Applications Open for Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Rail Transit Safety Education Grants
Washington, D.C. (March 13, 2019) – Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) today announced that the application period is open for its competitive Rail Transit Safety Education Grants. The grants offer a total of $175,000 in funding for transit agencies, other government entities that provide transit service, and state Operation Lifesaver programs to conduct rail transit safety education and public awareness initiatives.
“Operation Lifesaver is pleased to open its call for applications for 2019 Rail Transit Safety Education Grants,” said OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh. “We are grateful to the Federal Transit Administration for the agency’s support that helps make these grants, as well as our ongoing rail safety education and outreach efforts, possible.”
Maleh noted that grant amounts are capped at $20,000 and require non-federal matching funds of at least 25 percent of project costs. Projects must be focused on safety education or public awareness initiatives in communities with operating or planned rail transit systems (commuter rail, light rail, subway and streetcar). OLI must approve all materials created as part of the grant, and all grants must be coordinated with state Operation Lifesaver programs. Contact information for State Coordinators throughout the U.S. is available at www.oli.org/state_coordinators/.
All applications must be submitted via the Common Grant Application online grant processing program by Monday, April 22, 2019. Grant awards will be announced by May, 31, 2019.
OLI encourages potential applicants to review its report, “Best Practices in Rail Transit Safety Education,” which contains guidance and recommendations for developing transit safety education campaigns drawn from the experiences of prior Rail Transit Safety grantees. Applicants can also find information in the report about projects carried out by past grant recipients.
Additional information about the 2019 grants is available online at https://oli.org/about-us/passenger-rail-safety/. Potential applicants seeking further details may contact Sarah Kline, OLI National Transit Safety Education Consultant, at transit@oli.org or (202) 679-2280.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and preventing trespassing on or near railroad tracks. A national network of trained volunteers gives free presentations on rail safety and a public awareness campaign, “See Tracks? Think Train!” provides the public with tips and statistics to encourage safe behavior near the tracks. OLI leads an international observance of Rail Safety Week each September. Learn more about Rail Safety Week; follow OLI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
