FHWA opens $227M in funding for Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Opportunity: FY 2024-2026 Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP)
Overview and Eligible Uses: The purpose of this NOFO is to provide grants on a competitive basis for projects that seek to achieve a reduction in the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC); and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species (Title 23, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 171).
Grants are available for all project activities, including but not limited to research, planning, design, and construction.
The primary goals of the WCPP are to improve safety, protect motorists and wildlife by reducing WVCs, and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. Reduction of WVCs and improvement of terrestrial and aquatic habitat connectivity are the primary merit criteria that will be used in reviewing applications, and each of the primary merit criteria are of equal importance.
Amount: The total amount of funding available for awards under this NOFO is up to $145M for the FY 2024-2025 application period, and up to $80M for the FY 2026 application period, along with approximately $2.3M in unawarded FY 2023 funding.
There is no minimum or maximum award size; however, applicants are encouraged to submit applications for large-scale projects with total project costs of $200,000 or greater. FHWA anticipates awarding between 15-50 grants using FY 2024 and FY 2025 funds and between 5-25 grants using FY 2026 funds with anticipated awards ranging from $200,000 to $25 million, although FHWA may also make awards outside of this range.
Award Type: project agreement
Eligible Applicants:
A State department of Transportation (State DOT);
A metropolitan planning organization (MPO);
A unit of local government;
A regional transportation authority;
A special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function;
An Indian Tribe;
A Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA); or
a group of the above entities
Key Dates: FY 2024 and FY 2025 funding applications are due by September 4, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.
The FY 2026 application will open May 1, 2025 and close August 1, 2025.
Key Links:
FHWA Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program website
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.