Low or No Emission Program (Low-No Program) | FTA 2020 005 LOWNO

Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2020 005 LOWNO

The Low or No Emission Program (Low-No Program) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Its core goal is to help accelerate the shift of public transit fleets across the United States toward the cleanest, lowest-polluting, and most energy-efficient vehicles available. In practical terms, the program is designed to reduce tailpipe emissions, improve local air quality, and modernize transit bus fleets by supporting investments in advanced bus technologies.

Funding under the Low-No Program is intended primarily for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses. This typically includes vehicles such as battery-electric buses, hydrogen fuel cell buses, or other low-emission propulsion options that significantly cut emissions compared with conventional diesel fleets. In addition to the vehicles themselves, the program also supports the acquisition, construction, or leasing of the facilities and infrastructure needed to operate and maintain these buses. That can include items like charging equipment and related electrical upgrades, fueling systems for alternative fuels, maintenance facility modifications, and other supporting facilities required to deploy the technology safely and effectively.

Eligible applicants are public-sector entities, specifically state governments and local governments (including counties and cities or townships), as well as federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The opportunity is open to these categories of governmental applicants, with eligibility subject to any additional clarifications that may appear in the formal notice. The program is tied to the Transportation funding activity category and is listed under CFDA number 20.526, which is commonly used to identify the associated federal assistance program.

This particular posting was identified as Funding Opportunity Number FTA 2020 005 LOWNO, created on January 17, 2020, with an original application deadline of March 17, 2020. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the provided data, which generally indicates that a single maximum award amount was not specified in that field (award sizes can vary depending on available appropriations and project scope). The opportunity anticipated making approximately 45 awards, suggesting a competitive selection process with multiple funded projects nationwide.

Overall, the Low-No Program is aimed at helping transit agencies and public authorities overcome the higher upfront costs of cleaner bus technologies and the necessary supporting infrastructure, making it easier for communities to adopt modern, lower-emission transit systems and move toward long-term sustainability goals.

• The Department of Transportation, DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Low or No Emission Program (Low-No Program)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.526.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 17, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 17, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 45 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for FTA 2020 005 LOWNO

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