FY 2023 Transit Worker and Rider Safety Best Practices Research Project | FTA 2023 005 TRI TWRS

Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2023 005 TRI TWRS

The FY 2023 Transit Worker and Rider Safety Best Practices Research Project is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) focused on reducing assaults and improving safety for both transit vehicle operators and riders. Through a single cooperative agreement, FTA plans to fund a research effort that helps transit agencies better understand where and how safety risks arise in public transit environments and what practical strategies work best to reduce those risks. The total funding available is up to $500,000 (using FY 2021 funds), and FTA expects to make one award.

The core purpose of the project is to produce actionable, evidence-based guidance that transit agencies can use to prevent and respond to operator and passenger assaults. The work is intended to identify the most common and most serious public safety risk factors affecting operators and riders, evaluate which mitigation approaches are most effective, and encourage real-world adoption of proven practices. In other words, the emphasis is not just on studying the problem, but on producing usable best practices that can translate into improved safety outcomes across transit systems.

The overall initiative is structured in two phases. Phase I is the Transit Worker and Rider Safety Best Practices Report, which is the only phase being funded under this particular notice. Applicants are expected to propose work that results in a comprehensive best-practices product that can guide agencies in selecting and implementing effective safety and assault-mitigation measures. Phase II, described as a Transit Worker and Rider Safety Pilot Demonstration Project, is not funded through this announcement. Any future Phase II work would depend on later funding availability, the quality and usefulness of the Phase I deliverables, and the strength of the proposed pilot demonstration concept developed during Phase I.

A wide range of applicants are eligible, reflecting FTA's interest in drawing on expertise from government, academia, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities as further clarified in the opportunity's eligibility notes. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means FTA expects substantial involvement in the project, such as collaboration on the research direction, review of deliverables, or coordination to ensure the final products align with federal priorities and can be broadly adopted.

Key administrative details include the opportunity number FTA 2023 005 TRI TWRS, CFDA number 20.530, and an original application deadline of February 13, 2023, with the opportunity created on December 15, 2022. The award ceiling is $500,000, and FTA anticipates making one award, indicating a competitive selection process where the chosen applicant will lead the Phase I research and produce the primary best-practices report intended to benefit transit agencies nationwide.

• The Department of Transportation, DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2023 Transit Worker and Rider Safety Best Practices Research Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.530.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 15, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 13, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FTA 2023 005 TRI TWRS

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