Chapter 3: Which Research Program is the Best Fit for Your Research Statement?
This chapter contains the details on transportation research programs. Keep in mind only those programs that accept research statements and/or proposals from the transportation community are included in this listing. A summary of key information on each program can be found in Appendix B. Learn more about databases and websites that offer information about proposed, ongoing, and completed research in Chapter 4. More information is available in the calendar of funding program deadlines on the Research Program and Project Management website.
Most research program descriptions in this chapter contain the following information:
- General description,
- Type of research funded,
- Funding levels and project time frame,
- Schedule,
- Project solicitation and submission,
- Selection process, and
- Project selection criteria and tips for writing winning research statements.
Further Information
Additional information is always available from research program staff. They can offer guidance to improve an initial submittal, or provide advice for future funding requests if a submittal is not successful.
Did we miss a research program that should be included? Appendix C contains a form to submit information on additional programs. Alternatively, you can contact MyTRB@nas.edu with corrections, suggestions, questions, or additional information.
The table below contains general information about the research programs appearing in this guide. Click on the program title for complete information. A similar table with a few more details about each program can be found in Appendix B.
|
Federal Research Programs
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|
Agency
|
Program Name
|
Mode or Topic
|
Annual Funding
|
Project Type
|
|
Federal Aviation Administration
|
Aviation Research Grants Program
|
Aviation
|
~ $32 million for FY17 through FY21
|
Standard
|
|
FAA Centers of Excellence
|
Aviation
|
Not available
|
Collaborative research
|
|
Federal Highway Administration
|
Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Deployment
|
Highway
|
$60 million annually through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Exploratory Advanced Research Program
|
Highway
|
Varies
|
Standard
|
|
Highway Research and Development
|
Highway
|
$125 million annually through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Intelligent Transportation Systems Program
|
Highway
|
$100 million annually through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives
|
Highway
|
$20 million annually through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Technology and Innovation Deployment Program
|
Highway
|
$67.5 million annually through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Training and Education
|
Highway
|
$24 million annually through FY20
|
Training and education
|
|
Federal Transit Administration
|
Public Transportation Innovation (Section 5312)
|
Transit
|
$100 million for FY16 through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Safety Research and Demonstration Program
|
Safety, Transit
|
$7 million
|
Standard
|
|
National Science Foundation
|
Civil Infrastructure Systems
|
General
|
Not available
|
Standard
|
|
Energy for Sustainability
|
Engineering
|
Not available
|
Standard
|
|
Energy, Power, Control, and Networks
|
Cyber-Physical Systems
|
Not available
|
Standard
|
|
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
|
University Transportation Centers
|
General
|
$300 million for FY16 through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
Small Business Administration
|
Small Business Innovation Research
|
General
|
~ $10 million
|
Standard
|
|
U.S. Department of Energy
|
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
|
Energy
|
$636 million
|
Standard
|
|
Innovative Development in Energy-Related Applied Science (IDEAS)
|
Energy
|
Not available
|
Early-stage applied research
|
|
Open Funding Opportunity Announcements (ARPA-E)
|
Energy
|
$100 million for FY18
|
Standard
|
|
Other ARPA-E Transportation-Related Programs
|
Energy
|
$1.85 billion for FY17 through FY20
|
Standard
|
|
State Department of Transportation Programs
|
|
Program Name
|
Mode or Topic
|
Annual Funding
|
Project Type
|
|
State Planning and Research
|
General
|
~ $204.2 million in 2018
|
Typically applied research
|
|
Transportation Pooled Fund Program
|
General
|
Not available
|
Standard
|
|
Transportation Research Board Programs
|
|
Program Name
|
Mode or Topic
|
Annual Funding
|
Project Type
|
|
NCHRP Regular Projects
|
Highway, General
|
$40 million
|
Standard
|
|
Domestic Scans (NCHRP 20-68A)
|
General
|
$500,000
|
Scan
|
|
NCHRP 20-24: Research on Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies
|
Administration
|
$1 million
|
Quick response (task order projects)
|
|
Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA)
|
Highway, Safety, Transit
|
Not available
|
Standard
|
|
ACRP Regular Projects
|
Aviation
|
$15 million
|
Standard
|
|
ACRP Graduate Research Award Program
|
Aviation
|
$100,000
|
Student research
|
|
Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs
|
Aviation
|
Not available
|
Student research
|
|
TCRP Regular Projects
|
Transit
|
$3 million
|
Standard
|
|
TCRP Synthesis Study Programs
|
Transit
|
Not available
|
Synthesis report
|
|
NCHRP Synthesis Study Programs
|
Highway
|
Not available
|
Synthesis report
|
|
ACRP Synthesis Study Programs
|
Aviation
|
Not available
|
Synthesis report
|
|
TCRP J-05: Legal Aspects of Transit and Intermodal Transportation
|
Transit
|
$250,000
|
Brief of legal issues
|
|
ACRP 11-01: Legal Aspects of Airport Projects
|
Aviation
|
Not available
|
Brief of legal issues
|
|
NCHRP 20-06: Legal Problems Arising out of Highway Programs
|
Highway
|
$100,000
|
Brief of legal issues
|
|
International Research Programs
|
|
Program Name
|
Mode or Topic
|
Annual Funding
|
Project Type
|
|
Horizon 2020
|
General
|
€80 billion for FY14 through FY20
|
Standard
|