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The FY 2026 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Transportation funds surface transportation infrastructure projects nationwide. Awards are capped at $25 million per project. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, federally recognized tribes, transit agencies, port authorities, and other public entities with a transportation function.
Applications must be submitted through Valid Eval—not Grants. gov—using Funding Opportunity Number DTOS59-26-RA-BUILD. Applicants must hold an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.
gov. The FY 2026 deadline was February 24, 2026.
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[](https://www. transportation. gov/BUILDgrants/apply) How to Apply for BUILD Grants Do Not Apply through Grants.
gov Although the FY 2026 BUILD opportunity will appear on Grants. gov, **applications must be submitted through Valid Eval, not Grants. gov.** Use the following parameters if you need to locate the FY 2026 BUILD NOFO on Grants.
gov: * **Funding Opportunity Number**: DTOS59-26-RA-BUILD * **Funding Opportunity Title**: FY 2026 National Infrastructure Investments * **CFDA Number: 20. 933** — National Infrastructure Investments Submitting Your Application ### Begin with SAM. gov Registration Before submitting your materials, you must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number to apply.
To request a UEI, please visit SAM. gov. Note: It may take up to 30 days to receive a UEI. Applicants must have “Active” UEIs in order to apply; applicants with existing UEIs are encouraged to verify that their UEI is active prior to applying.
### Register in Valid Eval Valid Eval is a third-party web-based evaluation platform used by USDOT and other Federal programs to support application submissions and evaluation. Applicants will submit their grant applications via Valid Eval.
The Primary Contact for the application should be a staff member from the applicant organization who signed the SF-424 as the Authorized Representative, or the person listed as the contact for the application on the SF-424. Register with Valid Eval to submit FY 2026 BUILD grant applications.
There are separate application portals for capital and planning grant applications: Register on Valid Eval to apply for a Planning Grant") Register on Valid Eval to apply for a Capital Grant") Use your email address to register. The registration process should take approximately 10 minutes and can be done ahead of submitting your application. **If you already have an account with Valid Eval, you do not need to register again.
** Contact support@valideval. com") with any technical issues. When you are ready to submit your application, go to the same Valid Eval sign-up link as above.
* Log in to your account in Valid Eval. * Answer all the registration details and key information questions on the page. * Upload the completed Standard Forms and other applicable attachments at the bottom of the page.
* Click on “Submit Your Application. ” * You will see a confirmation page letting you know your submission is complete. Take a screenshot with the time stamp if you finish your application on the same day as the deadline.
* If any required details on the page are missing, you will need to scroll up the page and complete the missing details before you can submit your application. Details are not saved if you exit this page before seeing the confirmation page. * You can **save your progress** in Valid Eval and return to your application until the NOFO closes using the login credentials you created at signup.
You can also add additional team members to your profile who may need to be included on any feedback notifications. * Once you submit your application, you cannot make any edits to your application, so please **ensure that your application is complete before submitting**. The BUILD program does not accept late applications.
Applications that Valid Eval time stamps after 5:00 PM ET on February 24, 2026 will be marked as late and ineligible for review. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make submissions days, if not weeks, in advance of the deadline, and applicants facing technical issues are advised to contact Valid Eval support well in advance of the deadline. Note: Letters of Support will be accepted through March 13, 2026 on Valid Eval.
### Application Content and Format Applicants should review the application checklist below to ensure your application package is complete and in the proper format. Most forms are to be drafted by the applicant and do not have templates. Instructions for what should be included in each form are in Section D of the NOFO.
**The SF-424 is a standard form that must be filled out and completed within the application package. ** **BUILD Application Checklist** | Information | File Name | NOFO Section | Page Limit | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SF-424* | SF-424 | D. 1 | N/A | | SF-LLL* | SF-LLL | D.
1 | N/A | | Key Information Questions* | N/A | D. 2 | N/A | | Project Description | Project Description | D. 3 | 5 pages | | Project Location File (zip with .
shp, . shx, . dbf, and .
prj; or KML/KMZ) | Project Location File | D. 4 | N/A | | Project Budget | Project Budget | D. 5 | 5 Pages | | Funding Commitment Documentation | Funding Commitments | D.
5 | N/A | | Merit Criteria | Merit Criteria Narrative | D. 6 | 15 pages | | Project Readiness | Project Readiness | D. 7 | 5 pages | | Benefit-Cost Analysis Narrative** | BCA Narrative | D.
8 | N/A | | Benefit-Cost Analysis Calculations** (unlocked Excel file) | BCA Calculation | D. 8 | N/A | | Letters of Support (optional) * Accepting until March 13, 2026 through Valid Eval | Letters of Support | D. 7 | N/A | **Only capital project applications submit Benefit-Cost Analysis narratives and calculations.
### Additional Resources: * BCA SpreadsheetTemplate * FY 2026 BUILD Risk Assessment Guidance
Key questions and narrative sections extracted from the solicitation.
Key Information Questions (standard form questions about project basics)
Project Description (5 pages maximum): Describe the proposed project, its location, and the transportation problem or opportunity it addresses
Project Budget (5 pages maximum): Detail all project costs, funding sources, and cost breakdown
Merit Criteria Narrative (15 pages maximum): Address each of the 8 merit criteria — Safety, Environmental Sustainability, Quality of Life, Mobility and Community Connectivity, Economic Competitiveness and Opportunity, State of Good Repair, Innovation, and Partnership and Collaboration — with clear, direct, and data-driven evidence of benefits
Project Readiness (5 pages maximum): Demonstrate project readiness including environmental review status, technical feasibility, financial capacity, and project delivery schedule
Benefit-Cost Analysis Narrative (capital projects only): Narrative description of the BCA methodology, current baseline, data sources used to estimate project benefits, all assumptions, and values of key input parameters
Benefit-Cost Analysis Calculations (capital projects only): Unlocked spreadsheet revealing all underlying BCA calculations
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: States, local governments, tribes, transit agencies, special districts, port authorities, public authorities with transportation function. No maximum award is $25 million per project. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Funding amounts vary based on project scope and sponsor guidance. Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is February 24, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.