The National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program

The National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) Grant Program

The Mega Program (known statutorily as the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program) will support large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility, or safety benefits.

When is funding available?

Competitive Grant – part of the FY22 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity (MPDG).

The Mega grant program funding will be made available in 2022 under the MPDG combined Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that will allow applicants to use one application to apply for up to three separate discretionary grant opportunities:

• Mega Grants: known statutorily as the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program (49 U.S.C. 6701)
• INFRA Grants: known statutorily as the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program (23 U.S.C. 117)
• Rural Surface Transportation Grant: (23 U.S.C. 173)

Mega Grant Summary Details

Funding Amount: $5,000,000,000 (total available FY22 – FY26)

Period of Availability: Available until expended

New Program?: Yes – 49 U.S.C. 6701 as enacted as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 (BIL)

Eligible Applicants:

1. a State or a group of States;
2. a metropolitan planning organization;
3. a unit of local government;
4. a political subdivision of a State;
5. a special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority;
6. a Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments;
7. a partnership between Amtrak and 1 or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (F); and;
8. a group of entities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (G).

Eligible Uses: Projects eligible under the Megaprojects program include —

• a highway or bridge project carried out on—
  • the National Multimodal Freight Network of title 49, United States Code;
  • the National Highway Freight Network, United States Code; or
  • the National Highway System, United States Code;
• a freight intermodal (including public ports) or freight rail project that provides a public benefit;
• a railway-highway grade separation or elimination project;
• an intercity passenger rail project; and
• certain public transportation projects that are eligible for Federal Transit Administration funding of title 49, United States Code, and is a part of one of other eligible project types above.

MPDG combined Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)- https://www.transportation.gov/grants/multimodal-project-discretionary-grant-notice-funding-opportunity

Important links:

https://www.transportation.gov/grants/mega-grant-program

Mega - Additional Guidance

Mega Urbanized Area