FY 2026 Competitive Funding Opportunity: All Stations Accessibility Program

The All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP), administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), represents a substantial federal investment aimed at advancing accessibility in public transportation infrastructure across the United States. With $686 million in competitive grants available for Fiscal Year 2026, this initiative is designed to upgrade the accessibility of legacy rail fixed guideway public transportation systems for individuals with disabilities. The ASAP is authorized under Assistance Listing Number 20.533 and governed by provisions outlined in Division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), which focuses on infrastructure modernization and equitable access. The core objective of the program is to facilitate capital and planning projects that improve the physical accessibility of older, legacy public transit rail systems—those that predate the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These systems often contain stations or facilities that were exempted from ADA accessibility requirements due to age, structural complexity, or financial constraints. ASAP targets these outdated infrastructures, enabling grantees to install or modernize elevators, ramps, signage, and other accessibility features to comply with ADA standards and serve passengers with mobility, visual, or auditory impairments more effectively. Eligible applicants include state governments and local governmental units such as city or township governments and county governments. Critically, eligibility extends to designated recipients of FTA funds who operate or allocate funds to legacy rail systems. This includes all U.S. states and territories, including Washington, D.C., provided they operate or financially support legacy rail transit systems and corresponding stations. The grant opportunity encourages participation from a broad range of jurisdictions, particularly those with longstanding rail infrastructure in urban centers. The funding opportunity is discretionary and requires cost-sharing or matching funds from the grantee. The expected number of awards is 20, although award sizes vary and the ceiling or floor amounts are not defined in the current Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applicants must submit proposals via Grants.gov using the APPLY function, with the application window closing at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2026. Mail or fax submissions are not accepted. The NOFO, including all application instructions and evaluation criteria, is available on FTA’s website and the Grants.gov portal under funding opportunity ID FTA-2026-001-TPM-ASAP. The review process will consider eligibility, technical merit, cost effectiveness, and the extent to which proposed improvements enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities. While specific evaluation criteria are not detailed in the grants.gov synopsis, applicants are encouraged to refer to the full NOFO on FTA’s site for guidance. Interested applicants may contact Thomas Wilson at the FTA Office of Program Management via email ([email protected]) or phone (202-366-2053) for further information. This opportunity is part of a recurring program cycle, with the FY 2026 competition following the FY 2025 round. The consistent issuance of funding rounds demonstrates FTA’s long-term commitment to transit accessibility improvements. Given the annual cadence implied by language such as “FY 2025 and FY 2026 rounds,” applicants can anticipate future calls for proposals. However, each cycle is governed by its own NOFO, and interested parties must monitor future announcements to remain informed of eligibility, deadlines, and application requirements.