Opportunity Information: Apply for FR FSP 26 001
The FY25-26 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program for projects located on the Northeast Corridor (often referred to as Partnership-NEC) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). It is designed to help pay for major intercity passenger rail investments specifically on the Northeast Corridor, with the overarching goal of tackling the corridor's long-standing needs while also enabling better service. The program focuses on projects that meaningfully reduce the State of Good Repair backlog, improve performance, and/or expand existing intercity passenger rail service, including efforts that establish new service where applicable along the NEC.
This opportunity provides grant funding (Funding Instrument: Grant) under CFDA 20.340 and sits within the transportation funding category. The total amount of funding available is reflected by an exceptionally high award ceiling of $4,750,212,830, which signals that FRA expects large, capital-intensive proposals that can move the needle on corridor-wide reliability, capacity, and asset condition. FRA anticipates making around five awards, indicating a competitive process where applications will likely need to be well-developed, technically credible, and ready to proceed with clear benefits and deliverables.
A notable feature of the Partnership-NEC competition is the broad range of eligible applicants, which is intended to match the complicated governance and ownership landscape of the NEC. Eligible applicants include: states (including the District of Columbia), groups of states, interstate compacts, public agencies or publicly chartered authorities established by one or more states, political subdivisions of a state (such as counties, cities, or townships), and special district governments. Amtrak is also explicitly eligible, either applying on its own behalf or through cooperative agreements with one or more states. Federally recognized Indian Tribes may apply as well. In addition, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation is listed as an eligible entity. The opportunity also allows any combination of the listed entities (particularly those described through item vii), which supports joint applications and multi-party delivery structures that are common for corridor projects spanning multiple jurisdictions or owners.
The practical intent of the program is to support NEC projects that address core infrastructure and service constraints. While the notice text here is brief, the stated priorities point to investments that restore or modernize aging assets (bringing them to a good state of repair), improve operational performance (such as reliability, trip time, and throughput), and expand service (which can include capacity additions or improvements that enable more frequent or more robust intercity passenger rail operations). Because the Northeast Corridor is a heavily used passenger rail spine with complex interdependencies, projects that reduce bottlenecks, improve asset resilience, and eliminate deferred maintenance are typically aligned with the "State of Good Repair" and "performance improvement" emphasis described in the opportunity summary.
Key administrative details include the Funding Opportunity Number FR FSP 26 001 and an original application closing date of May 5, 2026. The opportunity was created on April 20, 2026, suggesting a relatively short runway between posting and the deadline, so prospective applicants generally need to move quickly to confirm eligibility, define scope and costs, document benefits, and coordinate any required partnerships or cooperative agreements. The awarding agency is the Federal Railroad Administration under USDOT, which will administer the competition and oversee grant selection and implementation for winning projects.
In short, Partnership-NEC is a high-dollar, highly competitive FRA grant opportunity aimed at a small number of significant Northeast Corridor intercity passenger rail projects. It is structured to accommodate the NEC's mix of stakeholders (states, local governments, authorities, Amtrak, tribes, and specific corridor entities) and is targeted at projects that cut down deferred maintenance, improve how the corridor performs day-to-day, and expand or enable stronger intercity passenger rail service.Apply for FR FSP 26 001
- The DOT - Federal Railroad Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY25-26 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program for projects located on the Northeast Corridor (Partnership-NEC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.340.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-05. (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 $4,750,212,830.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others.
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FY25-26 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Partnership-NEC) FAQs
1) What is the Partnership-NEC grant opportunity?
The FY25-26 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program for projects located on the Northeast Corridor (often called Partnership-NEC) is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). It is intended to help fund major intercity passenger rail investments specifically on the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
2) Who runs and administers this program?
The awarding agency is the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). FRA administers the competition and oversees grant selection and implementation for awarded projects.
3) What is the main goal of this funding?
The program is designed to address the NEC's long-standing needs while enabling improved intercity passenger rail service. The stated emphasis includes projects that meaningfully reduce the State of Good Repair backlog, improve performance, and/or expand existing intercity passenger rail service (including establishing new service where applicable along the NEC).
4) What types of projects are prioritized?
Based on the opportunity description, the program prioritizes NEC projects that:
- Reduce the State of Good Repair backlog (address deferred maintenance and aging assets).
- Improve performance (for example, reliability, trip time, and throughput).
- Expand existing intercity passenger rail service, including efforts that establish new service where applicable along the NEC.
5) Is this a discretionary or formula program?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity, meaning projects are selected through a competitive process rather than by formula allocation.
6) What is the funding instrument?
The funding instrument is a Grant.
7) What is the CFDA number and funding category?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 20.340 and falls within the transportation funding category.
8) How much funding is available?
The opportunity shows an exceptionally high award ceiling of $4,750,212,830. This suggests FRA is expecting large, capital-intensive proposals that can materially improve corridor-wide reliability, capacity, and asset condition.
9) How many awards does FRA expect to make?
FRA anticipates making around five awards, indicating a competitive selection process where applications will likely need to be well-developed, technically credible, and ready to proceed with clear benefits and deliverables.
10) Where must projects be located to be eligible?
Projects must be located on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), as this competition is specifically for NEC projects.
11) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes:
- States (including the District of Columbia)
- Groups of states
- Interstate compacts
- Public agencies or publicly chartered authorities established by one or more states
- Political subdivisions of a state (for example, counties, cities, or townships)
- Special district governments
- Amtrak (either on its own behalf or through cooperative agreements with one or more states)
- Federally recognized Indian Tribes
- Union Station Redevelopment Corporation
12) Are joint or multi-party applications allowed?
Yes. The opportunity allows any combination of the listed eligible entities, supporting joint applications and multi-party delivery structures that are common for NEC projects spanning multiple jurisdictions or owners.
13) Can Amtrak apply?
Yes. Amtrak is explicitly listed as an eligible applicant. Amtrak may apply on its own behalf or through cooperative agreements with one or more states.
14) Are Tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Indian Tribes are listed as eligible applicants.
15) Why does the program include so many different eligible applicant types?
The NEC has a complex governance and ownership landscape. The broad eligibility is intended to match that reality and enable projects to be led by the entity (or group of entities) best positioned to deliver them.
16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is FR FSP 26 001.
17) When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 20, 2026.
18) What is the application deadline?
The original application closing date is May 5, 2026.
19) What does the timing imply for applicants?
Given the posting date of April 20, 2026 and the closing date of May 5, 2026, the runway between posting and deadline is relatively short. Applicants will likely need to move quickly to confirm eligibility, define scope and costs, document benefits, and coordinate any needed partnerships or cooperative agreements.
20) What outcomes is FRA trying to achieve on the Northeast Corridor through this program?
From the description provided, FRA is targeting investments that tackle the NEC's long-standing infrastructure needs while enabling better service. This includes reducing deferred maintenance and backlog, improving day-to-day operational performance, and expanding or enabling more robust intercity passenger rail service along the corridor.
21) What kind of projects appear to fit the "State of Good Repair" emphasis?
While the notice text here is brief, the summary indicates alignment with investments that restore or modernize aging assets and reduce deferred maintenance, bringing assets back to a good state of repair.
22) What kind of projects appear to fit the "performance improvement" emphasis?
Projects that improve operational performance such as reliability, trip time, and throughput are described as aligned with the performance improvement focus.
23) What kind of projects appear to fit the "service expansion" emphasis?
The description indicates that expansion can include capacity additions or improvements that enable more frequent or more robust intercity passenger rail operations, including efforts that establish new service where applicable along the NEC.
24) How competitive is this funding opportunity likely to be?
FRA anticipates making around five awards, and the award ceiling is extremely large, pointing to a small number of major, high-impact projects. This combination suggests a highly competitive process where applications will likely need to be strong, corridor-relevant, and implementation-ready.
25) What is the core geographic and programmatic focus in one sentence?
A small number of large discretionary grants for major intercity passenger rail investments located on the Northeast Corridor, focused on State of Good Repair, performance improvements, and service expansion.
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