Federal rail funding isn’t just an opportunity for railroads and public agencies. For private companies that rely on freight rail, programs such as the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program can create opportunities to advance critical infrastructure projects while leveraging public investment.
Administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the CRISI Program provides federal funding for eligible projects that improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of passenger and freight rail infrastructure.
The FY 2025–2026 CRISI funding opportunity made more than $2 billion available nationwide. While that application cycle has closed, companies with future rail infrastructure needs should be thinking about the next opportunity now.
The key is being prepared before the next Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is released.
Why CRISI Matters to Private Industry
For manufacturers, agribusinesses, processors, terminals and other rail-dependent operations, aging or inadequate rail infrastructure can limit capacity, increase operating costs and create bottlenecks.
Projects involving rail sidings, yard improvements, connections, crossings, transload infrastructure and other freight rail improvements may align with broader public transportation goals while also directly benefiting private operations.
CRISI can help bring those interests together.
Depending on the project and applicant structure, federal funding may cover up to 80% of eligible project costs, with the remaining non-federal share coming from eligible public and/or private sources.
For private companies, that creates the potential to advance a larger infrastructure investment than might otherwise be possible using private capital alone.
What Types of Rail Projects May Qualify?
CRISI supports a broad range of projects intended to improve rail safety, efficiency and reliability.
Potential projects can include:
- Improvements to short-line or regional railroad infrastructure
- Rail capacity and congestion improvements
- Highway-rail grade crossing improvements
- Rail line relocation and improvement projects
- Multimodal and freight connections
- Safety technology and infrastructure
- Planning and environmental activities associated with eligible rail projects
For industrial companies, the question isn’t simply, “Is there a grant for our project?”
A better question is: “Can our planned infrastructure investment be structured to address both our operational needs and a broader transportation or public benefit?”
That distinction can make a significant difference when developing a competitive federal funding strategy.
How Can a Private Company Participate in CRISI?
Private companies are not always positioned to apply for CRISI funding independently. Depending on the project, participation may require coordination with an eligible applicant or public-sector partner.
That could include a state department of transportation, local government, public authority, short-line or regional railroad, or another eligible organization.
A successful public-private funding strategy starts by identifying the right project and the right partners.
For example, a company considering a rail expansion may have a clear business case: increase throughput, reduce transportation costs or improve facility reliability.
At the same time, the project may create broader benefits by improving freight movement, eliminating a bottleneck, increasing rail safety, supporting economic development or shifting freight from trucks to rail.
Connecting those objectives is where early funding strategy becomes valuable.
Don’t Wait for the NOFO
One of the biggest mistakes organizations can make is waiting until a grant opportunity is announced to start developing the project.
Competitive federal grant applications require more than good writing.
Strong applications often depend on work completed well before the submission period, including:
- Defining project scope
- Establishing preliminary cost estimates
- Identifying eligible applicants and project partners
- Documenting operational and public benefits
- Developing engineering concepts
- Evaluating project readiness
- Building a funding and match strategy
- Gathering supporting data
- Completing benefit-cost analysis
- Coordinating stakeholder support
Starting early gives companies time to determine whether a project is truly competitive, and address gaps before the application deadline begins driving the schedule.
Think Beyond One Grant Cycle
CRISI should also be viewed as part of a larger public funding strategy rather than as a one-time opportunity.
Rail and freight infrastructure projects may intersect with federal, state and local funding programs supporting transportation, economic development, supply chain resilience, safety and infrastructure modernization.
Instead of asking, “What grants are open right now?”, organizations with significant capital programs should consider a different approach: What projects are we planning over the next three to five years, and where could public funding fit?
That allows grant strategy to become part of capital planning rather than a reaction to individual funding announcements.
How VAA Can Help
VAA’s Public Funding Strategy team works with private companies, public entities and project partners to identify and pursue funding opportunities for infrastructure investments.
Our team can help:
- Evaluate whether a project aligns with CRISI or other funding programs
- Identify potential public or railroad partners
- Develop a funding and match strategy
- Coordinate government relations and stakeholder engagement
- Define project scope and preliminary engineering needs
- Develop cost estimates and benefit-cost justification
- Prepare competitive grant applications
- Support grant management and compliance following an award
Because VAA combines public funding strategy with multidisciplinary engineering and rail design expertise, our team can help connect the funding strategy to the technical realities of the project.
Is Your Rail Project Fundable?
If your organization is considering a rail expansion, capacity improvement, safety project or other infrastructure investment in the next several years, now is the time to evaluate its funding potential.
You don’t need to wait for the next CRISI NOFO to start preparing.
Talk with VAA’s Public Funding Strategy team to determine whether your project may align with CRISI or another federal, state or local funding opportunity.
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