Remarkably balanced program — nearly even split between rural and urban applicants on award count. Urban applicants receive larger average grants, especially for implementation.
Cities and townships dominate — 59% of all awards. Counties are the second-largest recipient type. MPOs and regional organizations are more competitive for large planning grants.
The sweet spot for implementation grants is $5M–$25M. This range accounts for 62% of all implementation awards and nearly 70% of total implementation funding. The program strongly discourages large single awards — only 9 awards exceeded $25M across 4 years.
California is the #1 state by both award count (260) and total federal funding ($528M), nearly double Florida in second place. Large urban-state dominance reflects where the safety need and organizational capacity are highest.
States with 3+ implementation awards — ranked by average grant size. California leads in award count (31); Michigan and New York lead in average grant size.
🌊 West Coast Dominance
CA + WA + OR together received over $680M — 17% of the entire national program. Strong MPO infrastructure and pre-existing Vision Zero plans gave these states a competitive edge in all grant types.
🌾 Rural States Punching Above Weight
States like Kansas (60 awards), Indiana (66), and Tennessee (88) have high award counts relative to population, driven by high fatality rates that earn priority scoring on Safety Impact criteria.
📊 15% State Cap Creates Ceiling
The NOFO caps any single state at 15% of total funds ($~149M for FY26). California historically receives ~13%, meaning there is still room — but competition within California is intense.
Planning grants span virtually every corner of California — from tribal governments in rural Northern CA to transit agencies in the Bay Area and infrastructure authorities in SoCal. The $200K–$800K planning grant range is where most CA cities start.
🚦 Infrastructure is King in CA
Every CA implementation grant was infrastructure-based — crosswalks, signals, protected bike lanes, sidewalks, HAWK beacons. Behavioral-only grants do not win large CA implementation awards.
📋 Action Plan = Your Ticket to Implementation
All CA implementation awardees had an adopted Safety Action Plan. Having a recently adopted Action Plan (CSAP or equivalent) is the single most important eligibility prerequisite for any city pursuing implementation funding.
🤝 MPOs & CTAs Win Big
CCTA ($28.9M, FY22), SCAG ($12M planning), MTC ($10M planning) demonstrate that regional/CTA applicants secure the largest single awards. City-level apps cluster in the $3M–$16M range.
📍 Multi-Intersection Bundles Work
Most CA implementation awardees bundle 8–25 intersections or 2–4 corridors. Single-site applications rarely exceed $3M. A multi-intersection project list targeting your HIN directly aligns with this winning strategy.
🎯 Equity Census Tracts Are Table Stakes
Every CA implementation awardee explicitly identified underserved community census tracts in their project area. This is not optional — it affects both merit scoring and SRT selection.
💰 Sweet Spot: $5M–$16M for Cities
City-level CA implementation grants cluster tightly in the $5M–$16M range. Applications above $20M tend to come from counties or transit agencies with larger jurisdictions and more complex scopes.
Based on FY25 project descriptions and FY22–25 implementation grant patterns, the following project types appear consistently across funded applications. Infrastructure is the dominant category — 87% of FY25 implementation grants were classified as infrastructural.
On the High-Injury Network: Projects must be on or directly tied to the HIN. DOT reviewers verify this against your maps.
FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures: Cite specific CMFs and reference FHWA's PSC list. Quantified safety benefit projections (15–40% crash reduction) dramatically strengthen Safety Impact scores.
Bundled / Systemic Approach: Multiple locations addressing the same safety problem score higher than single-site applications at similar funding levels.
KSI Data Supporting Each Location: Projects with documented fatality or serious injury history score highest. Use 2019–2023 data — the NOFO requires it.
Equity Overlap: Project areas in or adjacent to underserved community census tracts explicitly noted in application. Affects both merit score and SRT prioritization.
Project Readiness: NEPA class of action identified, right-of-way confirmed, utility conflicts assessed, realistic 5-year schedule with clear milestones.
Technology Integration: FY26 NOFO elevates "Public Safety Infrastructure" as a new priority. Connected vehicle, signal technology, or EMS coordination components add competitive edge.
Capacity Expansion: Adding lanes or level-of-service improvements without a clear safety nexus are explicitly ineligible. DOT scrutinizes this heavily.
Dedicated Bike Lanes That Reduce Vehicular Capacity: New protected bike lanes that remove vehicle capacity are a Less Favorable Consideration at SRT review. Frame carefully.
Automated Traffic Enforcement (Speed Cameras): Explicitly listed as a Less Favorable Consideration except in work zones, school zones, or on school buses.
Maintenance Activities: Pavement preservation or state-of-good-repair projects are ineligible. Must be safety-motivated modifications, not maintenance.
New Roadway Construction: Building new roadways for motor vehicles is ineligible. New pedestrian-only facilities (bridges, underpasses) are eligible if safety-justified.
Infrastructure Reducing Emergency Vehicle Access: Any design that impairs emergency vehicle movements is specifically flagged as less favorable at SRT review.
Vague Project Descriptions Without Data: "General safety improvements" without crash data, HIN mapping, and CMF citations will receive Low or Non-Responsive Safety Need ratings.
📊 Safety Need Section
Lead with KSI data (2019–2023 SWITRS/TIMS). Show HIN map. Identify crash types, contributing factors, and at-risk user groups. Cite fatality rate per 100K population. Reference your adopted Action Plan (CSAP or equivalent). All three components must be addressed for a High rating.
🏗️ Safety Impact Section
Name each project, cite its FHWA PSC classification, reference CMF values. Show coverage across HIN. Demonstrate wide geographic reach (systemic approach beats site-specific). Must hit at least 5 of 7 components for High rating. Safety Impact must be High to receive Highly Recommended overall.
💰 Implementation Costs Section
Itemize every location with cost breakdown. Show KSI per $M of federal funding — this is explicitly evaluated. Demonstrate leverage (20%+ match, any in-kind). Use the SS4A budget template exactly. Costs reviewed for reasonableness against comparable projects.
🤝 Engagement Section
Document community meetings, equity analysis, underserved tract involvement, and stakeholder letters. Include at least one letter from a public safety agency (police, fire, EMS). Letters from First Responder Labor Unions are explicitly called out as a Favorable Consideration.
📅 Project Readiness Section
Include a Gantt-style milestone schedule: NEPA class, design completion, procurement, construction start. Confirm right-of-way ownership and utility conflicts. Applications with "Unlikely" readiness ratings are removed from the Highly Recommended list before Secretary review.
📋 Action Plan Attachment
Upload your adopted Action Plan (CSAP or equivalent) or provide a public URL. Complete the Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet. All 6 Table 1 components must be addressed. Missing even one component requires a plan update commitment as a condition of award.
Lead with KSI — Not Just Collision Volume
DOT scores Safety Need on fatalities and serious injuries, not total crash counts. Applications that open with "X KSI crashes at these locations between 2019–2023" immediately signal alignment with the program's core metric. Translate your city's KSI data to a fatality rate per 100,000 population — the NOFO requires it for scoring.
TIP: Always state 2019–2023 FARS-aligned data even if you use SWITRS internallySystemic + Specific = Winning Formula
The highest-scoring applications combine a systemic countermeasure (deployed at many locations citywide, like retroreflective backplates or RRFB upgrades) with specific high-KSI intersection improvements. This satisfies both the "wide geographic area" and "high-injury network" components of the Safety Impact rubric simultaneously. Review your 23 intersection project list through this lens.
TIP: Bundle 4–6 systemic corridor upgrades alongside your top 5–8 KSI intersections$10–12M Sweet Spot Is Well-Calibrated
The $10–$15M range falls squarely in the most competitive and most frequently funded band ($5–15M = 48% of all implementation awards). It is large enough to demonstrate meaningful safety impact but well below thresholds that trigger heightened scrutiny. The $25M cap per award is rarely approached by city-level applicants.
TIP: Show KSI-per-million ratio — DOT explicitly evaluates "effective use of Federal funds relative to fatalities"Connected Vehicle Technology = FY26 Differentiator
The FY26 NOFO introduces "Public Safety Infrastructure" as a new explicit priority for the first time. Connected vehicle technology (C-V2X RSUs), adaptive signal control, and digital alert systems are now explicitly listed as eligible activities. Agencies that can bundle connected vehicle or AI-powered signal technology components have a genuine competitive differentiator — frame it prominently under both Safety Impact (technology criterion) and the new Public Safety Infrastructure priority.
TIP: Cite specific crash reduction projections from connected vehicle pilots in other cities to quantify expected CMFEquity Is Scored Quantitatively — Map It
DOT calculates the percentage of your jurisdiction's population in underserved community census tracts. This is a quantitative merit criterion (#3 for Planning, factored into SRT for Implementation). The SRT also explicitly prioritizes applications where a higher percentage of implementation funds benefit underserved locations. Identify all census tracts in your jurisdiction that meet the poverty threshold and ensure your project list includes locations in or adjacent to those tracts.
TIP: Include a dedicated equity map overlay showing project locations relative to underserved census tractsLetters of Support — Police Chief, Fire Chief, EMS, Labor
The FY26 NOFO explicitly calls out "letters of support especially from relevant stakeholders and Public Safety Agencies and associated Labor Unions representing First Responders" as a Favorable Consideration at SRT review. This is not boilerplate language — it directly reflects the Administration's priorities. Secure letters from your local Police Department, Fire Department, EMS, and if possible, the relevant first responder union (IAFF local).
TIP: Letters should reference specific project locations and expected safety outcomes, not generic supportProject Readiness Is a Binary Gate
The NOFO is explicit: applications rated "Unlikely" for project readiness are removed from the Highly Recommended list before Secretary review. This means you must document NEPA class of action (likely Categorical Exclusion for signal and striping work), confirm you own or have jurisdiction over all project roadways, identify utility conflicts, and provide a milestone schedule to construction start within ~18–24 months. Do not underestimate this section.
TIP: Confirm NEPA class as CE for all signal/striping/crosswalk projects; flag any that might need EAAvoid the "Less Favorable" Tripwires
Three specific project types are called out as Less Favorable at SRT review: (1) infrastructure reducing vehicular level of service or emergency vehicle access, (2) automated traffic enforcement except in school/work zones, (3) new dedicated bike lanes that reduce vehicular capacity. If your project list includes any of these elements, reframe them carefully — or remove them if they are not critical to the safety case.
TIP: Frame all bike infrastructure as filling pedestrian/bicycle gap in safety network, not as capacity reductionsSubmit Pre-Application Eligibility Review by April 24
DOT offers a pre-application eligibility review of your Action Plan against the Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet — due April 24, 2026. Submit your adopted plan immediately for pre-review (or, if not yet formally adopted, submit a near-final draft with a clear adoption timeline). This eliminates eligibility uncertainty before the May 26 deadline.
DEADLINE: April 24, 2026 — Pre-Application Eligibility ReviewProjects of Merit Carryover Strategy
FY26 introduces a formal "Projects of Merit" carryover — applications that receive Highly Recommended but are not funded are automatically advanced for consideration in future rounds. This means a strong FY26 application that falls short of funding is not wasted effort. Craft your narrative for the long game: clarity, quantified impact, and strong readiness documentation all benefit future rounds.
TIP: A Highly Recommended FY26 rating could fast-track a FY27 implementation awardAction Plan Must Be Adopted Before Application
Your Action Plan must be finalized and last updated between 2021 and May 26, 2026. Plans adopted in early 2026 meet this requirement. Upload your adopted plan or provide a public URL — a plan in active adoption process should include a documented adoption timeline.
KEY: Upload adopted Action Plan or provide public URL in applicationOne Application Only Per Applicant
Each eligible applicant may submit exactly one application — either Implementation or Planning and Demonstration, not both. If applying for Implementation, supplemental planning can be bundled in but you cannot file separately for planning funds.
RULE: Only the last submitted application is reviewed if multiples are received15% Per-State Cap
No more than $~149M can go to California in FY26. California historically receives ~13% of total SS4A funding, so this cap is not a practical barrier — but it does mean extreme competition among California agencies.
NEPA Must Be Addressed
Federal funds for final design, ROW, and construction cannot be obligated until NEPA approval. Signal, crosswalk, striping, and signing projects qualify for Categorical Exclusion. Document this in your Project Readiness section.
KEY: State CE class of action for each project type explicitlyBuy America Applies
Infrastructure and demonstration projects are subject to Build America, Buy America Act (BABA). Iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials must be domestic. Factor this into vendor selection and cost estimates.
No DEI Programs Certification Required
FY26 requires each recipient to certify it does not operate DEI programs violating Federal anti-discrimination laws (per EO 14173). This is a new administrative requirement — coordinate with City Attorney before award acceptance.
NEW: Public Safety Infrastructure Priority
FY26 explicitly elevates public safety infrastructure — EMS coordination, field blood delivery, 9-1-1 digital systems, emergency communications, post-crash care improvements. This is the single biggest change from FY25. Connected vehicle technology and AI-powered signal systems fit squarely here.
NEW: Frame technology components under this new explicit priorityNEW: Vagrancy / Crime Context (EO 14321)
The SRT may give favorable consideration to applications that reflect prioritization of reducing vagrancy per EO 14321. Framing safety improvements in high-crime or high-disorder corridors may provide additional SRT consideration — especially in areas with documented pedestrian and cyclist risk at night.
NEW: Projects of Merit Automatic Carryover
Highly Recommended applications that are not awarded are automatically carried to FY27. This reduces the cost of applying even if you do not win — a strong FY26 application may secure FY27 funding without re-applying.
NEW: Surplus Planning Funds → Implementation
If DOT cannot award the full 30% set-aside for planning grants (due to insufficient merit-worthy applicants), surplus funds may be redirected to implementation grants. This potentially increases implementation funding above $688M.
Beautification & Child-Friendly Design
Context-appropriate design and child-friendly elements are now both a Grant Priority and a Favorable SRT Consideration. Applications near schools, parks, or playgrounds should explicitly address these elements.
TIP: Cite school proximity and child-friendly design elements in your project descriptionsUnion / Apprenticeship Language Strengthened
DOT strengthened language around union participation, project labor agreements, and registered apprenticeship programs. For construction projects, document any existing City labor agreements or intent to use prevailing wage.
Four required criteria rated High / Medium / Low / Non-Responsive. To achieve Highly Recommended (required to reach Secretary's desk): at least 3 of 4 must be High, Safety Impact must be High, and none can be Low or Non-Responsive.