Press Release: Department of Transportation opens $19 million tribal grant program

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Trump’s Transportation Department to Invest $19 Million in Tribal Transit Projects Nationwide

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Indianz.Com

The following is the text of a May 27, 2026, news release from the Department of Transportation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced a $19 million investment in transit infrastructure crossing American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native communities. Under Secretary Sean P. Duffy, taxpayer dollars are advancing the Department’s core mission of delivering safe transportation systems for American families.

The funding can be used for:

New transit vehicles to transport commuters
Upgraded bus facilities with state-of-the-art technologies
Expanded transit services to reach more communities

“Under President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Duffy, America is building again, including in our Tribal Nations. USDOT is investing tens of millions into developing better infrastructure, promoting economic development, and improving the safety of our transit systems for our Tribal and Alaska Native communities,” said Federal Transit Administration Chief Counsel Matthew Cahill.

Additional Information

The FTA’s Tribal Transit Program supports transit services for federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages, groups, or communities. The funding is vital to help Tribes meet the needs of young families, senior citizens, and people with disabilities living in Indian Country. 

The NOFO [Notice of Funding Opportunity] outlines the application criteria. Applicants are encouraged to submit eligible projects as soon as possible but must do so by August 25, 2026.

Tribal Transportation at the Department of Transportation

James Crawford of Department of Transportation at National Congress of American Indians

James Crawford, Assistant Secretary for Tribal Government Affairs at the Department of Transportation, addresses the National Congress of American Indians on…

YouTube

James Crawford, Assistant Secretary for Tribal Government Affairs at the Department of Transportation, addresses the National Congress of American Indians on November 17, 2025. youtu.be/ERLkRuPydHA