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Infrastructure

TIGER Discretionary Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded grants under three programs to surface transportation projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area or a region. This program was first created in the 2009 Recovery Act, since which time DOT has referred to these grants as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery or "TIGER Discretionary Grants." Through the Recovery Act and continuing through the FY 2010 and 2011 appropriations processes, Congress has provided DOT with three rounds of competitive grants totaling just over $2.6 billion for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure.

TIGER Discretionary Grant Program (2012)

On November 18, 2011, the President signed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-055, Nov. 18, 2011) (FY 2012 Appropriations Act). The FY 2012 (FY12) Appropriations Act appropriated $500 million to be awarded by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for National Infrastructure Investments. This appropriation is similar, but not identical to the appropriation for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or the TIGER Discretionary Grant Program authorized and implemented pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).

TIGER Discretionary Grant Program (2011)

In the FY11 budget, President Obama signed in April, $527 million was directed to the Department of Transportation for critical investments in the nation's transportation infrastructure. States, cities, local governments, and other partnerships and groups will have until this fall to prepare their applications for the popular TIGER program, which has funded high-impact projects including roads, bridges, freight rail, transit buses and streetcars, ports, and bicycle and pedestrian paths. Projects will be selected based on their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, improve energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and improve the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. The Department will also focus on projects that are expected to quickly create and preserve jobs and spur rapid increases in economic activity.

TIGER II Discretionary Grant Program

Title I of the FY 2010 Appropriations Act appropriated $600 million, available through September 30, 2012, for National Infrastructure Investments. This appropriation is similar, but not identical to the appropriation for the TIGER Discretionary Grant program authorized and implemented pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the "Recovery Act"). Because of the similarity in program structure, DOT is referring to the grants for National Infrastructure Investments under the FY 2010 Appropriations Act as "TIGER II Discretionary Grants". As with the TIGER program, funds for the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program were awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area or a region.

Forty-two capital construction projects and 33 planning projects in 40 states were awarded a total of nearly $600 million from the TIGER II program for major infrastructure projects ranging from highways and bridges to transit, rail and ports.

Transportation Projects Competitively Funded Under TIGER II

Federal Register Notices

  • June 24, 2010 - Notice of Funding Availability (TIGER II/HUD Planning Grants) for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Challenge Planning Grants and the Department of Transportation's TIGER II Planning Grant [HTML, PDF 227KB]
  • June 1, 2010 - Final Notice of Funding Availability (TIGER II Capital Grants) for the Department of Transportation's National Infrastructure Investments Under the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2010 [HTML, PDF 231KB]
  • April 26, 2010 - Interim Notice of Funding Availability for the Department of Transportation's National Infrastructure Investments Under the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2010; and Request for Comments [HTML, PDF 135KB]

Grant Agreement Exhibits Templates

TIGER I Discretionary Grant Program

The USDOT received over 1400 applications totaling almost $60 billion for the $1.5 billion TIGER Discretionary Grant program created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. In February, 51 awards were announced for projects ranging from bridge replacements, freight rail corridor improvements, streetcar extensions, and bicycle/pedestrian networks. The largest grant award was $105 million for a multi-state freight rail project, and the average award size was $30 million.

Additional Resources

Staff Contact

Amy Fox
202-366-0857
Amy.S.Fox@dot.gov

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