2027 Highway Traffic Safety Grant

The Department of Motor Vehicles, in partnership with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), is accepting applications for the 2027 Highway Traffic Safety Grant. This grant program is a cornerstone of New York State’s efforts to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries across its roadways. With a total of $60 million in available federal funding, the program supports a variety of community-driven initiatives aimed at improving roadway safety through education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency response strategies. The GTSC’s grantmaking approach is data-driven, prioritizing evidence-based solutions that target locally relevant safety issues. Applicants must align their proposed projects with one of the focus areas outlined in the State Highway Safety Strategic Plan. These areas include occupant protection, pedestrian and roadway safety, motorcycle safety, traffic enforcement, impaired driving, traffic records improvement, and programs geared toward younger or older drivers. Notably, in 2027, emphasis will be placed on statewide initiatives targeting impaired driving, including support for training, enforcement activities, and technological solutions to bolster County STOP-DWI programs. Eligible applicants include local and state government entities, not-for-profit organizations, and tribal organizations operating within New York State. Each applicant must submit a detailed proposal narrative that outlines the identified traffic safety issue using supporting data, the planned activities with key milestones, and a proposed evaluation framework. Projects may include creative outreach campaigns, youth-led safety programs, targeted high-visibility enforcement, and safety messaging initiatives, among others. All applications must be submitted electronically through the eGrants platform, which requires registration by both a Project Director and a Fiscal Agent. Once registered, the agency must contact GTSC to activate the account. The application submission deadline is May 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Prior to this, applicants may submit questions to GTSC by April 10, 2026. Responses will be made available via a published FAQ on April 17, 2026. The anticipated award date is September 1, 2026, with grant activities beginning no earlier than October 1, 2026, and concluding by September 30, 2027. The grant term aligns with the federal fiscal year, and awarded projects are funded for a 12-month period. Local and not-for-profit agencies can commence work following the issuance of an award letter, while state agencies must receive budgetary authorization. Specific funding approval tiers and contract execution rules apply based on the award amount. The grant program is recurring on an annual basis. Applicants are encouraged to consult relevant materials such as the GTSC Call Letter, Highway Safety Strategic Plan, and eGrants Application Manual. Additionally, grantees involved in child passenger safety may request support for attending the May 2027 CPS Technical Conference, and general applicants may request funds for the October 2026 Highway Safety Symposium. For assistance, applicants may contact Tammy Bopp via email at [email protected] or call the GTSC at 518-474-5111.

Use data-supported local safety needs; align with state program areas; follow eGrants guidance carefully.