- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Economic Development
The Department of Transportation is making about $19 million in competitive grants available for tribal transit projects in fiscal year 2026, continuing a federal program that helps tribes expand and operate transportation systems in rural communities.
The funding opportunity through the agency’s Tribal Transit Competitive Program can be used for transit planning, operating assistance, capital projects and administrative expenses for federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native communities with populations under 50,000.
Eligible projects include purchasing transit vehicles, upgrading bus facilities and expanding service routes. The competitive grants do not require a local funding match.
The tribal transit program is funded through a set-aside within the federal Section 5311 rural transit program. Federal law reserves 5% of Section 5311 funding for tribal transit, with 20% distributed through competitive grants and the remainder allocated by formula.
Demand for the funding has continued to exceed available dollars. In fiscal year 2024, the agency received 38 eligible applications requesting $17.5 million and funded 26 projects totaling about $9.6 million. Individual awards ranged from roughly $49,700 to $957,000.
Applications are due Aug. 25 through Grants.gov under funding opportunity ID FTA-2026-002-TPM-TRTR.
