Federal grant programs / Department of Transportation

National Infrastructure Investments (20.933)

Also known as Rebuilding Transportation Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)/Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$4.2 billion
• Grant awards421
• Typical award$5.8 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$898 million
• Size rank106 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $492 million in fiscal 2021 to $898 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 106th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 43% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 54 states and territories.

What the program funds

BUILD (formerly RAISE) grants are for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure to States; the District of Columbia; any territory or possession of the United States; a unit of local government; a public agency or publicly chartered authority established by 1 or more States; a special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; a federally recognized Indian Tribe or a consortium of such Indian Tribes; a transit agency; and a multi-State or multijurisdictional group of entities, and multi-State or multijurisdictional groups applying through a single lead applicant on a competitive basis for surface transportation projects (including, but not limited to: (1) Highway, bridge, or other road projects eligible under title 23, United States Code; (2) public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code; (3) passenger and freight rail transportation projects; and (4) port infrastructure investments (including inland port infrastructure and land ports of entry); (5) the surface transportation components of an airport project eligible for assistance under part B of subtitle VII of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 2021; (6) intermodal projects; (7) a project to replace or rehabilitate a culvert or prevent stormwater runoff for the purpose of improving habitat for aquatic species while advancing the goals of the program. Grants are also awarded for the planning, preparation or design of eligible projects.

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

Eligible Applicants for BUILD (formerly RAISE) grants are States and the District of Columbia; any territory or possession of the United States; a unit of local government; a public agency or publicly chartered authority established by 1 or more States; a special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; a federally recognized Indian Tribe or a consortium of such Indian Tribes; a transit agency; and a multi-State or multijurisdictional group of entities.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Eligible projects are surface transportation capital projects within the United States or any territory or possession of the United States that include, but are not limited to: (1) highway, bridge, or other road projects eligible under title 23, United States Code; (2) public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code; (3) passenger and freight rail transportation projects; (4) port infrastructure investments (including inland port infrastructure and land ports of entry); (5) the surface transportation components of an airport project eligible for assistance under part B of subtitle VII (6) intermodal projects; (7) a project to replace or rehabilitate a culvert or prevent stormwater runoff for the purpose of improving habitat for aquatic species while advancing the goals of the program and (8) projects investing in surface transportation facilities that are located on Tribal land and for which title or maintenance responsibility is vested in the Federal Government. Research, demonstration, or pilot projects are eligible only if they will result in long-term, permanent surface transportation infrastructure that has independent utility. All funding is discretionary. Improvements to Federally owned facilities are ineligible under the FY 2024 RAISE (formerly BUILD) program.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. This program has matching requirements. The Federal share of the costs for which an expenditure is made under this program may be up to 80 percent, however, the Department may increase the Federal share of costs above 80 percent for projects located in rural areas, areas of persistent poverty, or historically disadvantaged communities (as defined in the NOFO).This program has MOE requirements, see funding agency for further details. This program has MOE requirements, see funding agency for further details.

Deadlines

Feb 24, 2026 to Feb 24, 2026

Award range and average, in the agency's words

FY2024 (authorized): $1.845 billion FY2023 (authorized): $2.3 billion FY 2022 (authorized): $2.275 billion FY 2021 (enacted): $1 billion FY 2020 (enacted): $1 billion FY 2019 (enacted): $900 million FY 2018 (enacted): $1.5 billion FY 2017 (enacted): $500 million FY 2016 (enacted): $500 million In FY2024, individual RAISE (formerly BUILD) capital grants are between $5,000,000 and $25,000,000 for projects located in an urbanized area and between $1,000,000 and $25,000,000 for projects located in a rural area. There is no minimum award for planning grants.

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 81% of the money, tribes 3.6% and nonprofits 0.2%.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

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