Restoration and Enhancement Grant Program
Overview: This program funds grants for initiating, restoring, or enhancing intercity passenger rail transportation. See the FY 2021-2024 Restoration and Enhancement Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for more information.
Legislative Authority:
This program is authorized under 49 U.S.C. § 22908. Funding for the FY 2021-2024 program was made available by the following: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Div. L, Tit. I, Pub. L. 116-260; the 2022-2024 advance appropriation in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), 2021, Div. J., Tit. VIII, Pub. L. No. 117-58; and additional carryover funding from Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, Div. G, Tit. I, Pub. L. 116-6 and Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Div. H, Tit. I, Pub. L. 116–94.
FY 2021-2024 Funding Available for Award: $153,845,680
Recipients: FY21-24 R&E Recipients
Eligible Projects:
Projects eligible for funding under this grant program include:
- additional frequency of current service
- offering new on-board services
- establishing new service
- extension of current service
- restoration of previously operated service
Eligible expenses are for funding assistance to initiate, restore, or enhance intercity rail passenger transportation. Examples of such expenses may include: staffing costs for train engineers, conductors, on-board service crew; diesel fuel or electricity costs associated with train propulsion power; station costs such as ticket sales, customer information and train dispatching services, station building utility and maintenance costs; lease payments on rolling stock; routine planned maintenance costs of equipment and train cleaning; host railroad costs; train yard operation costs; general and administrative costs; and management, marketing, sales, and reservations costs.
Eligible Recipients:
(1) a State (including the District of Columbia);
(2) a group of States;
(3) an Interstate Compact;
(4) a public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more States;
(5) a political subdivision of a State;
(6) Amtrak or another Rail Carrier that provides Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation;
(7) any Rail Carrier in partnership with at least one of the entities described in (1) through (5); and
(8) any combination of the entities described in (1) through (7).
Resources:
- FRA Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Pre-Award Authority
- To view presentation materials from the July 24, 2024, webinar, visit FRA's Webinars web page, Restoration and Enhancement Grant Program drop-down.
News:
Previous Funding Rounds:
FY 2018-2020
Funding for the FY 2018-2020 program was made available by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (2020 Appropriation), Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, Div. G, Tit. I, Public Law 116-6 (2019 Appropriation), Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Div. L, Tit. I, Public Law 115-141 (2018 Appropriation), and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, Div. K, Tit. I, Public Law 115-31 (2017 Appropriation).
FY 2018-2020 Funding Available for Award: $26,337,600
- Projects totaling $22,414,816 were selected
Resources:
- FY 2018–2019 Notice of Funding Opportunity
- FY 2018-2019 Notice of Funding Opportunity amendment (adding FY 2020 Appropriation)
News:
FY 2017
Legislative Authority:
Funding for the FY 2017 program was made available by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, Pub. L. No. 115-31, Division K, Title I and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. 115-141, Division L, Title I.
Funding Available for Award: $4,796,500
- Projects totaling $4,360,000 were selected
Resources:
News:
Last updated: Tuesday, January 21, 2025