The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact. The eligibility requirements of BUILD allow project sponsors, including state and local governments, counties, Tribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities, to pursue multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to fund through other grant programs.
BUILD grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, per statute, for planning or constructing surface transportation infrastructure projects that will improve safety; environmental sustainability; quality of life; mobility and community connectivity; economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism; state of good repair; partnership and collaboration; and innovation.
Total FY 2026 funding- 1.5 billion dollars; Award range- 1 million to 25 million; Planning projects have no minimum; Cost share- up to 80 percent federal, or up to 100 percent in rural, persistent poverty, and historically disadvantaged communities.
Applications must be submitted online no later than 5:00 pm eastern on February 24, 2026.
Complete instructions on how to apply will be posted at grants.gov and the BUILD program website. Selections are expected to be announced no later than June 28, 2026.