FY 24-25 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program - National

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), through its Office of Passenger and Freight Programs, has announced the Fiscal Year 2024–2025 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program - National. This program is administered under the larger Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair framework. Its purpose is to provide funding for projects that support intercity passenger rail, ensuring systems remain in good repair and can provide safe, reliable, and efficient service. This program continues federal efforts to partner with states in maintaining and improving passenger rail infrastructure across the country. The program is designed to enhance national passenger rail service by supporting construction, rehabilitation, and replacement projects that bring intercity passenger rail assets into a state of good repair. Acceptable uses of funding include both construction and non-construction related activities, and applicants are required to submit detailed budget narratives and project summaries. The required forms include standard federal grant forms such as the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424A and SF-424B for non-construction activities, and SF-424C and SF-424D for construction activities. Applicants must also provide disclosures of lobbying activities through SF-LLL, along with construction or non-construction budget details and narratives. Applications for this opportunity must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov portal, which houses application kits and related materials. The deadline for submission is December 4, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. No pre-application deadlines such as letters of intent or concept papers are indicated in the announcement, meaning the only requirement is submission of a full application by the stated due date. Because the program has been issued in prior fiscal years and follows the annual funding cycle, applicants can expect the program to recur in future years. Contact information is provided for applicants seeking clarification or assistance. For administrative and budgetary requirements, Jonne’sha Riggs from the Office of Railroad Chief Financial Officer is available by phone at 771-201-113 or by email at Jonnesha.Riggs@dot.gov. For questions regarding program requirements or technical assistance, applicants can reach Sergio Coronado from the Office of Railroad Policy and Development or the Office of Railroad Safety at 617-571-1213 or Sergio.coronado@dot.gov. Additionally, GrantSolutions user support is available at (866) 577-0771 or help@grantsolutions.gov. Eligibility for this program includes state governments, local governments, public agencies, and rail-related entities, as is standard for the Federal-State Partnership program, though the announcement does not list explicit eligibility categories. Verification of specific eligibility criteria will be required by reviewing the full Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applications must be submitted with all required documentation to be considered. Applicants are advised to ensure all sections of the application are complete and accurate prior to submission. In terms of evaluation, the FRA will assess applications based on the quality of the proposed project, compliance with federal requirements, alignment with program goals, and demonstrated capacity to deliver results. The focus remains on projects that will enhance intercity passenger rail reliability, maintain assets in good repair, and support the broader objectives of the national rail system. The program is expected to result in multiple awards, though specific amounts available or number of awards are not indicated in the announcement and must be verified through further agency documentation.