Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2024 014 TPM NRTAP
The FY24 Notice of Funding Opportunity: National Rural Transit Assistance Program (NRTAP) is a discretionary federal grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Through this notice, FTA is seeking one organization to serve as the national administrator for the Rural Transportation Assistance Program. The selected recipient will operate under a cooperative agreement, meaning FTA will likely remain actively involved in shaping and overseeing the work as it is carried out, rather than simply issuing funds with minimal federal interaction. The overall purpose is to strengthen rural public transportation by providing targeted training, technical assistance, and practical support services designed around the real operational needs of rural and tribal transit providers.
The total funding available is $3,250,723 for Fiscal Year 2024, and FTA expects to make a single award up to that amount (the award ceiling is $3,250,723). Because only one award is anticipated, proposals are essentially competing to become the national hub that designs, coordinates, and delivers capacity-building services for rural transit agencies and operators across the country. The funding is offered under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program, and the assistance is tied to the Rural Transportation Assistance Program intent: improving the effectiveness, safety, and capability of transit services in rural communities where resources, staffing, and access to specialized expertise can be limited.
Eligible applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations that have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, excluding institutions of higher education. In practical terms, this means the competition is geared toward a mission-driven nonprofit that can credibly demonstrate national reach, experience with rural transit issues, and the organizational capacity to manage a nationwide training and technical assistance portfolio. The administrator would be expected to understand the unique constraints rural operators face, such as long service distances, limited maintenance and operations staff, constrained budgets, driver recruitment challenges, safety and compliance requirements, and the need to coordinate with human services transportation, local governments, and tribal communities.
The work scope described in the opportunity centers on designing and implementing training and technical assistance projects and delivering other support services specifically tailored to rural transit operators, including tribal transit services. While the notice summary does not list every deliverable, the emphasis is clear: the national program is expected to function as a practical support engine for rural transit, helping agencies build skills, solve operational problems, and access guidance that can improve day-to-day service delivery. This can include developing training curricula, producing toolkits and templates, hosting webinars or workshops, providing direct technical assistance, disseminating best practices, and creating resources that help rural and tribal providers comply with federal requirements and adopt proven approaches without having to reinvent them locally.
Administratively, this opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number FTA 2024 014 TPM NRTAP, with a creation date of 2024-09-12 and an application closing date of 2024-11-12. The program sits in the Transportation funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 20.509. Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, applicants should be prepared for a more collaborative federal relationship that may involve regular coordination, progress reporting, and alignment with FTA priorities for rural transit training and technical assistance.
In short, this is a single-award national leadership role for a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit to run the National RTAP, using roughly $3.25 million in FY24 funding to deliver training, technical assistance, and support services that directly improve the capacity and performance of rural and tribal transit providers nationwide.Apply for FTA 2024 014 TPM NRTAP
- The DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY24 Notice of Funding Opportunity: National Rural Transit Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.509.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,250,723.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the FY24 National Rural Transit Assistance Program (NRTAP) funding opportunity?
The FY24 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the National Rural Transit Assistance Program (NRTAP) is a discretionary federal grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA). FTA is seeking one organization to serve as the national administrator for the Rural Transportation Assistance Program.
Who is the federal agency offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
What is the purpose of this funding?
The purpose is to strengthen rural public transportation by providing targeted training, technical assistance, and practical support services designed around the operational needs of rural and tribal transit providers. The intent is to improve the effectiveness, safety, and capability of transit services in rural communities where resources and access to specialized expertise can be limited.
How many awards does FTA expect to make?
FTA expects to make a single award. Applicants are competing to become the national hub that designs, coordinates, and delivers capacity-building services for rural transit providers nationwide.
How much funding is available?
The total funding available for Fiscal Year 2024 is $3,250,723.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
FTA expects one award up to $3,250,723, which is also the award ceiling.
What type of award instrument will be used?
The selected recipient will operate under a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement generally indicates that FTA will likely remain actively involved in shaping and overseeing the work as it is carried out, rather than simply issuing funds with minimal federal interaction. Applicants should be prepared for a collaborative relationship that may include regular coordination, progress reporting, and alignment with FTA priorities for rural transit training and technical assistance.
What program is this funding associated with?
The funding is offered under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program and is tied to the Rural Transportation Assistance Program intent.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 20.509.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is FTA 2024 014 TPM NRTAP.
What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The creation date is 2024-09-12 and the application closing date is 2024-11-12.
What funding activity category does this opportunity fall under?
This opportunity sits in the Transportation funding activity category.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations that have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, excluding institutions of higher education.
Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?
No. Institutions of higher education are explicitly excluded from eligibility.
Is this opportunity intended for state or local transit agencies to apply directly?
Based on the eligibility described, the applicant must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (and not an institution of higher education). The selected recipient would then serve as the national administrator delivering training and technical assistance to rural and tribal transit providers nationwide.
What role will the selected organization play if awarded?
The selected organization will serve as the national administrator for the Rural Transportation Assistance Program and function as a national hub for designing, coordinating, and delivering training, technical assistance, and other support services for rural and tribal transit operators.
What kinds of activities are expected under the scope of work?
The scope centers on designing and implementing training and technical assistance projects and delivering other support services tailored to rural transit operators, including tribal transit services. Examples described in the opportunity include developing training curricula, producing toolkits and templates, hosting webinars or workshops, providing direct technical assistance, disseminating best practices, and creating resources that help providers comply with federal requirements and adopt proven approaches.
Who are the primary beneficiaries of the program work?
The program is designed to support rural transit operators and tribal transit services across the country by improving capacity, safety, and day-to-day operational performance.
What kinds of rural transit challenges is the program meant to address?
The opportunity highlights constraints often faced by rural operators, including long service distances, limited maintenance and operations staff, constrained budgets, driver recruitment challenges, safety and compliance requirements, and coordination needs with human services transportation, local governments, and tribal communities.
What kinds of deliverables are required?
The summary does not list every deliverable, but it emphasizes practical support for rural transit through training and technical assistance. Deliverables may include curricula, toolkits/templates, webinars or workshops, direct technical assistance outputs, and resources to support compliance and adoption of best practices.
Does the opportunity specifically include tribal transit services?
Yes. The scope and purpose explicitly include support services tailored to rural transit operators, including tribal transit services.
What makes this opportunity competitive?
FTA anticipates only one award, so proposals are competing for a single national leadership role as the administrator of the National RTAP program.
What organizational capabilities does FTA appear to be looking for?
Based on the description, the competition is geared toward a mission-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit that can demonstrate national reach, experience with rural transit issues, and the organizational capacity to manage a nationwide training and technical assistance portfolio.
What is the overall intended outcome of this award?
The intended outcome is improved effectiveness, safety, and capability of rural and tribal public transportation services through high-impact training, technical assistance, and practical resources that address real-world operational needs.
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