Grantwriting expertise for your rail infrastructure project
Grants offer railroads the opportunity to stay competitive, invest in themselves and their communities, and maximize a return on investment, but the path to funding can be daunting and time-consuming. Whether it’s federal funding, foundation support, or non-profit capital campaigns, our clients have been awarded millions of dollars.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding
New funding opportunities for freight and passenger rail infrastructure projects are available from the US Department of Transportation but for Class II and Class III railroads, state and local governments, and other public organizations, exploring and applying for federal funding can be a formidable task. Planning and lead time for grant writing and funding is key and you can set up time to review the programs and opportunities for the rehabilitation and construction of your rail infrastructure.
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program – CRISI GRANTS
One of the better-known funding programs, the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program (“CRISI”) is also incredibly versatile. Uses include railroad maintenance and upgrades such as tie and ballast renewal, surfacing, and rail replacement, as well as expansion and enhancement of services like constructing a spur to an online industry or building a transload facility.
Rebuilding American Infrastructure Sustainably and Equitably – RAISE GRANTS
RAISE Grants focus on projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address climate change impacts and environmental justice, and target at least 40 percent of resources and benefits towards low-income communities, disadvantaged communities, communities underserved by affordable transportation, or overburdened communities.
Rail Infrastructure Grant Requirements
Grant requests will often require Net Economic Benefits and an Environmental Impact Study, which means your grant request may need additional time to research, prepare, and analyze. Here you can walk through the grants and their requirements and get in touch with us when you’re ready to highball.
Defining Benefit-Cost Analysis for Rail Projects
Improving railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability; mitigating congestion, enhancing multi-modal connections, addressing climate change and environmental justice, investing in low-income and underserved communities, and promoting racial equity are important parts of defining benefits for grants from the Department of Transportation.
Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects; National Infrastructure Project Assistance; Rural Surface Transportation
Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects (“INFRA”), National Infrastructure Project Assistance (“Mega”), Rural Surface Transportation (“Rural”) grant programs were appropriated $6 billion collectively for railroad grade crossings and multimodal freight projects.
Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program
The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (“RRIF”) loan program has up to $35 billion available for loans to support a broad range of rail investments: rail infrastructure improvements; locomotive, freight car, and equipment purchases; funding acquisitions; and repaying outstanding debt.
Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act – TIFIA GRANTS
The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (“TIFIA”), administered by the Bureau, was appropriated $1.25 billion over 4 years. TIFIA financing is available to state and local governments, transit agencies, railroad companies, special authorities, special districts, and private entities. Eligible rail projects include intercity passenger rail, freight rail, intermodal projects, and transit-oriented development (“TOD”). TIFIA is geared toward large value projects and is designed to fill gaps in funding. The program offers loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit with minimum financing of $50 million, limited to 33% of expected project costs. The application process is similar to the RRIF loan process described earlier.
