Fiscal Year 2024 Highway Construction Training Program Grants | 693JJ324NF00019

Opportunity Information: Apply for 693JJ324NF00019

The Fiscal Year 2024 Highway Construction Training Program (HCTP) Grants opportunity is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), aimed at strengthening the highway construction workforce through targeted education and training investments. FHWA is soliciting applications that build, pilot, refine, and put into practice new or improved training curricula and education programs that can prepare people for real jobs across the transportation and highway construction field. The overall intent is practical and workforce-focused: helping the industry and public agencies meet current and future labor needs by creating hands-on pathways into transportation careers, not by funding research for its own sake.

Funding under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is expected to total up to $4,226,871 across all awards. FHWA anticipates making about 14 awards, and the maximum (ceiling) for an individual award is $300,000. The opportunity is listed on Grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number 693JJ324NF00019, with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 20.215, and it is categorized under Education and Transportation. Applications were due by June 17, 2024, according to the opportunity posting. FHWA also issued an amendment (Amendment 1, posted April 25, 2024) that primarily provided the webinar access link and timing for an informational session held May 2, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern.

The program is grounded in federal law at 23 U.S.C. 504(f). That statute frames HCTP around two core purposes: first, developing, testing, and reviewing new curricula and education programs to train individuals at all levels of the transportation workforce; and second, implementing those new curricula and programs in ways that create hands-on career opportunities aligned with workforce demand. In other words, the program is meant to move beyond classroom-only instruction and toward training models that can place learners into practical environments where they gain job-ready experience.

FHWA signals several project qualities it may weigh when selecting grantees. Strong applications are expected to address specific workforce needs at the level of an industry segment, a state, or a region, rather than offering generic training that is not tied to demand. FHWA also emphasizes practical experience and on-the-job training components, and it favors efforts oriented toward practitioners in the field instead of efforts designed mainly to expand the research community. Importantly, FHWA highlights that the program is not limited to traditional civil engineering topics: it is open to curricula and training that support transportation work in other relevant disciplines such as business administration, economics, information technology, environmental science, and law. FHWA also points to training areas that produce transportation professionals in fields like construction materials, IT, environmental science, urban planning, and industrial or emerging technologies, reflecting the reality that modern highway construction and transportation systems depend on a wide mix of skills. Another key factor is evidence of commitment from industry partners or a State Department of Transportation, which suggests the program values real-world buy-in and a clear pathway from training to employment.

Eligibility is limited to two applicant types: educational institutions and State Departments of Transportation. The NOFO uses a broad definition of "educational institutions," covering public or private secondary schools and institutions of vocational, professional, or higher education. It also includes schools operated or directly supported by the federal government, as well as those operated or supported by state or local governments or political subdivisions, and institutions approved by a state agency or accredited by a state-recognized or nationally recognized accrediting body. State DOTs are defined consistently with federal statute as the state department, commission, board, or official responsible under state law for highway construction (referencing 23 U.S.C. 101(31)).

At a practical level, this grant opportunity is designed for applicants that can show they will build or modernize training that leads to tangible workforce outcomes: updated curricula tied to employer needs, structured hands-on learning, and credible partnerships that demonstrate the training will translate into real job opportunities in highway construction and the broader transportation workforce. The full requirements, selection criteria, and submission instructions are contained in the complete NOFO posted under the "Related Documents" section of the Grants.gov listing, and FHWA encourages prospective applicants to subscribe to the opportunity page to receive updates and amendments.

• The DOT Federal Highway Administration in the education, transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2024 Highway Construction Training Program Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.215.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-17. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 14 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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