National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · Department of Transportation

Innovative Traffic Safety Enforcement (ITSE) Grant Program

Open · Opportunity NHTSA-693JJ926R000024-FY26 · Assistance Listing 20.614

Deadline: Due Sep 1, 2027 · 329 days left
Award size: $300K – $20M
Total available: $20M · about 10 awards
Cost share / match ?: Not required
Who can apply: Other (see eligibility), Special district (utility, fire, etc.), State government, Public college or university, City or town government, County government, Nonprofit without 501(c)(3), Tribal government, Tribal organization, Nonprofit with 501(c)(3), Private college or university
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. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Grant-ready checklist

How this fits you

Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
No cost share required
Tennessee recipients since 2023: 2

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

About this grant

While the agency will consider innovative enhancements to existing countermeasures, the goal is to develop evidence-based projects that are scalable and transferable for use by State and local law enforcement agencies. The primary intent of this of the ITSE Grant Program is to 1) develop innovative traffic safety enforcement programs that demonstrate effectiveness by reducing the number of motor vehicle crashes due to one or more of the subject risky driving behaviors; and 2) ensure the traffic safety enforcement programs are repeatable and scalable for use by law enforcement throughout the United States. In addition to those goals, the Department seeks to fund projects that advance the priorities of this Administration as described in DOT’s mission statement and across executive orders.

Eligibility (from the notice)

Applicants eligible for an award include a State or local agency, authority, association, educational institution, or nonprofit organization that demonstrates that it has organizational capacity and experience to carry out the responsibilities of administering, coordinating, and implementing the activities of this NOFO, as explained in Section III ‘Program Description’, and based upon the documentation submitted by the applicant as required in Section IV ‘Application Contents and Format’. Only organizations capable of fulfilling the criteria listed within this NOFO will be considered for an award.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

2 awards to Tennessee recipients in 1 county since federal FY2023. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
Recipient	Where	Amount	FY
Safety & Homeland Security	Nashville, Davidson County	$4.3M	2025
Safety & Homeland Security	Nashville, Davidson County	$1.1M	2022

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.

About the program (20.614)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Discretionary Safety Grants and Cooperative Agreements — NHTSA Section 403 Discretionary Grants and Cooperative Agreements

How applications are judged

Grantee criteria for selecting proposals will be developed on an on individual grant or cooperative agreement basis by the NHTSA Program and Acquisition Team.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Examples of funded projects

Not Applicable.

Program listing on SAM.gov

Something wrong with this listing? Tell us

Key facts