The Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training (ALERT) Grant for Fiscal Year 2025 is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). This grant is structured to support nonprofit organizations involved in regional public-private partnerships that can provide training for local emergency responders. These training initiatives specifically address emergencies involving the rail transportation of flammable liquids, including crude oil, ethanol, and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The program is authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and codified at 49 U.S.C. § 5116(j). The grant seeks to ensure that emergency responders are adequately trained to protect people, property, and the environment from incidents involving hazardous materials. This training must comply with current federal regulations and standards such as those issued by the National Fire Protection Association. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes and requires all expenditures to be well-documented and auditable.
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations with IRS tax-exempt status that represent regional public-private partnerships and are capable of delivering either direct or web-based HAZMAT training. Organizations classified under Section 501(c)(4) that engage in lobbying, and all for-profit entities, are not eligible. There is no matching fund requirement. However, certain expenses like personnel costs for trainees, entertainment, excessive office costs, and pre-award expenses are not eligible for reimbursement.
Applications are due by June 20, 2025, and must be submitted via grants.gov. Questions related to the grant must be submitted by June 13, 2025. The anticipated award notification is expected by September 30, 2025, with performance periods beginning October 1, 2025, and lasting from 12 to 24 months. The application includes standard federal forms and several detailed narrative components addressing organizational capacity, needs assessments, training plans, curriculum, and evaluation methods.
The application review process involves administrative, technical, and programmatic evaluations. Criteria include the appropriateness and feasibility of proposed training activities, alignment with PHMSA’s safety priorities, and a comprehensive and realistic budget narrative. The program prioritizes applications that demonstrate clear, quantifiable impacts on HAZMAT transportation safety and effective use of federal funds. Technical assistance is available for applicants needing support.
For further inquiries, applicants can contact Carla Sheppard at Carla.Sheppard@dot.gov or call 202-366-1109. Applicants are also encouraged to register early on grants.gov and FedConnect to avoid technical delays.
