The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published the Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program on Monday, December 15, 2025. Formerly known as the RAISE program, BUILD is a competitive, multimodal discretionary grant program authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and funded at $1.5 billion for FY 2026.
Like past administrations, the Trump administration has laid out additional priorities that will be considered as part of their review of applications. For example, the degree to which the project will advance domestic energy, include union participation or project labor agreements (PLAs), and promote or reshore industries of national interest. Finally, the NOFO continues the Trump administration’s priority of “Restoring Merit-based Opportunity” by requiring that grant recipients agree that its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.
DOT will award grants to projects that advance safety, quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, and economic competitiveness. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, transit agencies, ports, tribes, and other public entities. Applications are due February 24, 2026, with awards expected to be announced no later than June 28, 2026.
For more information, please contact Jonothan Porter.