The U.S. Department of Transportation announced recently that Marshall County, Alabama has received a $16.17 million grant to enhance safety and strengthen a critical rural transportation corridor.

Marshall County’s award was Alabama’s only Fiscal Year 2026 BUILD Grant recipient. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) called the award “especially meaningful,” adding that “the fact that Marshall County received Alabama’s only BUILD Grant this year speaks to both the strength of this application and the critical need for this investment.”

The achievement came in one of the nation’s most competitive grant programs.

According to the U.S. DOT, nearly 1,200 eligible applications requested more than $14.5 billion in FY 2026 BUILD funding. Only 127 projects nationwide received awards totaling approximately $1.73 billion.

The Marshall County grant was one of two received through the representation of an Alabama-based firm, Simple Grants, of Shelby County. Simple Grants also represented the City of Tontitown, Arkansas, which was awarded $17 million to improve roadway safety, expand pedestrian access, and modernize critical transportation infrastructure to support one of Arkansas’ fastest-growing communities.

“Federal grants have evolved into an extremely competitive funding environment,” said Jessica Whaley, Founder and CEO of Simple Grants. “Communities aren’t simply requesting funding. They’re competing to tell the strongest story, backed by strategy and data, about how their project will advance federal priorities. That’s where specialized grant expertise makes the difference. We are grateful for the opportunity to help our clients bring these projects to life for their communities.”

Simple Grants is a national grant strategy firm headquartered in Shelby County, Alabama. The firm helps local governments, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, nonprofits, and public agencies identify, pursue, and manage competitive grant funding.