Culvert AOP Grant: $800M for Fish Passage Culverts and Weirs (FY 2023-2026)

The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program — the Culvert Aquatic Organism Passage (Culvert AOP) Competitive Grant Program — is making up to $800 million available across FY 2023 through 2026 to states, units of local government, and Indian Tribes to replace, remove, or repair culverts and weirs that meaningfully improve or restore fish passage for anadromous fish. This NOFO replaces the prior NOFO published June 25, 2024 — applicants who applied under that NOFO must update and resubmit using the new Application Template.

What Is the Culvert AOP Program?

The Culvert AOP Program funds surface transportation culvert and weir projects that meaningfully improve or restore passage for anadromous fish — species born in freshwater that spend most of their lives in saltwater and return to freshwater to spawn. Target species include salmon, steelhead trout, shad, river herring, lamprey, and sturgeon, among others (sometimes called "sea-run" species).

Aging road-stream crossings are one of the most common barriers to fish migration in the country. The same undersized culverts that block fish often constrict stream flow, scour roadbeds, and wash out during high-water events. Replacing them with properly sized, stream-simulating structures restores aquatic habitat while making local infrastructure more resilient to flooding.

Funding comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58), which appropriated $200 million annually for FY 2022 through 2026. This NOFO awards up to $800 million in FY 2023–2026 funding (and may award any remaining FY 2022 funds), administered as cost-reimbursable grants.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants under the Culvert AOP Competitive Grant Program are:

• States (as defined at 2 CFR § 200.1)
• Units of local government — counties, cities, towns, and similar jurisdictions (as defined at 2 CFR § 200.1)
• Indian Tribes — any Indian Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, Alaska Native village, or regional/village corporation eligible for services from the U.S. as Indians

Multiple entities may submit a joint application, identifying a lead applicant as the primary point of contact and recipient for financial administration. The lead applicant must be an eligible entity. Joint applications should describe each applicant's roles and responsibilities and be signed by each applicant.

Critical Eligibility Constraint: Surface Transportation Nexus

This is the constraint that catches the most applicants by surprise. Eligible projects must have a surface transportation nexus — the project must involve, relate to, or be situated in close proximity to a road/rail crossing, pipeline, highway, or other surface transportation infrastructure. Generally, the transportation nexus should be a part of a public or Tribal transportation network. A pure fisheries-restoration project without a transportation tie-in is not eligible under this program.

What Projects Are Eligible?

Eligible projects are those for the replacement, removal, or repair of culverts or weirs that:

1. Would meaningfully improve or restore fish passage for anadromous fish; and
2. For weirs specifically, may also include (a) infrastructure to facilitate fish passage around or over the weir, and (b) weir improvements (49 U.S.C. § 6703(b)).

Project bundling is allowed: applicants may bundle two or more eligible projects in a single application, but each project in the bundle must individually meet the eligibility criteria. Bundled projects should also address potential delivery-timeframe impacts in their response to the readiness criteria.

There is no limit on the number of applications a single applicant may submit. If submitting more than one, indicate the funding priority of each on the application cover page (DOT is not required to follow that priority).

Cost Share: 20% Minimum, with a Tribal Exemption

This is one of the most important nuances of the program. The Culvert AOP Competitive Grant Program requires a minimum non-federal cost share of 20 percent. States and units of local government that do not provide at least the 20% non-federal cost share will be classified as ineligible.

Federally recognized Tribes are not required to provide a cost share. This is a meaningful structural advantage for Tribal applicants and worth highlighting in Tribal application strategies.

Non-federal cost share can include state funds originating from state-revenue-funded programs, local revenue programs, and private funds. Previously incurred, expended, or encumbered costs do not count toward the matching requirement.

Bonus Activities and Cost Savings

If a project comes in under the grant agreement budget, recipients may — with FHWA approval — use cost savings to fund (a) additional eligible project elements within the original scope or (b) "Bonus Activities" outside the original scope (related construction activities that are independently eligible and result in a usable transportation product). Bonus Activities must be briefly described in the application but are not factored into selection.

Statutory Priorities Under 49 U.S.C. § 6703(e)

Among applications of similar rating, DOT must give priority to projects based on the statutory priority considerations:

Fish Stock Priorities

Projects that improve fish passage for:

• Anadromous fish stocks listed as endangered or threatened under Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act
• Anadromous fish stocks identified by NMFS or USFWS that could reasonably become listed as endangered or threatened
• Anadromous fish stocks identified as prey for endangered, threatened, or protected species, including Southern Resident orcas
• Anadromous fish stocks identified by NMFS or USFWS as climate-resilient stocks

Upstream Habitat Priority

Projects that would open up more than 200 meters of upstream (anadromous) habitat before the end of the natural habitat.

FY 2026 DOT Priority Considerations

After applying statutory priorities, DOT may further prioritize selections based on these FY 2026 DOT priority considerations:

• Applications receiving a high readiness rating
• Projects meeting both statutory prioritization criteria above
• Projects supporting Reinvesting in the American Family by expanding access to traditional food sources or reducing food insecurity for rural and Tribal communities
• Projects supporting Economic Competitiveness by promoting productive seafood harvest
• Projects supporting Innovation and Core Infrastructure through deployment of innovative and emerging technologies enhancing or maintaining traveling public safety
• Awards to a broad range of eligible recipients rather than to a select group of repeat players

How Applications Are Evaluated: The Four Merit Criteria

DOT evaluates applications using four merit criteria, each rated Highly Responsive / Responsive / Non-Responsive against specific objectives:

Criterion 1: Conservation Benefits to Anadromous Fish

Objectives:

• A. The project contributes to recovery or sustainability of federally protected or at-risk anadromous species and habitats.
• B. The project conforms with a written recovery, management, or State/Tribal planning or prioritization document.
• C. The project improves habitat availability for the target anadromous species by increasing the extent and quality of accessible spawning, rearing, and migratory habitats.

Highly Responsive: all three objectives met. Responsive: at least two of three.

Criterion 2: Regional & Watershed Benefits Supporting American Families & Economy

Objectives:

• A. The application demonstrates importance to a regional watershed or supports anadromous fish conservation strategies.
• B. The project fits within and advances an existing watershed strategy (regional plan, prioritization by federal/state/local/Tribal agency).
• C. The project promotes Economic Competitiveness through restoration of anadromous fish stocks (commercial/tourism, recreational harvest, regional economic activity).
• D. The project expands access to traditional food sources or reduces food insecurity for rural and Tribal communities.

Highly Responsive: meets three of four. Responsive: meets A or B, and C or D.

Criterion 3: Ecosystem Benefits

Objectives:

• A. The project improves key physical, chemical, and biological riverine and floodplain ecosystem processes.
• B. The project benefits other native aquatic and terrestrial species, in addition to anadromous fish.

Highly Responsive: both. Responsive: one of two.

Criterion 4: Project Design, Performance, and Addressing Core Infrastructure

Objectives:

• A. Anadromous fish passage project goals included in the application, with sound methodologies.
• B. The project includes a technically adequate monitoring and evaluation approach.
• C. The project improves or plans to improve the condition, safety, and resiliency of the transportation facility (Core Infrastructure).

Highly Responsive: all three. Responsive: at least one.

Overall Merit Rating

• High: At least three of four criteria rated Highly Responsive; one Responsive.
• Medium: All criteria at least Responsive.
• Low: Any criterion rated Non-Responsive.

Project Readiness Assessment

Applications receiving a Medium or higher merit rating proceed to the Project Readiness Assessment, scored across three dimensions:

• Technical Assessment (Certain / Somewhat Certain / Unknown): Resources to deliver, compliance with federal requirements, timely-delivery commitment, technical feasibility.
• Financial Completeness Assessment (Complete / Partially Complete / Incomplete): Complete funding estimates, cost-overrun plan, funding availability, and (for construction) O&M funding plan.
• Permitting Risk Assessment (Low / Moderate / High Risk): NEPA status, permit status, public engagement, and disclosure of unmitigated risks (litigation, public controversy, agency opposition on environmental grounds).

The combined ratings yield an overall readiness rating of High, Medium, or Low. From there, FHWA assigns each application an overall rating of Highly Recommended, Recommended, or Not Recommended.

Review and Selection Process

1. Intake & Eligibility Review — FHWA confirms applications are complete and meet Section B eligibility.
2. Technical Review Team (TRT) — FHWA staff plus interagency representatives (including potentially USFWS and NMFS) evaluate merit criteria and project readiness.
3. Senior Review Team (SRT) — officials from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and FHWA leadership determine which projects advance.
4. Final selection by DOT Leadership.

Unsuccessful applicants may request a debriefing up to 90 days after publicly announced selections by emailing culvertaop@dot.gov.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through Grants.gov. Make sure your organization's federal registrations are current well before the deadline (SAM registration can take several weeks or longer):

• An active SAM.gov registration
• A valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
• A Grants.gov account for your organization

The application package includes:

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance), with the Culvert AOP Application Template attached to Item 15
• Either SF-424A and SF-424B (non-construction) or SF-424C and SF-424D (construction)
• Grants.gov Lobbying Form (Certification Regarding Lobbying)
• SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities)

This program is not subject to E.O. 12372 Intergovernmental Review — no SPOC review is required.

Post-Award Requirements

Reporting

Selected applicants must submit semi-annual progress reports and semi-annual Federal Financial Reports (SF-425). The final progress and Financial Reports are due within 120 days after termination or expiration of the grant agreement. The program's performance measure is the anticipated length of habitat upstream made available after project completion.

Buy America & Build America

Funds are subject to FHWA's steel, iron, and manufactured product domestic requirements (23 U.S.C. § 313 and 23 CFR 635.410) and the construction materials domestic preference under Pub. L. No. 117-58, div. G §§ 70901–70927 (implemented at 2 CFR Part 184). Plan procurement accordingly.

Federal Anti-Discrimination Certification

Per E.O. 14173, as a condition of award (except where prohibited by court order), each recipient must certify that it does not operate any programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that violate applicable federal anti-discrimination laws, and must agree that compliance is material to the Government's payment decisions under 31 U.S.C. § 3729(b)(4).

Critical Infrastructure Security & Cybersecurity

Before signing the grant agreement, selected applicants must demonstrate consideration of physical and cyber security risks consistent with National Security Memorandum 22.

Tips for a Strong Culvert AOP Application

1. Anchor Each Section in the Four Merit Criteria

Don't write a generic "stream restoration" narrative. Walk through each criterion's objectives explicitly: Conservation Benefits (A–C), Regional/Watershed/Family/Economy (A–D), Ecosystem Benefits (A–B), and Project Design/Performance/Core Infrastructure (A–C). Reviewers are scoring against those exact lettered objectives.

2. Make the Surface Transportation Nexus Explicit

If the road or transportation infrastructure connection is not crystal clear in the first page of your project background, you risk being screened out. Identify the specific road, traffic counts, washout history, and how the culvert intersects the public transportation network.

3. Document the Statutory Fish-Stock Priority

If your project benefits ESA-listed species, Southern Resident orca prey species (e.g., Chinook salmon), or climate-resilient stocks, name them specifically and cite the listing or designation. The 200-meter upstream habitat priority is also worth quantifying with a clear habitat-extent number.

4. Highlight Tribal & Rural Food-Sovereignty Angles

The FY 2026 DOT priority considerations explicitly reward projects expanding access to traditional food sources or reducing food insecurity for rural and Tribal communities. If your project has a Tribal sovereignty, subsistence harvest, or rural food-economy benefit, surface it in Criterion 2.

5. Take the Readiness Assessment Seriously

Strong applications show completed or near-complete NEPA, secured permits, finalized cost estimates with overrun plans, and an O&M funding plan. Disclose any litigation or public controversy honestly — undisclosed risks penalize more than disclosed ones.

6. If You're a Tribe, Lead With the Match Exemption

The 20% match waiver for federally recognized Tribes is a real competitive advantage. Pair it with the statutory and DOT priorities that favor Tribal projects (subsistence, food sovereignty, treaty fisheries) to present the strongest possible package.

Contact Information

• Program Email: culvertaop@dot.gov
• Mailing Address: Federal Highway Administration, Office of Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Mail Stop W53-481, Washington, D.C. 20590, Attn: Gregory Danis
• Program Website: highways.dot.gov — Culvert AOP Program

How Avila Can Help

Culvert AOP applications sit at the intersection of transportation engineering, aquatic ecology, and federal grant administration. They require applicants to align project narratives with four merit criteria, statutory fish-stock priorities, watershed plans, and the transportation nexus — while documenting readiness across technical, financial, and permitting dimensions. For local public works and natural-resource staff, that's a heavy lift.

Avila's AI-powered platform helps local governments and tribes streamline the grant application process by:

• Analyzing the NOFO to surface eligibility (including the surface transportation nexus) and the four merit criteria
• Helping draft narratives that hit each criterion's specific objectives
• Tracking deadlines, required registrations, and match documentation
• Managing the full grant lifecycle from discovery to closeout

Ready to explore how Avila can support your Culvert AOP application? Book a demo to learn more.

For more on federal grant applications, see our guides on federal grant writing, SAM.gov registration, and Grants.gov registration. For other infrastructure funding, explore our guides to the BIT3 Bridge Program and the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program.