# National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Discretionary Safety Grants and Cooperative Agreements  (20.614)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/20-614-national-highway-traffic-safety-administration-nhtsa/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Discretionary Safety Grants and Cooperative Agreements  is run by Department of Transportation. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $353 million in 195 grants, about $1.8 million per award.

## Objectives

Provide technical and financial assistance to State and local government agencies, for-profit and non-profit organizations, educational institutions, hospitals, and other persons (as defined in Title 1 USC Chapter (1)) in support of highway safety research and development, special studies, educational and public awareness projects related to or involving: 1). Activities, including demonstration projects to study vehicle, highway, driver, passenger, motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian characteristics; 2). Emergency medical services communications and transportation of the injured; 3). Human behavioral factors such as driver education, impaired driving, and distracted driving; 4). Evaluation of the effectiveness of countermeasures to increase highway and traffic safety, including occupant protection and alcohol- and drug-impaired driving technologies and initiatives; 5). Development of technologies to detect drug impaired drivers; 6). Research, evaluation, and identification of best practices related to driver education programs (including driver education curricula, instructor training and certification, program administration, and delivery mechanisms) and recommendations for harmonizing driver education and multistage graduated licensing systems; 7). Effect of State laws on any aspects, activities, or programs described above.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $22.7 million | 83 |
| 2022 | $37.4 million | 125 |
| 2023 | $31.8 million | 83 |
| 2024 | $45.5 million | 64 |
| 2025 | $215 million | 92 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Highway Patrol, California | California | $64.4 million |
| Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety, Inc. | Virginia | $61.5 million |
| Governors Highway Safety Association (Ghsa) | District of Columbia | $16.6 million |
| Maryland Department of Transportation | Maryland | $13.2 million |
| Oregon Department of Transportation | Oregon | $12.2 million |
| Maine Department of Public Safety | Maine | $11.9 million |
| All Rise for Justice | Virginia | $9.8 million |
| National Safety Council | Illinois | $9.4 million |
| Arkansas State Police | Arkansas | $8.5 million |
| New Mexico Department of Transportation | New Mexico | $8.2 million |
| Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles | Florida | $8.1 million |
| Rhode Island Dot | Rhode Island | $7.4 million |
| Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety | Arizona | $7.3 million |
| International Association of Chiefs of Police | Virginia | $6.7 million |
| Department of Transportation Connecticut | Connecticut | $6.7 million |
| Department of Transportation West Virginia | West Virginia | $6.4 million |
| Public Safety South Carolina Department | South Carolina | $6.4 million |
| Government of District of Columbia | District of Columbia | $6.0 million |
| Safety & Homeland Security | Tennessee | $5.4 million |
| The Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | $5.2 million |

## Open opportunities

- [State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls Program](https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/nhtsa-693jj927r000007-fy27-state-process-for-informing-consumers-of-recalls-program/), closes February 4, 2027
- [Innovative Traffic Safety Enforcement (ITSE) Grant Program](https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/nhtsa-693jj926r000024-fy26-innovative-traffic-safety-enforcement-itse-grant-program/), closes September 1, 2027