USDOT University Transportation Centers grants: $33M open

USDOT University Transportation Centers grants are now open, with $33 million in federal grant funding available through the University Transportation Centers (UTC) program, as reported by Progressive Railroading. Applications are due Feb. 20, 2026.

How the USDOT University Transportation Centers grants will be awarded?

UTCs are groups of colleges and universities that team up to conduct research on a defined transportation topic. In a press release, USDOT officials said the awards will be made through a competitive process, with selection criteria that include the quality of the proposed research and how likely it is to be implemented, as described in the USDOT briefing-room announcement.

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More information on eligible projects and application details is included in the notice of funding opportunity, and key dates are also posted on USDOT’s UTC Current Competition page.

Funding amounts and UTC focus areas

For this round of transportation research grants, USDOT expects to award up to $9 million to one UTC focused on regional and national transportation needs. It also plans to fund four additional UTCs, each eligible for up to $6 million, for centers studying unique or specialized areas of transportation.

Program shift after prior grant cancellations

Funding for this UTC grant cycle follows the Trump administration’s May cancellation of seven previously awarded university transportation research grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The canceled projects focused on equitable transportation, carbon emission reduction, and where those topics overlap.

USDOT officials said the administration described the terminated work as “green” and “woke,” and has shifted the program toward transportation safety priorities. The areas highlighted include automated vehicles and driving systems, AI and machine learning, digital infrastructure, and human-machine interface technologies.

The UTC program was first launched in 1988. To date, 100 different universities have received funding for transportation-related curriculum development, student support, and continuing education programs.

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