Fiscal Year 2026 Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program
Cost-reimbursable grants fund eligible transportation entities for construction and non-construction projects that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve terrestrial and aquatic habitat connectivity, with a 20% non-federal match unless exempt.
RESTRICTED TO: STATE LOCAL GOV · TRIBAL ENTITIES
⚑ 20% non-federal cost share required unless an exception applies; FLMAs and Tribes may use certain other Federal funds as match · Minimum 60% of annual funds must be awarded to rural areas · DOT may prioritize construction projects · Eligible applicant classes are limited to listed transportation/public entities; universities are not eligible to apply directly
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
| IPPRA | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
Description
The purpose of the WCPP is to provide funding to eligible entities for projects seeking to improve safety of the traveling public by reducing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) and, in doing so, improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. This NOFO will award approximately $80 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding via cost reimbursable grants. DOT may also award any remaining and available funds from previous fiscal years under this opportunity.
The actual amount available to be awarded under this notice will be subject to the availability of funds.
NOTE: The information under 'Award' on this page requires the specification of a minimum and maximum dollar value for anticipated awards due to Grants.gov system requirements. However, as stated in the NOFO, there are no minimum or maximum award sizes.
Eligibility
The purpose of the WCPP is to provide funding to eligible entities for projects seeking to improve safety of the traveling public by reducing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) and, in doing so, improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species.
Eligible applicants under the WCPP are: • State Department of Transportation (State DOT); • Metropolitan planning organization (MPO); • Units of local government ; • A regional transportation authority; • A special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function; • Indian Tribes ; • A Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA); or • A group of any of the above entities.
Projects eligible for funding include both construction and non-construction projects. However, DOT may prioritize awards to construction projects.
WCPP requires a non-Federal cost share of 20 percent from all recipients unless an exception applies (see B.3, below). Applicants who do not provide the required non-Federal cost share will be classified as ineligible. FLMAs and Tribes can use other Federal funds for their match, such as those allowable under 23 United States Code (U.S.C.) 120(k). A minimum of 60 percent of funds each fiscal year must be awarded to rural areas (23 U.S.C. 171(g)).
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: DOT Federal Highway Administration <support@grants.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Federal (generic) conventions SEE A FEDERAL EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Federal (generic)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.