1 | $12.5 million |
| Easter Seals, Inc. | Illinois | 4 | $9.5 million |
| American Public Transportation Association | District of Columbia | 1 | $3.0 million |
| Protect All Children from Trafficking, Inc. | New York | 1 | $1.6 million |
| Operation Lifesaver, Inc | District of Columbia | 3 | $1.2 million |
| National Academy of Sciences | District of Columbia | 5 | $1.2 million |
| Inventev LLC | Michigan | 1 | $1.0 million |
| Shared-Use Mobility Center | Illinois | 1 | $999,694 |
| Calstart, Inc. | California | 1 | $475,954 |
| The Council of State Governments LTD. | Kentucky | 1 | $117,824 |
| Introducing Youth to American Infrastructure, Inc. | Alabama | 1 | $50,000 |
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 58% of the money, colleges and universities 36% and small businesses 3.1%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 21 | $42.7 million | 58% |
| Colleges and universities | 5 | $26.6 million | 36% |
| Small businesses | 5 | $2.3 million | 3.1% |
| Other | 2 | $1.8 million | 2.4% |
By state
6 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 5 | $26.6 million |
| District of Columbia | 17 | $20.4 million |
| Maryland | 1 | $12.5 million |
| Illinois | 5 | $10.5 million |
| New York | 1 | $1.6 million |
| Michigan | 1 | $1.0 million |
| California | 1 | $475,954 |
| Kentucky | 1 | $117,824 |
| Alabama | 1 | $50,000 |