The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for approximately $657 million in competitive grants for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Passenger Ferry Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program.
FTA’s ferry grant programs help modernize terminal infrastructure, launch new ferry routes, and fund new ferries to connect American families to their jobs and new communities more efficiently.
Additional Information:
To make travel more family-friendly on America’s waterways and jumpstart economic growth, USDOT has outlined the following criteria for project selection:
- Benefits for Families: How a project will make ferry travel more family-friendly and improve access to jobs, doctor’s offices, and leisure activities.
- Safety: How a project will improve the accessibility of transportation for families with young children, including those with strollers, and increase accessibility for people with disabilities, including persons with intellectual, developmental, sensory, or mobility disabilities.
- Wayfinding Improvements: How a project will make real-time information in passenger waiting areas easier to read by using large print and simplified language.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity outlines the application criteria. Applicants are encouraged to submit eligible projects as soon as possible and must do so by May 11, 2026.