Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program

About the PROTECT Program

Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) is a federal formula grant program that funds projects which protect surface transportation assets by making the assets more resilient to current and future weather events and natural disasters.

PROTECT Funds may be invested in the following places:

• Highway Projects
• Public Transportation Facilities or Services
• Port facilities, including facilities that:
  • connect ports with other modes of transportation
  • improve the efficiency of evacuations and disaster relief, or aid transportation

PROTECT formula funding requires a 13% local match if a project is listed within the Minnesota Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP) or a 20% local match if a project is not listed within the RIP. Additional information about the PROTECT formula program can be found on the MnDOT Federal PROTECT Formula Grant Program webpage.

SOLICITATION TIMELINE

• Monday October 6, 2025 – Solicitation Announcement. Open letter of intent period.
• Friday, October 31, 2025 – Deadline for applicants to submit letters of intent.
• Monday, December 1, 2025 – Official start of full application period.
• Friday, January 9, 2026 – Deadline for applicants to submit full applications.

GRANT MATERIALS

Materials for the 2025-26 grant solicitation are available below. This solicitation window is open from October 6, 2025, through January 9, 2026. Award decisions will be made and communicated to applicants in the spring of 2026. Formal applications will not be distributed until the Letter of Intent (LOI) period concludes. 

Interested parties are encouraged to submit an LOI by the deadline of Friday, October 31, 2025. See the LOI template and program guidance materials linked below, for more information:

• PROTECT Program Guidance Materials
• NEMNATP Letter of Intent (LOI) Worksheet

RECENT PROTECT GRANT RECIPIENTS

2025 

• St. Louis County CSAH 84 Culvert Project (Program Year: 2026)
  • St. Louis County will receive $600,000 in federal funds to construct a construct Bridge 736, including approach grading and paving of County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 84. 

• City of Duluth Norton Road Bridge Construction (Program Year: 2027)
  • The City of Duluth will receive $500,000 in federal funds to construct Bridge 69L65 over Chester Creek on Norton Road.

• Gunflint Trail Culvert Replacement (Program Year: 2028)
  • Cook County will receive $420,000 in federal funds to resurface the end 10 miles of the Gunflint Trail, replacing 16 plugged, broken, or undersized culverts in the process.

About the Project Review Taskforce

The NEMNATP Project Review Taskforce is a group comprised of elected officials, government staff, and other stakeholders, which meets to score and rank regional applications for federal funding each February.

Project Review Taskforce members are responsible for reviewing and recommending Transportation Alternatives (TA), Carbon Reduction Program (CRP), and PROTECT projects for NEMNATP approval.

MEMBERSHIP

The NEMNATP Project Review Taskforce consists of sixteen (16) members. Visit the membership page to access a list of current members.