Highway Safety Grant

The FY2027 Highway Safety Grant Project Solicitation, administered by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), invites applications from eligible agencies to implement evidence-based traffic safety initiatives. The OHSP operates under the Michigan State Police and serves as the state’s lead agency in highway safety, receiving federal funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The grants support projects that aim to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries across Michigan through education, enforcement, data improvement, and infrastructure interventions. Eligible applicants include state agencies, publicly funded educational institutions, local governments, non-profit organizations, federally recognized tribal governments, and certified specialized training agencies. Projects must demonstrate a clearly identified traffic safety problem backed by local crash or demographic data and propose SMART goals aligned with measurable outcomes. All proposals must address one or more of the core or state-specific performance measures set by NHTSA, such as reducing impaired driving, increasing seatbelt use, or improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Funding priorities for FY2027, as outlined by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission (GTSAC), emphasize five areas: distracted driving, impaired driving, seat belt usage, speed, and the safety of vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. Proposed projects may target a wide range of focus areas, including youth driver education, emergency medical response, occupant protection, enforcement operations, or technological enhancements to crash data collection. Projects such as Operation Safe Stop and statewide enforcement campaigns are given particular emphasis and may involve coordinated efforts with other agencies. The application process is divided into two phases. Phase 1 requires draft proposals to be submitted through the Michigan Grants System (MGX) between February 2 and February 27, 2026. Applicants can revise proposals by March 13, 2026, following feedback from OHSP program coordinators. After leadership review, final approval or denial notifications will be issued by May 29, 2026. Approved applicants then proceed to Phase 2, during which federally required information must be entered into MGX between July 1 and July 24, 2026, with final modifications due by August 7, 2026. Grant award letters will be distributed in September 2026 for a start date of October 1, 2026. Applicants are expected to collaborate with local partners, detail outreach and enforcement strategies, and provide evaluation plans demonstrating program impact. Funding can cover personnel, training, supplies, travel, indirect costs, and equipment (if compliant with federal rules). However, promotional materials, supplanting, and certain routine costs are ineligible. Notably, certain enforcement categories—such as pedestrian and bicyclist safety—may require a 20% local match. Program coordinators are available for technical assistance throughout the process. The grant guidelines offer detailed requirements on strategic planning, allowable activities, cost categories, and reporting expectations. All proposals must demonstrate alignment with data-driven needs and state/federal traffic safety priorities to be considered competitive.

Submit proposals early for feedback; participate in enforcement periods for funding priority; collaborate with local partners.