Airport Improvement Program Discretionary Grants · Department of Transportation
FY 2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Oct 19, 2026 · 13 days left
- Award size
- $25K – $55M
- Cost share / match
- Not required
- Who can apply
- Special district (utility, fire, etc.), County government, Other (see eligibility), State government, City or town government
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
- No cost share required
- Only 13 days left to apply
- Tennessee recipients since 2023: 19
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Read the official notice View on Grants.gov
About this grant
The Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces the opportunity to apply for up to $100 million in FY 2027 Airport Infrastructure Grant funds for the FCT competitive grant program, made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), Pub. L. 117-58. The purpose of the FCT competitive grant program is to make annual grants available to eligible airports for airport-owned airport traffic control tower (ATCT) projects that address the aging infrastructure of the nation’s airports. The FAA will consider ATCT projects that sustain, construct, repair, improve, rehabilitate, modernize, replace, or relocate non-approach control towers; or acquire and install air traffic control, communications, and related equipment to be used in those towers; or construct a remote tower certified by the FAA including acquisition and installation of air traffic control, communications, or related equipment.
Eligibility (from the notice)
See the link to the FY 2027 NOFO for eligibility information. Eligible applicants are those airport sponsors approved in the FAA’s Contract Tower Program or Contract Tower Cost Share Program as defined in 49 U.S.C. § 47124, and normally eligible for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) competitive grants as defined in 49 U.S.C. § 47115. This includes a public agency, private entity, state agency, Indian Tribe or Pueblo owning a public-use National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) airport, the Secretary of the Interior for Midway Island airport, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. For additional eligibility categories and further details on each eligible applicant category, see AIP Handbook Table 2-1 in the following weblink: https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/aip_handbook/media/AIP-Handbook-Order-5100-38D-Chg1.pdf. For more information on the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), visit: https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias
Who in Tennessee has won this program
19 awards to Tennessee recipients in 4 counties since federal FY2023. Largest shown:
| Recipient | Where | Amount | FY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (The) | Nashville, Davidson County | $8.4M | 2026 |
| Tennessee Department Of Transportation | Nashville, Davidson County | $7.4M | 2026 |
| Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (The) (" ") | Alcoa, Blount County | $5.1M | 2026 |
| Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (The) | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.1M | 2026 |
| Tennessee Department Of Transportation | Nashville, Davidson County | $2.7M | 2026 |
| Tennessee Department Of Transportation | Nashville, Davidson County | $1.1M | 2026 |
| Tri-Cities Airport Authority | Blountville, Sullivan County | $1.1M | 2026 |
| Tri-Cities Airport Authority | Blountville, Sullivan County | $997K | 2026 |
| Tennessee Department Of Transportation | Nashville, Davidson County | $976K | 2026 |
| Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | $662K | 2026 |
| Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (The) (" ") | Alcoa, Blount County | $564K | 2026 |
| Tennessee Department Of Transportation | Nashville, Davidson County | $563K | 2026 |
Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.
About the program (20.117)
Airport Infrastructure Grants — AIG (IIJA)
How applications are judged
Not Applicable.
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title Title 49 U.S. Code, Subtitle VII, Part B, Chapter 471, Subchapter I, Part Subpart� 47114-Apportionments, Part Part B, Subpart Subpart � 47114 - Apportionments,Public Law 117-58.Title 49 U.S. Code, Subtitle VII, Part B, Chapter 471, Subchapter I, Part Subpart� 47114-Apportionments.
Public Law 117-58. IIJA AIG have entitlement programs based on formulas as well as discretionary grants. For IIJA, formulas are based on 49 USC �47114 (c)(1) and 49 USC �47114 (c)(2), with some additional nuances and exceptions as outlined in the IIJA FAQ on this FAA website: https://www.faa.gov/iija
MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.Matching Requirements: Percent- Other For AIP and IIJA AIG allocations the local match is normally between 5% and 25% and is determined by a variety of factors provided for by legislation.
Matching requirements are...
Examples of funded projects
Not Applicable.