Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program NOFO | DOT OST 2023 0097

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOT OST 2023 0097

The Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program NOFO (Funding Opportunity Number DOT OST 2023 0097) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Under Secretary for Policy, authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), often called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program is specifically rooted in Section 21205 of Division B (Rural and Tribal Infrastructure Advancement) and is designed to help communities that are likely to be resource-constrained when it comes to turning transportation and related infrastructure ideas into fundable, finance-ready projects. In practical terms, the program is less about paying for construction and more about paying for the expert help needed to plan, evaluate, scope, and structure projects so they can compete for or comply with federal funding and financing programs.

The core purpose of the grants is capacity-building for states and for rural and tribal communities that may not have in-house staff, specialized expertise, or budgets to navigate early-stage project development. Funds can be used to reimburse eligible expenses incurred to hire third-party advisory firms that provide financial, technical, and legal assistance. That assistance is meant to move projects from concepts to well-developed proposals by supporting activities like project planning, preparing analyses and documentation, understanding federal requirements, exploring financing structures, and addressing legal or procurement-related questions tied to developing projects that could qualify for federal support.

Total funding available under this notice is $3.4 million, made up of $1.6 million from Fiscal Year 2022 and $1.8 million from Fiscal Year 2023. Individual awards can be as high as the statutory cap of $360,000, though the actual award amount is expected to vary depending on what each grantee demonstrates it needs for its advisory support. The notice anticipates roughly 14 awards in total, which signals a relatively competitive pool of funds and a focus on targeted, high-need assistance rather than a large number of small awards.

Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, with additional eligible entities potentially covered under the notice’s supplemental eligibility language. A major program feature is its strong emphasis on tribal participation: half of the program’s funds are reserved for tribal governments that apply within the first month of the program. This set-aside effectively creates an early priority window for tribal applicants and can improve their chances of receiving awards if they apply quickly once the application window opens.

The application process is structured as a rolling, first-come, first-served review model rather than a single deadline competition. Applications begin being reviewed starting 60 days after the notice is posted (the notice creation date is June 15, 2023), and they are reviewed in the order they are received. Reviews and awards continue until the entire $3.4 million allocation is fully awarded, at which point the program stops accepting or acting on applications for that funding round. Applications are only accepted through a web-based form linked in the notice, meaning applicants must use the specified online submission method rather than sending materials by email or paper. Finally, there is no local match requirement, which reduces barriers for small, rural, and tribal communities that may have difficulty providing non-federal cost share.

• The Department of Transportation, 69A345 Office of the Under Secretary for Policy in the infrastructure investment and jobs act (iija) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program NOFO" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.943.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 15, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Applications open 60 days after the post date. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis, with applications reviewed in the order in which they are received.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $360,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 14 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for DOT OST 2023 0097

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: