The United States Department of Transportation released an official Notice of Funding Opportunity outlining requirements to qualify for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant.

Although $1 billion has been allocated towards these grants, the maximum award will be $25 million for a project, with state unable to receive more than $100 million in such grants. BUILD grants are meant for transportation projects relating to bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal connectivity in commercial and passenger transportation, as well as planning and investing in highway projects.

From Transport Topics:

“BUILD grants will upgrade infrastructure across America, making our transportation systems safer and more efficient,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Feb. 19.

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“The administration is targeting BUILD transportation grants to repair, rebuild and revitalize significant infrastructure projects across the country,” the secretary said last year.

The emphasis on rural corridors stems from the administration’s push to highlight infrastructure concerns from states with less densely populated metropolitan regions. In October, Chao announced DOT’s Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success, or ROUTES, initiative, to focus on rural priorities. It consists of gathering input from the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Rail Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration to analyze funding and financing tools to improve connectivity in rural communities.

The deadline to apply for a grant is May 18.