Innovative Traffic Safety Enforcement (ITSE) Grant Program

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Limited Submission Process Overview

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce this limited submission funding opportunity/award. Limited submission programs restrict the number of applications an institution may submit to the sponsor.

All interested PIs must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) through the UConn Quest Portal by the deadline listed below to be considered.

After the NOI deadline, OVPR will determine whether an internal competition is needed based on the number of NOIs received. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If no NOIs are received, the opportunity may remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first (see full process on our website).

Deadline

Date/Time

Notes

Internal NOI Deadline

Friday, 8/14/2026 by 12 noon

Required.

Internal Pre-proposal Deadline

Monday, 8/17/2026 by 12 noon

Only required if an internal competition is needed.

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline

9/3/2026, 5 p.m. ET

Item

Details

Program Link

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/363446 

Quest Portal Link

https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ITSE-1_FY27 

Award Details

Anticipated funding range of $500,000 to $2,000,000

Number of UConn Applicants Allowed

1 Total

Program Description

The ITSE grant program seeks to support applicants who can develop, demonstrate, and evaluate new, innovative traffic safety enforcement projects or innovative enhancements to existing countermeasures that address risky driving behaviors contributing to the greatest number of crashes. The focus areas for this project are speeding/aggressive driving, drug or alcohol-impaired driving, occupant protection and distracted driving. 

The program’s objectives are to: 

1. Develop innovative traffic safety enforcement programs that demonstrate effectiveness by reducing the number of motor vehicle crashes due to one or more of the subject risky driving behaviors
2. Ensure the traffic safety enforcement programs are repeatable and scalable for use by law enforcement throughout the United States.

Question

Answer

What happens after the NOI deadline?

After the NOI deadline, one of three outcomes typically applies.

1. If the number of NOIs received exceeds the sponsor’s limit, OVPR will conduct an internal competition. 
2. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who have submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If any slots remain available, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. If no NOIs are received by the deadline, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first.

Only PIs selected and approved by OVPR are eligible to submit to the sponsor.

What are the pre-proposal requirements?

If an internal competition is necessary, pre-proposals should include:

1. Maximum two-page summary describing the project and demonstrating how it will fulfill the program/solicitation criteria and contribute to meeting the research/education goals of the institution (if applicable).
2. A brief budget overview and justification, 1-2 pages.
3. Biosketches or CVs for all key personnel.

Please see the sponsor’s guidelines for details about program goals and application components.

What happens after the pre-proposal is submitted? 

1. Pre-proposals are reviewed by an ad hoc faculty committee with expertise in grant submission and relevant research areas. External reviewers may be involved when necessary.
2. After selections are made, all applicants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review.
3. Selected investigators will be approved to complete and submit full proposals according to the sponsor’s guidelines.

Where can I find more information?

For more information about the limited submission process, please visit our FAQ page.

For additional assistance, please contact us at research@uconn.edu.

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