Fiscal Year 2024 Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program Notice of Funding

Details: April 17, 2024. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Solicitation of Project Proposals for the FY 2024 Passenger Ferry Grant Program (Passenger Ferry Program), Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program (Low-No Ferry Program), and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program (Rural Ferry Program). The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for approximately $51 million in competitive grants from the Passenger Ferry Grant Program, $49 million for the Low-No Ferry Program, and approximately $216 million from the Rural Ferry Program. See the Federal Register Notice. Synopses and a full announcement are posted on Grants.Gov as opportunity FTA-2024-007-TPM-PassFerry for Passenger Ferry Program applications, FTA-2024-008-TPM-FERRYPILOT for Low-No Ferry Program applications, and opportunity FTA-2024-009-TPM-RuralFerry for Rural Ferry Program applications. Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.Gov website by 11:59 PM Eastern Time June 17, 2024.

Summary: The Passenger Ferry Program provides funding to improve the condition and quality of existing passenger ferry services, support the establishment of new passenger ferry services, and repair and modernize ferry boats, terminals, and related facilities and equipment.  

The Low-No Ferry Program provides funding for projects that support the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferries and the electrification of or other reduction of emissions from existing ferries.

The Rural Ferry Program provides funding for capital, operating, and planning expenses for ferry service to rural areas.  

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for the Passenger Ferry Program are: (1) designated recipients as defined in FTA Circular "Urbanized Area Formula Program: Program Guidance and Application Instructions" (FTA.C.9030.1E) and (2) direct recipients of FTA's Urbanized Area Formula Grants, as well as public entities engaged in providing public transportation passenger ferry service in urban areas that are eligible to be direct recipients. 

Eligible applicants for the Low-No Ferry Program are any eligible recipient of Section 5307 or Section 5311 funding.

Eligible applicants for the Rural Ferry Program are States and Territories in which eligible service is operated. 

Link and instructions for attaching the supplemental form to the SF-424: All applicants must complete the supplemental form and attach it to their submission in Grants.Gov. 

Dates: Applicants must submit proposals electronically by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on June 17, 2024. Any agency intending to apply should initiate the process of registering on the Grants.Gov site immediately to ensure completion of registration before the submission deadline.

FTA will host a webinar to discuss the requirements for the funding, application eligibility and criteria, and the submission process. Learn more about the Passenger Ferry, Low-No Ferry, Rural Ferry and how to apply. The webinar will include an opportunity to ask questions. FTA is committed to providing equal access to this session for all participants. If you need alternative formats, options, or services, please email FTAFerryPrograms@dot.gov.

• Ferry Grant Programs NOFO Webinar
  Thursday, May 2, 2024 – 2:30PM Eastern Time
  Join the webinar (Passcode: 638376)

For further information: please contact the FTA program staff by email at FTAFerryPrograms@dot.gov or by phone as shown below:

• Passenger Ferry Program: Vanessa Williams at (202)-366-4818
• Low-No Ferry Program: Vanessa Williams at (202)-366-4818 
• Rural Ferry Program:  Sarah Clements at (202) 366-3062