Roadside Pollinator Program

For Questions Please Contact:

Melissa.Toni@dot.gov

Program Overview

The program was established to provide grants to eligible entities to carry out activities to benefit pollinators on roadsides and highway rights-of-way, including the planting and seeding of native, locally appropriate grasses and wildflowers, including milkweed. (23 U.S.C. 332(a)).

Eligible Entities

Eligible applicants for Roadside Pollinator Program discretionary grants are State Departments of Transportation, Indian Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies.

Grant Application

DOT uses Grants.gov for receipt of all applications for this program's Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applicants must register and use the system to submit applications electronically. Applicants are encouraged to register in advance of the submission deadline and to register to receive notifications of updates/amendments to this NOFO. Approval of user registrations for the site may take multiple weeks. It is the Applicant's responsibility to monitor Grants.gov for any updates to this Notice.

The deadline for applications is May 7, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

This FHWA website DOES NOT accept any applications.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

To view the NOFO please visit https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/361763.

Pollinator-Friendly Practices on Roadsides and Highway Rights-of-Way Program
FY 2023 and 2026: Awards

Applicant	Project Title	Project Description	Award Amount	Project Location
Colorado Department of Transportation	Improvement of Best Pollinator Practices Training for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)	CDOT will update and train staff and contractors on its pollinator best practices and will reseed the Wiley Junction interchange in Prowers County with native pollinator-friendly plants and low grow grasses to significantly enhance the highway's visual appeal.	$ 141,700	CO
Georgia Department of Transportation	Installing Roadside Pollinator Habitats Along I-16 in South Georgia	Georgia DOT will establish native grasses and wildflowers through the use of integrated vegetation management to achieve diverse regionally appropriate native meadows.	$ 149,371	GA
Arkansas Department of Transportation	Blowout Mountain Pollinator Friendly Practices Areas Establishment	Arkansas DOT will plant native wildflowers, use controlled burns for long-term management, and install educational signage.	$ 150,000	AR
South Carolina Department of Transportation	South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Pollinator Project	SCDOT will plant native pollinator species and develop a public awareness campaign to showcase pollinators.	$ 150,000	SC
West Virginia Department of Transportation	Continuance and Enhancement of West Virginia Division of Highways Existing Pollinator Friendly Practices	West Virginia DOT will reduce mowing and seed areas with locally native grasses and wildflowers.	$ 150,000	WV
Texas Department of Transportation	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Wildflower Seeding	Texas DOT will implement timed and limited mowing, brush control, and native wildflower seeding.	$ 150,000	TX
Mi'kmaq Nation	2026 Pollinator-Friendly Practices-the roadside project will be implemented across multiple Mi'kmaq Nation Tribal Trust Lands throughout Aroostook County, Maine.	The Mi'kmaq Nation will employ reduced mowing and planting of native pollinator seeds in the area of a honeybee farm.	$ 150,000	ME
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma	Pollination of Roadsides and Highways in the Choctaw Nation Reservation	The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will seed native pollinators along Reservation roadsides, establishing 9 new pollinator plots.	$ 150,000	OK
Idaho of Department of Transportation	Snake River Rest Area Pollinator Enhancement Project	Idaho Transportation Department will provide native pollinator plants in the Snake River Rest Area ecoregion.	$ 150,000	ID
Oregon Department of Transportation	OR238 Pollinator Enhancement, Monarch CCAA	Oregon DOT will create and restore pollinator habitat through seed mixes and mowing programs.	$ 150,000	OR
Massachusetts Department of Transportation	Training, Outreach, and Research for the Implementation of Pollinator-Friendly Habitat	Massachusetts DOT will use training, invasive species management, and mowing strategies for pollinator habitat.	$ 125,000	MA
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development	Louisiana Pollinator-Friendly Practices Project	Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will enhance habitat quality at specific interchanges by establishing native pollinator species.	$ 130,000	LA
Nebraska Department of Transportation	NDOT Pollinator Programmatic	Nebraska DOT will expand pollinator protocols, train staff, and educate families on the importance of pollinators.	$ 150,000	NE
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe	FY26 MWT Roadside Pollinator Implementation Project	The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will plant native pollinator species within a housing development.	$ 100,000	MA
Osage Nation	FHWA FY26 Roadside Pollinators Program	The Osage Tribe will reduce mowing, manage invasive species, and plant native pollinator species.	$ 149,996	OK
Cahuilla Band of Indians	Cahuilla Band of Indians' Roadside Pollinator Project	The Cahuilla Band on Indians will introduce pollinator species to a section of roadway within the Reservation, running parallel to a public highway.	$ 35,801	CA
Washington State Department of Transportation	Smokey Point NB Rest Area Pollinator Project	Washington DOT will clear and grub non-native grass, amend the soil, and plant native wildflowers at the Smokey Point Rest Area.	$ 148,000	WA

Grant Resources

Technical Resources

The Roadside Pollinator Program has compiled list of FHWA resources that may be helpful for pollinator-friendly project development. There are additional resources available on FHWAs Environmental Review Toolkit Pollinators website.