The Commercial Motor Vehicle High Priority Enforcement Training and Support Grant Program (HP-ETS), administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), is a funding opportunity designed to support the training of non-federal employees who conduct commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement activities. This includes compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) Out-of-Service criteria. The program also supports the development of related training materials to improve CMV safety awareness and enforcement efforts.

The program seeks to address key U.S. Department of Transportation strategic objectives such as enhancing safety, advancing equity, promoting economic strength, and supporting climate change initiatives. Projects funded under this program will focus on developing and delivering CMV safety training, ensuring instructor certification, and producing comprehensive curricula that meet national certification standards. The FMCSA encourages applicants to propose innovative approaches to instructional delivery, including in-person training, virtual instruction, and web-based learning platforms.

The HP-ETS program anticipates awarding up to three cooperative agreements, with total funding of $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2025. Awards are issued as cooperative agreements, meaning substantial federal involvement is expected throughout the project period, including oversight, approval of training materials, and access to the recipient's Learning Management System (LMS). The period of performance includes the fiscal year of the award plus an additional four years.

Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with expertise in CMV enforcement and compliance training programs for non-federal employees. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to reach and involve CMV safety enforcement personnel in training programs. For-profit entities are not eligible for this grant opportunity. The FMCSA does not require cost-sharing or matching funds for fiscal year 2025 awards.

Applications must include detailed project narratives, performance objectives, activity plans, monitoring and reporting strategies, and budget narratives. Key components of the application include descriptions of proposed curricula development, delivery methods, and personnel qualifications. Applicants are also required to outline examination processes, student record retention, and reporting systems that adhere to federal standards. All proposed curricula and instructional materials must comply with Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) standards and receive FMCSA approval prior to implementation.

Applications are due by January 23, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Late submissions will only be considered under extraordinary circumstances. The FMCSA will evaluate applications based on technical merit, budget feasibility, program-specific criteria, past performance, and alignment with departmental priorities such as safety, equity, and climate change. Award decisions are anticipated after thorough evaluation, and selected applicants will be notified electronically.

For programmatic questions, applicants may contact Benjamin Werner at FMCSAHPGRANTS@dot.gov or 703-235-0511. For financial concerns, Thomas Martin can be reached at thomas.c.martin@dot.gov or 202-366-8768. Additional resources, including application guidelines and templates, are available through Grants.gov.