FY25 Rail Safety Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (Rail Safety IDEA)

The FY25 Rail Safety Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (Rail Safety IDEA) grant is administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a division of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). FRA oversees railroad safety, policy development, and rail research across the nation. The agency partners with other federal bodies and research organizations to improve the safety and efficiency of the U.S. rail system. This particular program provides funding to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), specifically through its Transportation Research Board (TRB), to carry out early-stage investigations into rail safety innovations. The Rail Safety IDEA program is designed to support exploratory research into promising but unproven safety concepts in the railroad sector. These projects often originate from researchers, universities, inventors, and private companies that may not traditionally work within the transportation research field. The goal is to identify and evaluate innovative ideas that could enhance safety and performance in rail systems, even if such ideas require additional testing and validation. Since its inception, the IDEA program has served as an entry point for novel transportation concepts to receive critical early-stage funding and development. Funding for the Rail Safety IDEA program has been provided by the FRA since 2002. Initially, it was a joint effort with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which supported the Safety IDEA initiative starting in 2001. However, in 2013, the Rail Safety IDEA program became fully independent from FMCSA, narrowing its focus exclusively to railroad-related research. The separation allowed for more targeted investment in rail-specific safety advancements. The FY25 funding opportunity is limited exclusively to the National Academy of Sciences, making the program non-competitive in nature. As the only eligible applicant, NAS will be responsible for continuing to administer and execute the IDEA program, soliciting proposals from third-party innovators under its internal processes. This structure ensures the continuity of the program while also leveraging NAS's established infrastructure and expertise in scientific peer review and project management. The total funding available under this opportunity is $500,000. One award is expected to be made, with the award ceiling matching the total available funds. No minimum floor is specified. There are no matching or cost-sharing requirements associated with this grant, allowing the full federal contribution to cover the research activities. These funds must be used exclusively for railroad safety-related projects, continuing the program’s evolution and ensuring alignment with FRA’s strategic priorities. Applications for this opportunity must be submitted by August 22, 2025. The grant notice was officially posted on August 5, 2025. All application materials and inquiries are handled through the GrantSolutions Help Desk, which is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET by calling either 1.866.577.0771 or 202.401.5282. No pre-application deadlines, LOI requirements, or Q&A deadlines are listed, and no rolling or recurring cycles are indicated.