Assistance Listing 20.532

Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program

TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF · Federal Transit Administration

Assistance Listing 20.532, “Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program,” is a federal program administered by TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF. It provides grant assistance. GrantsJunction currently tracks 0 open, 0 forecasted and 0 closed opportunities under this listing. The agency reported $157M in obligations for fiscal year 2025. Since October 1, 2023, USAspending.gov shows 17 grant awards under this listing; the largest recipient was AK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

Likely formula or pass-through fundingThis program obligates substantial funding but has no competitive notices in our Grants.gov records. Funds like these are often distributed by formula or through state agencies — contact your state's administering agency about sub-awards. calculated by GrantsJunction
Funding down 42% (FY24→FY25)Actual obligations reported in the SAM.gov listing changed -42% from FY2024 to FY2025. Historical data, not a prediction. calculated by GrantsJunction

Program objective

The Passenger Ferry Grant Program provides funding for passenger ferries through a competitive process for capital projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas, such as ferry vessels, terminals, and related infrastructure. The Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program makes federal funds available to projects that supports the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferry vessels. The Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program makes federal funds available to states to ensure basic essential ferry service is provided to rural areas. Refer to this Assistance Listing (AL) Number for FY24 and FY25 financial obligations. In August 2025, this AL was divided into three program‑specific listings: Electric or Low‑Emitting Passenger Ferry Program – 20.538, Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program – 20.539, and Passenger Ferry Program – 20.540. These new listings will be used by DOT beginning in FY 2026.

As published in the SAM.gov Assistance Listing.

Current opportunities under 20.532

No open or forecasted opportunities are currently posted under this listing. Programs often post notices on an annual cycle — see recently closed opportunities below for timing.

Eligible applicants (program level)

Transit Authority
Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government
Port Authority
U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia)

For the Passenger Ferry Program, eligible applicants are designated recipients or direct recipients of FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants, as well as public entities engaged in providing public transportation passenger ferry service in urban areas that are eligible to be direct recipients. For the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program are Designated/Direct Recipients of Section 5307 funding, including Designated/Direct Recipients of Section 5311 funding, including States, Territories and Tribal Governments. For the Ferry Service for Rural Communities, eligible recipients are States and territories.

Program-level eligibility from SAM.gov. Each funding notice sets its own requirements.

Reported obligations by fiscal year

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$272M

FY25

$157M

FY26

— est.

Range and average of financial assistance (from the listing): For Passenger Ferry Grant Program: approximate average award size: Large Urban: $47,583,104 Small Urban: $5,739,032

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 20.532. Hatched bars are agency estimates. These totals do not indicate approval rates.

Who gets funded

Historical data · not a prediction

Since October 1, 2023, USAspending.gov shows 17 grant or cooperative agreement awards with funding actions under ALN 20.532, and prime recipients reported 1 sub-award to other organizations.

Grant obligations by fiscal year

FY23

$11.6M

FY24

$221M

FY25

$103M

FY26

$449M

Obligations recorded in USAspending.gov; FY26 may be partial. Can differ from the agency-reported totals above.

Largest recipients since October 1, 2023

Where recipients are located

Alaska$678M
Maine$28M
American Samoa$21.3M
Delaware$20M
Michigan$9M
Illinois$6M
Massachusetts$4.2M
Maryland$2.98M
North Carolina$1.75M
Georgia$691K

Most recent awards

AK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION · AKAPPLICATION PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD INCLUDES OPERATING ASSISTANCE TO HELP THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEMS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF ALASKA.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE PROVIDING OPERATING ASSISTANCE AND STATE ADMINISTRATION TO THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. $162MStarts Sep 23, 2026 · Award ↗
AK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION · AKAPPLICATION PURPOSE: THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC FACILITIES WILL RECEIVE FUNDING TO UPGRADE THE DOCK INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FERRY TERMINALS IN THE REGION.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: AUKE BAY FERRY TERMINAL PHASE 1 - DREDGING: THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE DREDGING TO ACCOMMODATE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM (AMHS) VESSELS AT THE WEST BERTH DURING CONSTRUCTION OF EAST BERTH.AUKE BAY FERRY TE$27.7MStarts Sep 11, 2026 · Award ↗
AMERICAN SAMOA GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS · ASAPPLICATION PURPOSE: TO PURCHASE FERRY BOAT VESSELS TO IMPROVE THE PASSENGER FERRY BOAT PROGRAM IN AMERICAN SAMOA.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: VESSEL SELECTION PROCUREMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OF FERRY BOAT VESSELS TO AMERICAN SAMOA. ASSISTANCE WITH VESSEL OPERATIONS TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE PLANNING.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: NEW TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS; INCREASE PASSENGER CAPACITY; INCREASE SERVICE FREQUENCY;$21.3MStarts Sep 9, 2026 · Award ↗
ROCK ISLAND COUNTY METROPOLITAN MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT · ILAPPLICATION PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO REQUEST FY2024 LOW OR NO EMITTING FERRY PILOT PROGRAM FUNDING THAT WAS AWARDED TO METROLINK IN THE AMOUNT OF $6000000. THE GRANT FUNDS WILL BE USED TO DESIGN AND PROCURE A HYBRID EXPANSION VESSEL AS WELL AS DESIGN ENGINEERING ACQUISITION AND CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT OPERATION OF THE LOW EMISSION FERRYBOAT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVERFRO$6MStarts Aug 21, 2026 · Award ↗
AK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION · AKAPPLICATION PURPOSE: MODERNIZATION OF ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM (AMHS) VESSELS ENSURING RELIABLE SERVICE IMPROVING STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND CONTINUING QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICE. AMHS PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULED FERRY SERVICE THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA EXTENDING SOUTH THE PRINCE RUPERT BRITISH COLUMBIA AND BELLINGHAM WASHINGTON.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: MODIFICATIONS TO M/V TAZLINA $59.9MStarts Mar 25, 2026 · Award ↗
MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION · MDAPPLICATION PURPOSE: TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR TWO NEW DIESEL HYBRID FERRIES AND LANDING IMPROVEMENTS TO ESTABLISH FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN EASTPORT AND THE DOWNTOWN AREAS OF ANNAPOLIS ACROSS SPA CREEK.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: PURCHASE OF TWO DIESEL HYBRID FERRIES; DESIGN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY LANDING IMPROVEMENTS.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ALLOW FOR NEW FERRY SERVICE BETW$2.98MStarts Sep 23, 2025 · Award ↗
DELAWARE RIVER & BAY AUTHORITY · DEAPPLICATION PURPOSE: TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR A NEW DIESEL-ELECTRIC FERRY VESSEL FOR THE CAPE MAY-LEWES FERRY.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: PURCHASE OF A NEW DIESEL-ELECTRIC (HYBRID) FERRY VESSEL.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: REPLACING THE EXISTING DIESEL FERRY VESSEL WITH A NEW DIESEL ELECTRIC HYBRID WILL KEEP THE FERRY FLEET IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND BE MORE EFFICIENT.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE CAPE MAY-LEW$20MStarts Sep 4, 2025 · Award ↗
CHATHAM AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY · GAAPPLICATION PURPOSE: THIS IS A FFY 2024 SECTION 5307(H) APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $863750.00. FEDERAL SHARE OF FUNDS FOR SECTION 5307(H) FFY 2024 IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $691000. THE APPLICATION SEEKS FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE PASSENGER FERRY GRANT PROGRAM ELECTRIC OR LOW-EMITTING FERRY PILOT PROGRAM (5307(H) TO SUPPORT THE INSTALLATION OF FIVE (5) SHORE POWER PEDESTALS AND HIGH-CAPACITY SHORE POWER$691KStarts Sep 3, 2025 · Award ↗
AK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION · AKAPPLICATION PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO CONSTRUCT A VESSEL TO REPLACE THE AGING M/V MATANUSKA AS A MAINLINER FERRY OPERATING IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA WITH CONNECTIONS TO WASHINGTON STATE AND BRITISH COLUMBIA.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED ARE TO PLAN FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AGING FERRY VESSELS WITH MODERN DIESEL-ELECTRIC HYBRID VESSELS AND DEVELOP THE PRELIMINARY CONCEPT$8.59MStarts Aug 18, 2025 · Award ↗
MERRIMACK VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY · MAAPPLICATION PURPOSE: THIS IS A MERRIMACK VALLEY TRANSIT (MEVA) REQUEST FOR $4200000 IN DISCRETIONARY FY22 5307(F) PASSENGER FERRY GRANT PROGRAM/ELECTRIC OR LOW-EMITTING FERRY PILOT PROGRAM FUNDS AWARDED IN 2023 FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TWO (2) SOLAR-POWERED FERRIES FOR THE RESTORATION OF PASSENGER FERRY SERVICE ON THE MERRIMACK RIVER (AWARD NOTICE ATTACHED). THE LOW-PROFILE VESSELS WILL BE DESIGNED $4.2MStarts Dec 20, 2024 · Award ↗

Pass-through funding: largest sub-awards

Prime recipients (often state agencies, universities or national organizations) passed funding to these organizations. If your organization can't apply directly, a prime recipient may run its own sub-grant competition.

BEAVER ISLAND TRANSPORTATIONfrom TRANSPORTATION MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION DIVSION$9M · Aug 24, 2024

Source: USAspending.gov (grants and cooperative agreements, award types 02–05), refreshed weekly; last checked Oct 9, 2026. Names and amounts are as reported by agencies and prime recipients. Past recipients show where money went — not who is eligible or how likely an application is to succeed.

Frequently asked questions

What is ALN 20.532?

20.532 is the Assistance Listing Number for “Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program.” Assistance Listing Numbers (formerly CFDA numbers) identify federal assistance programs; individual grant opportunities reference the listing they are funded under.

Who can apply under ALN 20.532?

The SAM.gov listing names these applicant types: Transit Authority, Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government, Port Authority and U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia). Each funding notice under the program sets its own eligibility, so check the specific opportunity.

How much funding does 20.532 provide?

The agency reported $156,831,303 in obligations for FY2025 in the SAM.gov Assistance Listing. These are program-wide totals reported by the agency, not a prediction of future awards.

Who has received funding under ALN 20.532?

Since October 1, 2023, USAspending.gov records 17 grant awards under 20.532. The largest recipients by obligations were AK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ($678M), MAINE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ($28M), AMERICAN SAMOA GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ($21.3M), DELAWARE RIVER & BAY AUTHORITY ($20M) and 1 more. Prime recipients also reported 1 sub-awards to other organizations. Past recipients do not indicate eligibility or chances of approval.