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 · 12 days left
- Award size
- $25K – $55M
- Cost share / match ?
- Not required · Work out your budget and match
- 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
Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. The deadline is in 12 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Grant-ready checklist
How this fits you
- Available in Rhea County (nationwide program)
- No cost share required
- Only 12 days left to apply
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 32
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/b8a038bf-3e44-4a09-a42d-6cc3606f1adb · Printed from grantme.click/grants/46b0f37a-ce65-47ff-8833-701ddb7ccdd9
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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
Should we apply? (2-minute check) Ask a partner for a letter
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct7
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Sep28
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment (already past: do it now)
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct12
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct17
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Oct19
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in your tracker and private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Rhea County facts with citations.
Who in Tennessee has won this program
19 awards to Tennessee recipients in 4 counties since 2025 · 0 in Rhea County. 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.
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another grantee
This federal money also reaches local groups as subawards. 13 subawards on file · 0 in Rhea County. Largest shown:
| Recipient | Where | Through | Amount | FY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner, County Of | Gallatin, Sumner County | State of Tennessee | $1.3M | 2026 |
| City Of Elizabethton | Elizabethton, Carter County | State of Tennessee | $732K | 2026 |
| County Of Rutherford | Smyrna | State of Tennessee | $675K | 2026 |
| Mcminn County | Athens, McMinn County | State of Tennessee | $285K | 2026 |
| City Of Lebanon | Lebanon | State of Tennessee | $285K | 2026 |
| Marion County Government | Jasper, Marion County | State of Tennessee | $137K | 2026 |
| City Of Pulaski | Pulaski, Giles County | State of Tennessee | $137K | 2026 |
| Lawrenceburg/Lawrence County Airport | Lawrenceburg | State of Tennessee | $137K | 2026 |
| Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (The) | Nashville, Davidson County | State of Tennessee | $94K | 2026 |
| Fayette County Government | Somerville | State of Tennessee | $76K | 2026 |
| Town Of Livingston | Livingston, Overton County | State of Tennessee | $70K | 2026 |
| City Of Jamestown | Jamestown, Fentress County | State of Tennessee | $15K | 2026 |
Source: USAspending.gov subaward reports (prime recipients report subawards of $30,000 or more).
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.