Governor's Highway Safety Program

The Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP), administered by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, operates as the State Highway Safety Office with the responsibility to implement behavioral highway safety programs. Funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GHSP provides financial support for initiatives aimed at reducing traffic-related fatalities and injuries across North Carolina. Funding flows through Sections 402 and 405 of the Highway Safety Program, making the program a federally backed reimbursement grant mechanism. This means grantees must first incur eligible costs, then submit documentation to GHSP for reimbursement. The GHSP’s mission aligns with the Vision Zero goal—eliminating traffic fatalities—and is driven by a data-informed Triennial Highway Safety Plan, updated annually. The GHSP offers grants to local law enforcement agencies, municipal departments, regional authorities, schools, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply directly and may only participate through subcontracts. Eligible projects must address traffic safety concerns with data-driven approaches that use proven or promising countermeasures. Priority is given to counties ranked in the top 25 for traffic fatalities, and GHSP also considers the agency’s past grant performance, capacity, and alignment with safety goals. Project areas may include impaired driving, occupant protection, young drivers, traffic record systems, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, older driver safety, motorcycle safety, commercial vehicle safety, school bus safety, and distracted driving. Applications for GHSP funding are submitted annually through the Electronic Business Services (EBS) platform. The application window is open from January 1 through January 31, and this deadline is firm. Applicants must complete a multi-section proposal including project description, budget justification, goals and objectives, enforcement and citation data, travel plans, and detailed schedules. Each proposed project must be measurable, time-bound, and directly tied to statewide crash and enforcement data. For law enforcement grants, applicants must include three years of historical citation data and crash rankings by county. GHSP enforces strict cost eligibility rules. For example, funds can only support activity hours related to enforcement, traffic court, training, and education. Non-reimbursable uses include general patrol, unrelated trainings, firearms, uniforms, and infrastructure. Approved equipment purchases are capped (e.g., $50,000 for patrol vehicles), and grantees must adhere to specified line-item maximums. Grantees must also complete quarterly progress reports, monthly enforcement data submissions, and a final accomplishment report. These reporting requirements ensure continued eligibility for reimbursement and are essential for demonstrating compliance with GHSP and NHTSA expectations. Following application submission, GHSP reviews all proposals between February and May. Applicants may be asked to revise submissions. Notifications of grant status are typically issued in June, followed by agreement finalization and required paperwork in July through September. The federal fiscal year begins October 1, which marks the start of the performance period. Grantees must attend mandatory orientation training sessions prior to launching project work. Final grant approval is contingent upon NHTSA review and signed agreements, with no reimbursement allowed for costs incurred before October 1. This program is non-rolling and annual, with the next grant round expected to open on January 1, 2026. All GHSP grants operate on a reimbursement basis and require strict documentation of time, budget use, and performance metrics. Technical support is available through GHSP grant specialists and EBS support channels. The GHSP maintains high standards for fiscal and programmatic compliance, and grantees must be prepared for monitoring, risk assessments, and inventory controls for any equipment purchased through the program.