Opportunity Information: Apply for 693JJ323NF00013
The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grant opportunity created under Section 11405 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58). The law established two related funding streams: a formula program and a discretionary (competitive) grant program, both focused on making the nations surface transportation system more resilient to natural hazards. In practical terms, PROTECT is meant to help transportation owners and operators anticipate, withstand, and recover more quickly from threats like flooding, sea level rise, extreme weather, and other disasters that are being worsened or made more frequent by climate change.
This specific Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) covers the discretionary portion of PROTECT, meaning funds are awarded through a competitive selection process rather than by formula allocation. Under this solicitation, FHWA planned to distribute up to $848 million for PROTECT Discretionary Grants. FHWA also signaled that it intended to run additional future solicitations for funding available in fiscal years 2024 through 2026, reinforcing that this is part of a multi-year effort rather than a one-time program.
At its core, the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program is designed to fund projects that address the climate crisis by strengthening the resilience of surface transportation assets. The program is not limited to highways; it is explicitly framed to include a broad set of transportation modes and facilities that keep people and goods moving, such as public transportation systems, ports, and intercity passenger rail. FHWA emphasizes that funded projects should be grounded in the best available scientific understanding of climate risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities. That means applicants are expected to use credible climate data, hazard projections, and vulnerability assessments to justify why an asset is at risk and how the proposed investment will reduce that risk.
A key theme of the program is maintaining continuity of operations for critical transportation links. FHWA is looking for projects that either keep crucial facilities operating during hazard events or enable rapid recovery afterward, especially where failures would have outsized regional or national consequences. Another major emphasis is innovation and collaboration in how risk is reduced. The NOFO highlights that the program can support projects that demonstrate best practices and approaches that other states and communities could replicate, so applicants that can show they are advancing methods that scale or transfer well may be particularly competitive.
One notable feature of PROTECT is the explicit eligibility and encouragement of natural infrastructure, also referred to as nature-based solutions. Rather than relying only on traditional gray infrastructure (like larger pipes, higher seawalls, or more concrete armoring), the program recognizes that natural and nature-based approaches can reduce risk while delivering additional community benefits. Examples called out include conservation, restoration, or construction of riparian and streambed treatments, marshes, wetlands, native vegetation, stormwater bioswales, breakwaters, reefs, dunes, and shade trees. These strategies can lower flood risk, reduce erosion and wave damage, and lessen heat impacts, while also improving habitat, filtering pollutants, and adding recreational or quality-of-life benefits. This framing makes PROTECT a potentially strong fit for projects that pair transportation protection with broader watershed, shoreline, or urban heat mitigation work.
Beyond infrastructure performance, the program also ties resilience investments to safety and equity outcomes. The stated intent is that by reducing damage and disruption to the transportation system, PROTECT will improve safety for the traveling public and help ensure communities are not cut off from jobs, healthcare, emergency services, and daily necessities during and after disasters. FHWA also highlights equity by noting that disadvantaged populations are often the most vulnerable to hazards and disruptions. The agency indicates it will seek to award projects to communities demonstrating strong need for funding, and the program includes set-asides for rural communities and Indian Tribes, signaling a deliberate effort to reach places that may have fewer resources to self-fund resilience upgrades.
In terms of who can apply, PROTECT Discretionary Grants are structured with broad eligibility across levels of government. States, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), local governments, and Indian Tribes can apply directly to FHWA as direct recipients. Federal land management agencies may also be eligible, but generally only if they apply jointly with a State or group of States. FHWA also explicitly encourages eligible entities to apply regardless of size, location, or prior experience administering Federal awards, which is meant to reduce barriers for smaller or less-resourced applicants. The NOFO indicates funding is available for both Planning Grants and Resilience Grants, meaning the program can support both earlier-stage planning and analysis efforts as well as project implementation activities aimed at hardening or adapting infrastructure.
Finally, the funding itself comes from a combination of sources: contract authority from the Highway Trust Fund and appropriations from the General Fund through annual appropriations acts. The Highway Trust Fund portion is subject to the obligation limitation set in appropriations, which can affect how much is ultimately available in a given year. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized $250 million annually from the Highway Trust Fund for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, with an additional $400 million appropriated in FY 2022 and FY 2023 as described in the NOFO. Looking ahead, the authorization increases to $300 million annually for FY 2024, FY 2025, and FY 2026. The opportunity is listed under DOT FHWA, CFDA number 20.205, and the original closing date for this specific solicitation was August 18, 2023.Apply for 693JJ323NF00013
- The DOT Federal Highway Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.205.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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| Native American Pedestrian Safety Demonstration Apply for 693JJ923R000089 Funding Number: 693JJ923R000089 Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $507,000 |
| State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls Apply for 693JJ923R000206 Funding Number: 693JJ923R000206 Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $7,500,500 |
| FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Airport Terminal Program (ATP) Grants Apply for FAA ARP BIL G 23 002 Funding Number: FAA ARP BIL G 23 002 Agency: Airport Improvement Program Discretionary Grants Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $970,000,000 |
| FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program Apply for FAA ARP BIL G 24 001 Funding Number: FAA ARP BIL G 24 001 Agency: Airport Improvement Program Discretionary Grants Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $20,000,000 |
| Rural Autonomous Vehicle Program Apply for RAVTRANS Funding Number: RAVTRANS Agency: 69A355 Research and Technology Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $25,000,000 |
| State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls Apply for 693JJ924R000018 Funding Number: 693JJ924R000018 Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $4,100,000 |
| FY22-FY24 Congestion Relief Program Apply for 693JJ324NF00009 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00009 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $150,000,000 |
| Fiscal Years 2022, 2023, and 2024 Prioritization Process Pilot Program Apply for 693JJ324NF00010 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00010 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Guardrail Safety Training Apply for 693JJ324NF00007 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00007 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Fiscal Year 2023 Pollinator-Friendly Practices on Roadsides and Highway Rights-of-Way Program Apply for 693JJ324NF00015 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00015 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Small Community Air Service Development Program Apply for DOT OST 2024 0066 Funding Number: DOT OST 2024 0066 Agency: 69A345 Office of the Under Secretary for Policy Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $12,000,000 |
| FY24 Newport News Transportation Center Apply for FR CCD 23 007 Funding Number: FR CCD 23 007 Agency: DOT - Federal Railroad Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems Apply for 693JJ324NF00022 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00022 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| FY 2024-2026 Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program Apply for 693JJ324NF00023 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00023 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $100,000,000 |
| FY24 National Network Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation Apply for FR AMT 24 011 Funding Number: FR AMT 24 011 Agency: DOT - Federal Railroad Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $758,036,398 |
| FY24 Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation Apply for FR AMT 24 010 Funding Number: FR AMT 24 010 Agency: DOT - Federal Railroad Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $582,742,520 |
| FYs 2023 through 2026 (Year Two through Year Five) National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration Grant Program (Culvert Aquatic Organism Passage (Culvert AOP) Program) Apply for 693JJ324NF00025 Funding Number: 693JJ324NF00025 Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $196,000,000 |
| State Legislative Research Apply for 693JJ924R000070 Funding Number: 693JJ924R000070 Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $1,400,000 |
| FY24-Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program - Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor Apply for FR FSP 22 003 Funding Number: FR FSP 22 003 Agency: DOT - Federal Railroad Administration Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $207,629 |
| FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Airport Terminal Program (ATP) Grants Apply for FAA ARP BIL G 24 002 Funding Number: FAA ARP BIL G 24 002 Agency: Airport Improvement Program Discretionary Grants Category: Transportation Funding Amount: $970,000,000 |
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