Final $1B Safe Streets and Roads for All Grants: What Communities Need to Know Before May 26

Hook: Last Call for $1 Billion in Safe Streets Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has opened the final round of Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants, making nearly $1 billion available to cities, towns, tribal governments, and regional organizations nationwide. Both Planning & Demonstration ($305M) and Implementation ($688M) grants are on the table — but applications must be submitted by May 26, 2026. This marks the end of guaranteed SS4A funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), offering one last major chance for direct federal investment in local roadway safety.

Read the official USDOT NOFO here.

Context: Why This Funding Round Matters

Launched in 2022, the SS4A program has quickly become one of the most popular and impactful grant opportunities for local road safety. Over $3.9 billion has been awarded to more than 2,000 communities — supporting action plans, infrastructure upgrades, and the deployment of safety technologies that have already contributed to a drop in nationwide traffic fatalities (NHTSA data, 2025).

What makes SS4A unique is its direct-to-community model: eligible applicants can bypass traditional state DOT intermediaries and target locally-prioritized safety issues. Funding can support everything from new sidewalks and crosswalks to advanced traffic management technology or data-driven safety plans.

However, this year’s NOFO signals important changes. Funding priorities have shifted to emphasize public safety infrastructure (e.g., emergency response coordination, law enforcement support, quick response systems) rather than street redesigns that limit vehicle capacity or parking. Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with emergency services, highlight rural and school safety benefits, and include letters of support from public safety unions and agencies. Meanwhile, projects that restrict vehicle movement outside school settings receive less favorable review.

Impact: What This Means for Nonprofits, Local Governments, Tribes, and MPOs

For Local Government and Tribal Agencies:

• You can still apply for up to $25M for implementation, or up to $5M for planning. If your community has a recently developed or updated safety action plan (ideally using the Safe System Approach), you stand a strong chance for Implementation award consideration. Now, first responder engagement and rural school zone safety are prized features.

For Nonprofits and Community-Based Organizations:

• This round is competitive but open to you as lead or partner if you are empowered by a city, county, or tribal entity. Your ability to mobilize wide community or cross-sector support — especially if you work on child safety, EMS/fire response, or data collection — will be valuable.

For Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs):

• MPOs are eligible in both categories, especially for region-wide safety planning. Strong applications will integrate multi-agency partnerships and show documented needs/readiness, especially in areas with high crash rates or vulnerable road users.

For Transportation Advocates:

• While anti-car or reallocation-of-space projects face an uphill review, there’s still room for creative, people-first strategies — particularly those that innovate with quick-build demonstrations or bolster community prevention (e.g., slow streets pilots, school pick-up/drop-off reinforcement).

Action: Steps to Take Now

1. Review the official FY26 SS4A NOFO carefully (find it here). Note match requirements (20%, can be in-kind) and eligibility clarifications.

2. Register for the April 14 USDOT Webinar (1:30–3:00PM ET) on Planning and Demonstration grant opportunities (register here). Bring your questions about project types and required documentation.

3. Convene with regional partners ASAP: Meet with law enforcement, EMS, fire services, and school officials to draft letters of support. Rural and school safety-focused partnerships are especially advantageous.

4. Start or update your Safety Action Plan if you don't already have one — this is often a prerequisite for larger implementation funding. Use demonstration grants to build capacity for future funding opportunities or advocacy.

5. Be creative but strategic: If your project improves child or school safety, or supports rural EMS response, make it explicit. Avoid projects perceived as broadly anti-car except where legally mandated or school-related.

Outlook: What to Watch For Next

This is the last round of SS4A funding secured under the IIJA, and broader debates over state vs. local control loom large. Congressional negotiations on transportation funding reform — including support for the new Bridges and Safety Infrastructure for Community Success Act (BASICS Act, H.R. 7437) — may shape or curtail future grant windows. Advocacy groups are urging applicants not to wait: this year’s competition could influence how policymakers prioritize safety and localism going forward.

Don’t delay: Whether you’re a city planner, nonprofit safety advocate, or tribal council member, the window is closing fast. For federal road safety funding tailored to local needs, SS4A stands as a unique — and possibly final — opportunity in its class.

Need help navigating the NOFO or building a strong application team? Granted AI supports communities and organizations in maximizing their grant success.