By PraxiChain’s Port & Rail Experts

The FY 2025–26 CRISI Notice of Funding Opportunity was announced on April 20, 2026, and the clock is already running. Applications are due June 22, 2026.

This cycle combines FY25 and FY26 funds into a single NOFO, bringing approximately $2 billion to the table, making it the second-largest CRISI round on record. USDOT is under a mandate to obligate all remaining IIJA funds by the end of FY26, compressing timelines across every program.

PraxiChain’s Ports & Rail team has secured nine-figure federal awards for port and rail clients. Here’s what we are telling them right now.

Download The Q & A

Why this cycle is different.

Scale and urgency are converging in a way that doesn’t happen often. The combined FY25–26 NOFO represents approximately $2 billion, and with a 63-day application window, organizations that arrive ready will have a decisive advantage over those still scoping their project when the NOFO publishes.

FRA’s priorities for this cycle are also coming into sharper relief: 286K car weight upgrades, bridge projects tied to 286K, and diesel locomotive acquisition are areas of particular interest. Rolling stock is not a funding priority this cycle. Technology is. And the FRA has signaled potential modifications to application requirements that may provide meaningful relief for smaller and first-time applicants.

What port operators and short line railroads stand to gain:

  • 286K capability upgrades that address infrastructure gaps and business competitiveness in a single application
  • On-dock rail improvements, new rail-to-terminal connections, and switching infrastructure that reduces dwell time
  • Intermodal connector upgrades tied to freight commodity flows and regional economic impact
  • Joint applications pairing a short line and port authority — a combination that FRA has historically viewed favorably

“At approximately $2 billion, this is the second largest CRISI round on record.”  – Trish Haver, Sr. Advisor, Port & Rail Strategy

What You’ll Learn in this Brief

Inside the Q&A, PraxiChain’s Ports & Rail team addresses the most critical questions port directors and short line leaders are asking right now:

  • What makes this CRISI cycle distinct from previous rounds — and what it means for applicants
  • Which project types are eligible, and where FRA’s priorities are focused
  • Whether port authorities can apply directly — and the holding company clarification that trips up many organizations
  • How the application process may be simplified this cycle, and what that means for competitiveness
  • What the cost share requirement is and why exceeding the minimum matters
  • Exactly what organizations should be doing before the June 22 deadline

This is not a policy summary. It is direct, experience-based guidance from consultants who have managed nine-figure federal award processes for port and rail clients.

Request a Complimentary CRISI Opportunity Assessment

Access the full Q & A brief

In 30 minutes, we’ll identify your highest-leverage federal funding opportunities and what it will take to pursue them.

Contact PraxiChain to discuss:

  • CRISI application strategy and project scoping
  • 286K upgrade feasibility and business case development
  • Port authority eligibility and joint application structuring
  • Matching funds strategy and stakeholder alignment
  • Cost share requirements and benefit-cost analysis approach

Derrick W. Smith is a Project Manager, Commercial Strategy at PraxiChain and a former VP of Strategic Business Development at CSX Transportation.

Patricia “Trish” Haver is a Senior Advisor, Port & Rail Strategy at PraxiChain. She previously served as CEO of Pyxis Associates, COO of Dreamstar Lines, Chief Commercial Officer of NC Railroad, and VP of Strategy & Industrial Development at the Port of New Orleans.

Bill Foust is a Project Manager, Railroad & Equipment Strategy at PraxiChain and a former Director of Equipment & Marketing at BNSF Railway.

James Johansson is a Senior Consultant, Port & Intermodal Operations at PraxiChain and a former Director of Port Operations, Los Angeles/Long Beach, at BNSF Railway.

Photo Source: Inland Port Greer (SCPA/Craig Lee)