Federal grant programs / Department of Transportation

Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program (20.532)

Also known as Ferry Programs

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$335 million
• Grant awards13
• Typical award$5.0 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$103 million
• Size rank468 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceGrant

Key findings

• It is the 468th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 8 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 8 states and territories.

What the program funds

The Passenger Ferry Grant Program provides funding for passenger ferries through a competitive process for capital projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas, such as ferry vessels, terminals, and related infrastructure. The Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program makes federal funds available to projects that supports the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferry vessels. The Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program makes federal funds available to states to ensure basic essential ferry service is provided to rural areas. Refer to this Assistance Listing (AL) Number for FY24 and FY25 financial obligations. In August 2025, this AL was divided into three program?specific listings: Electric or Low?Emitting Passenger Ferry Program – 20.538, Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program – 20.539, and Passenger Ferry Program – 20.540. These new listings will be used by DOT beginning in FY 2026.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

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

For the Passenger Ferry Program, eligible applicants are designated recipients or direct recipients of FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants, as well as public entities engaged in providing public transportation passenger ferry service in urban areas that are eligible to be direct recipients. For the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program are Designated/Direct Recipients of Section 5307 funding, including Designated/Direct Recipients of Section 5311 funding, including States, Territories and Tribal Governments. For the Ferry Service for Rural Communities, eligible recipients are States and territories.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Passenger Ferry Grant Program: Capital assistance to support existing ferry service, establish new ferry service, and repair and modernize ferry boasts, terminals, and related facilities and equipment. Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program: Capital assistance to support the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferry vessels that reduce emissions by using alternative fuels or on-board energy storage systems and related charging infrastructure to reduce emissions or produce zero onboard emissions under normal operation. Ferry Service Rural Communities: Eligible activities include capital, planning, and operating assistance for a ferry service that operated a regular schedule at any time during the five-year period ending March 1, 2020 and served not less than two rural areas located more than 50 sailing miles apart. Funding is also available for ferry service that serves at least two rural areas with a single segment over 20 miles between two rural areas that is not otherwise eligible for funding under the Passenger Ferry Program. Under the Passenger Ferry Grant Program and the Electric and Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Ferry Program, funds may not be used to fund operating expenses, planning, or preventive maintenance.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. The maximum Federal share for capital projects selected under the Ferry Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program and Ferry Service for Rural Communities is 80 percent of the net project cost. See NOFO for exceptions. The maximum Federal share for operating projects selected under the Ferry Services for Rural Communities program is described in the NOFO. For planning projects, the maximum federal share is 80 percent.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact FTA HQ for additional information.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

For Passenger Ferry Grant Program: approximate average award size: Large Urban: $47,583,104 Small Urban: $5,739,032

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: Purchase new electric ferry to replace an older vessel for the continuation of daily transit. Ensures residents have access to medical, education, shopping needs and other mainland points of interest.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

State and local governments received 99% of the money.

By state

7 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.