Port Funding Available Through New Infrastructure Program

In June, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity to apply for $292.7 million in discretionary grant funding through the new Port Infrastructure Development Program.

The Maritime Administration said dredging associated with berth improvements may be eligible for funding. Maintenance dredging may not be considered competitive and navigation channel improvements are not eligible for this grant program.

DOT will evaluate projects using criteria, which include leveraging federal funds, project costs and benefits, project outcomes, project readiness, and domestic preference. The department will also consider geographic diversity when selecting grant recipients.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019 made available $292.7 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, including $92.7 million for the 15 coastal seaports that handled the greatest number of loaded foreign and domestic twenty-foot equivalent units of containerized cargo in 2016, as identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  The minimum award size is $10 million, with a federal cost share not to exceed 80 percent.

In July, DOT hosted a series of special topic webinars to delve into the various aspects of the application process. The webinars were recorded and are available as a resource.

The deadline to apply for the Port Infrastructure Development Program is 8 p.m. EDT September 16, 2019.
For more information, please visit https://www.maritime.dot.gov/PIDPgrants or email ports@dot.gov.