FY24-25 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program - National

The Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP), administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), provides a significant federal funding opportunity aimed at improving the nation's intercity passenger rail system. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), specifically for the FSP-National component, covers fiscal years 2024 and 2025 and supports capital projects not located on the Northeast Corridor. The program is funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and subsequent appropriations, with a total available funding of approximately $5.07 billion. The FSP Program reflects a strategic investment in the rehabilitation, enhancement, and expansion of intercity passenger rail infrastructure, including services operated by private entities when partnered with an eligible applicant. The overarching goals of the FSP Program are to enhance rail safety, reduce the state of good repair backlog, improve rail performance, and expand or introduce new intercity rail services. The program emphasizes long-distance connectivity and encourages projects that modernize core assets, invest in new corridors, and improve system reliability. Funds can support a wide range of eligible capital projects, including infrastructure replacement or rehabilitation, performance enhancements such as speed and reliability improvements, and the establishment of new rail routes. Projects may also include planning, environmental assessments, final design, and construction. However, all proposals must demonstrate federal interest and national scope, avoiding objectives that are purely local in nature. Eligible applicants include a broad spectrum of public entities such as states, political subdivisions, interstate compacts, public agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, Amtrak, and joint partnerships among these. Cost sharing is required, with a federal share limit of 80% of total project costs. The remaining non-federal share can be composed of public or private funds and must be clearly identified in the application. Amtrak may use its non-federal revenues to satisfy match requirements. FRA encourages operationally independent project components and the potential use of phased funding agreements for major capital projects. Applications must include a project narrative and numerous required forms and attachments, such as a detailed budget, benefit-cost analysis, performance measures, environmental documentation, and (when applicable) corridor identification documentation. All submissions must be made via Grants.gov by February 6, 2026, and must comply with the 25-page limit for project narratives, not including appendices. The FRA will not consider late or incomplete submissions. The initial deadline was January 7, 2026, but was extended by one month. Proposals will be evaluated on project readiness, technical merit, and anticipated benefits, including impacts on safety, service performance, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Priority will be given to projects with strong co-funding, clear public benefits, and alignment with federal safety and infrastructure goals. FRA may issue Letters of Intent or enter Phased Funding Agreements for large projects. Notification of awards will occur after FRA’s review and approval process, with successful applicants entering formal grant agreements detailing scope, schedule, and budget. The program is recurring and expected to issue similar opportunities in future years. Applicants may submit multiple applications but must prioritize them. All application materials and correspondence must be submitted via Grants.gov, and the FRA’s contact point for support is FRA-NOFO-Support@dot.gov. Technical assistance is available throughout the application window, and applicants are encouraged to begin preparations well in advance of the deadline to ensure successful submission.

Emphasize safety, repair backlog, and operational independence; align with federal priorities; define Lifecycle Stage targets clearly.