Opportunity Information: Apply for FR RRD 18 003
The FY18 Rail Safety Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (Rail Safety IDEA) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FR RRD 18 003) is a discretionary, science-and-technology focused research and development effort run by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). It supports the Rail Safety IDEA program, which is part of the broader IDEA family of programs designed to take early-stage, promising, but not yet proven ideas and put them through exploratory analysis and initial validation. The core intent is to identify and test innovative concepts that could meaningfully improve railroad safety and overall rail system performance, especially concepts that may be too novel, high-risk, or preliminary to compete in more traditional research solicitations.
A central feature of this opportunity is that the FRA seeks to fund the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to continue operating and carrying out the Rail Safety IDEA program. In other words, the funding is structured to maintain and advance the program mechanism that evaluates and supports cutting-edge rail safety concepts, rather than simply funding a broad field of unrelated rail projects. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically implies a more active federal role in project oversight or collaboration compared with a standard grant, aligning with the idea of guided exploratory R&D.
Historically, the Rail Safety IDEA effort grew out of a broader “Safety IDEA” program that had joint sponsorship. FRA has provided funding for the Safety IDEA program since October 2002, while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) funded the Safety IDEA program beginning in October 2001. However, the opportunity makes clear that, as of 2013, the Rail Safety IDEA program became fully independent and separate from FMCSA. As a result, projects supported under this particular grant must be railroad-related; the focus is strictly on rail safety and rail performance innovations rather than cross-modal or highway-focused safety concepts.
The program emphasizes bottom-up innovation. It explicitly welcomes ideas initiated and proposed by a wide range of sources, including researchers, inventors, universities, and companies, whether or not they are part of the “usual” transportation research community. This framing signals that the program is intended to surface unconventional approaches, new sensing or monitoring methods, novel operational or maintenance concepts, and other exploratory solutions that could later mature into deployable technologies or practices for railroads.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted on August 29, 2018, with an original closing date of September 6, 2018, indicating a short application window. The award ceiling is $400,000, and the expected number of awards is one, reinforcing that this specific notice is designed to fund continuation of the program through TRB/NAS rather than distribute many separate research awards to multiple recipients. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 20.313, and the eligible applicant category is listed as “Others,” with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement text. Overall, this opportunity is best understood as targeted federal support to keep an established, rail-specific IDEA pipeline running, enabling the identification and early testing of high-potential innovations aimed at improving railroad safety outcomes and system effectiveness.Apply for FR RRD 18 003
- The Department of Transportation, DOT/Federal Railroad Administration in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY18 Rail Safety Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (Rail Safety IDEA)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.313.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 29, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 06, 2018 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
FY18 Rail Safety IDEA (FR RRD 18 003) - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the FY18 Rail Safety Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (Rail Safety IDEA) opportunity?
This is a discretionary, science-and-technology focused research and development funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). It supports the Rail Safety IDEA program, which funds exploratory analysis and initial validation of early-stage rail safety and rail performance ideas that are promising but not yet proven.
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number is FR RRD 18 003.
3) What is the main purpose of the Rail Safety IDEA program?
The program is designed to identify and test innovative concepts that could meaningfully improve railroad safety and overall rail system performance. It is especially aimed at ideas that are too novel, high-risk, or preliminary to compete well in more traditional research solicitations.
4) Is this opportunity intended to fund many separate rail research projects?
No. Based on the information provided, this notice is structured primarily to fund continuation and operation of the Rail Safety IDEA program mechanism (the pipeline that evaluates and supports exploratory concepts), rather than to distribute many independent awards to multiple unrelated rail projects.
5) Who is the intended recipient under this specific opportunity?
A central feature of this opportunity is that the FRA seeks to fund the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to continue operating and carrying out the Rail Safety IDEA program.
6) How many awards are expected under this notice?
The expected number of awards is one.
7) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $400,000.
8) What funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
9) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
In this context, a cooperative agreement typically implies a more active federal role in project oversight or collaboration than a standard grant. This aligns with the program being a guided exploratory R&D effort that maintains and advances an established rail safety innovation process.
10) What kinds of ideas does Rail Safety IDEA aim to support?
The program supports early-stage, promising concepts that need exploratory analysis and initial validation. The description emphasizes innovative concepts that could improve railroad safety and rail system performance, including unconventional approaches and exploratory solutions that could later mature into deployable technologies or practices.
11) Does the program encourage proposals from outside the traditional transportation research community?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes bottom-up innovation and explicitly welcomes ideas initiated and proposed by a wide range of sources, including researchers, inventors, universities, and companies, whether or not they are part of the usual transportation research community.
12) Is the focus strictly rail-related, or can it include other transportation modes?
The focus is strictly rail-related for this opportunity. The notice explains that, as of 2013, the Rail Safety IDEA program became fully independent and separate from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). As a result, projects supported under this grant must be railroad-related rather than cross-modal or highway-focused.
13) How does this opportunity relate to the earlier Safety IDEA program?
Historically, Rail Safety IDEA grew out of a broader Safety IDEA program that had joint sponsorship. FRA has provided funding since October 2002, and FMCSA began funding the Safety IDEA program in October 2001. The notice clarifies that Rail Safety IDEA became fully independent from FMCSA as of 2013.
14) When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on August 29, 2018.
15) What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date was September 6, 2018.
16) How long was the application window based on the posted and closing dates?
Based on the dates provided (posted August 29, 2018; closing September 6, 2018), the application window was short.
17) What is the CFDA number associated with this funding opportunity?
The CFDA number is 20.313.
18) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement text.
19) What is the broader program family that Rail Safety IDEA is part of?
Rail Safety IDEA is part of the broader IDEA family of programs, which are designed to take early-stage, promising ideas and put them through exploratory analysis and initial validation.
20) What is the overall takeaway for how this funding is structured?
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as targeted federal support to keep an established, rail-specific IDEA pipeline running through TRB/NAS, enabling the identification and early testing of high-potential innovations intended to improve railroad safety outcomes and system effectiveness.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: Tribal Cultural Monitoring in Support of Park Improvement Projects at Cabrillo National Monument
Previous opportunity: Groundwork Southcoast Project and Program Development
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for FR RRD 18 003
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (FR RRD 18 003) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Plant Biotic Interactions Apply for 18 590 Funding Number: 18 590 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience Apply for 18 591 Funding Number: 18 591 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Multi-Element Chemical Analysis of Slave Village Soils at Cumberland Island Apply for P18AS00620 Funding Number: P18AS00620 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $56,891 |
| Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research Apply for 18 595 Funding Number: 18 595 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| Improvements to Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories Apply for PD 18 1104 Funding Number: PD 18 1104 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Infrastructure Capacity for Biology Apply for 18 594 Funding Number: 18 594 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System - Appendix E Apply for NNH17ZTT001N 17PSI E Funding Number: NNH17ZTT001N 17PSI E Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research Apply for PD 18 7222 Funding Number: PD 18 7222 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY 2019 NASA ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE {CAN} Apply for NNH18ZHA006C Funding Number: NNH18ZHA006C Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Desalination and Water Purification Research Program for Fiscal Year 2019 Apply for BOR DO 19 F001 Funding Number: BOR DO 19 F001 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Building Reliable Electronics to Achieve Kilovolt Effective Ratings Safely (BREAKERS) Apply for DE FOA 0001979 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001979 Agency: Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Post-WNS Bat Assemblage at Prince William Forest Park: Dormant Season Apply for P18AS00684 Funding Number: P18AS00684 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $49,900 |
| Hypersonic Turbulence Models Research Apply for USAFA BAA 2015 CALL 0005 Funding Number: USAFA BAA 2015 CALL 0005 Agency: Department of Defense, Air Force Academy Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,400,000 |
| Creating Adaptation Strategies for Parks Using Enduring Features Apply for P18AS00701 Funding Number: P18AS00701 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $135,000 |
| Landscape Approaches to Resource Stewardship Apply for P18AS00702 Funding Number: P18AS00702 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $131,340 |
| ARL Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority-Serving Institutions (MI) Undergraduate Student Design Competition Apply for W911NF18S0012 Funding Number: W911NF18S0012 Agency: Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $8,000 |
| Quantifying the Ecological Contributions of Urban Trees Apply for P18AC00703 Funding Number: P18AC00703 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $29,160 |
| Endangered Species Conservation - Recovery Implementation Funds Apply for F18AS00359 Funding Number: F18AS00359 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $481,189 |
| Preservation and Documentation of NPS Museum Collections Apply for P18AS00707 Funding Number: P18AS00707 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units Apply for F18AS00360 Funding Number: F18AS00360 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $85,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "FR RRD 18 003", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.