FDOT Grants Manual 10-31-08 Lowres

7/31/2019 FDOT Grants Manual 10-31-08 Lowres

1/48Leading the Way!

Broward Palm Beach Martin St. Lucie Indian River

Counties

Florida Department o

T R A N S P O R T A T I O N

District Four

Ofce o Modal Development

Public ransportationGrants Guide


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August 2008

Dear Prospective FDOT Partner,

Welcome to our new grants resource guide. As always we are seekingnew ways to reach out to our prospective and current public partners.

This manual was created by the Oce o Modal Development to help ourpartners better prepare successul grant applications.

Last year more than $5 million in state discretionary grant unds and morethan $2 million in ederal grant unds were awarded throughout District

Four. We aim to continually improve our service by providing up-to-date

inormation concerning public transportation grants in this District.

Sincerely,

Nancy ZieglerDistrict 4 Florida Department o TransportationDistrict Modal Development Administrator

OFFICE OF MODAL DEVELOPMENT3400 W. Commercial Blvd.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309-3421

Telephone: (954) 777-4490 Fax: (954) 677-7892

STEPHANIE C. KOPELOUSOSSECRETARY

CHARLIE CRISTGOVERNOR

Florida Department of Transportation


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Grant Programs

Grant Writing

Overview

TheOverview section highlights thepurpose o this guide and the mission othe FDOT District Four Oce o Modal

Development. Youll learn who can apply or Dis-trict Four grants and which grant programs arecovered in this guide. Start in the Overview sec-tion to quickly identiy whether any o the grants

are appropriate or your project. Youll also ndcontact inormation and a list o denitions andacronyms in case you are unamiliar with anyterms used in this guide.

The Grant Writing section pro-vides important inormation on writing

the best possible application. Youll learnhow to orm a strong grant writing team, which

aspects o the application are the most impor-tant, and what questions your grant applicationmust answerand how. Practical examples anda list o additional resources will help you ne-tune your own application.

The Grant Programs sectionprovides detailed inormation on allthe grant programs available through

FDOT District Fourboth state discretionarygrants and Federal Transit Administration grantsadministered by FDOT. Youll learn what typeso projects might qualiy or unding throughwhich grants, and what types o costs might beeligible. There is also essential inormation ondeadlines, unding limits, and requirements ormatching unds.

How to Use this Guide

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2

3

click button to link to section




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Overview Grant Writing Grant Programs

FDOT District Four Oce o Modal Development Public Transportation Grants Guide

able o Contents1. Overview................... .................... ................... .................... .................... ................... .................... ... 1 Purpose o this Guide ................... ................... .................... .................... ................... .................... ... 2

Welcome................. .................... .................... ................... .................... .................... ................... .......... 3

Who Can Apply? ................... ................... .................... .................... ................... .................... ............. 4

Contact Inormation.................. .................... ................... .................... .................... ................... ....... 4

Grants Included in this Guide .................... ................... .................... .................... ................... ....... 5

What Types o Projects Could Qualiy or Funding?.................. .................... .................... ...... 7

2. Grant Writing ................... ................... .................... .................... ................... .................... ............. 9

Tips or Writing Exceptional Grant Applications ....................................................................10

Grant Applications Need to Answer the Following Questions.........................................11

Beore You Start, Consider .....................................................................................................12

Assemble a Grant Writing Team...................................................................................................14

Project Lie Cycle................................................................................................................................15

The Most Important Aspects o the Application....................................................................16

Additional Resources .......................................................................................................................21

3. Grant Programs Available through FDOT.............................................................22

State Discretionary Grant Programs...........................................................................................23

Public Transit Service Development Program................................................................24

Transit Corridor Program........................................................................................................26

Park and Ride Lot Program....................................................................................................29

Intermodal Development Program....................................................................................31

FTA Grant Programs Administered through FDOT................................................................33

Section 5310 Program Elderly and Persons with Disabilities ................................34 Section 5311 Program Non-Urbanized Area Program ................. .................... ........36

Section 5316 Program Job Access Reverse Commute Program...........................38

Section 5317 Program New Freedom Program ..........................................................40

Denitions and Acronyms....................................................................................................................42


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FDOT District Four Oce o Modal Development Public Transportation Grants Guide 1


Section 1:

Overview


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Purpose o this GuideTo provide detailed inormation to

potential applicants about each grant

program.

To enable applicants to produce detailed,

quality applications that have a high

probability o being unded.

To maximize the quality and success o the

grant-unded projects.

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Welcome!Oce o Modal Development

Leading the Way

The Florida Department o Transportation District Four Oce o Modal Develop-ment welcomes you to this guide. The District oers several grant programs de-signed to encourage public transportation and multimodal projects that promotethe eective and ecient movement o people and goods.

The District Four Oce o Modal Development is responsible or coordinating

grant applications rom two sources:

State Funded Discretionary Grant Programs

Federal Transit Agency (FTA) Grant Programs

Advance desirable transportation choices

Our Vision:

Our Mission:

Partnering to achieve a world-class transportation system


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To apply or these programsa prospective applicant must

be located in the District Fourgeographic coverage area,which encompasses:

Broward County

Palm Beach County

Martin County

St. Lucie County

Indian River County

FDOT District Four

ContactFDOT District FourTransit Grants CoordinatorOce o Modal Development3400 West Commercial

BoulevardFort Lauderdale, Florida33309-3421

954-777-4491

Who Can Apply?


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Grants Included in this Guide

Public Transit Service

Development Program

This grant program is designed toprovide start-up unding or newpublic transit projects that providenew or innovative techniques to im-prove system eciencies, ridership, orrevenues.

Transit Corridor

Program

This program is designed to supportprojects that relieve congestion andimprove capacity in identied trans-portation corridors by improvingthe people-carrying capacity o thesystem through the use o high-occu-pancy conveyances.

Park and Ride Lot

Program

This program supports the purchaseor lease o land or the construction opark and ride acilities or the promo-tion o these acilities to increase theiruse or transit, carpools, and vanpools.

Intermodal

Development Program

This program provides unding orprojects that promote the intermodalor multimodal movement o peopleand goods. These projects may in-clude major capital investments inxed guideway transportation sys-tems; access to seaports or airports;

and construction o intermodal,multimodal, or other transportationterminals.

State Discretionary Grants


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Section 5310 Program

Transportation or the

Elderly and Persons with

Disabilities

This program provides unding to as-sist private non-prot organizationsin meeting the transportation needso the elderly and persons with dis-abilities when public transportation

service is unavailable, insucient, orinappropriate to meet these needs.

Section 5311 Program

Non-Urbanized Area

Program

The goal o the program is to enhance

the public transportation systems inrural and small urban areas.

Section 5316

Job Access and Reverse

Commute Program

The goal o the Job Access and Re-verse Commute program (JARC) isto improve access to transportationservices or employment or eligiblelow-income individuals and to trans-

port residents o urbanized areas andnon-urbanized areas to suburban

employment opportunities.

Section 5317

New Freedom Program

The goal o the New Freedomprogram is to improve access to trans-portation services or individuals withdisabilities, with additional transpor-tation methods.

FA Grant Programs through FDO


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Examples o projects unded Types o Grant ProgramsTravel training or the developmentallydisabled and seniors

Public Transit Service Development

Construction and inrastructureimprovements o transit transer stations

Intermodal Development

Purchase and installation o bus shelters,

street urniture, and other enhancements

Public Transit Service Development,


Transit signage Public Transit Service Development

Regional marketing campaigns Public Transit Service Development

Marketing campaigns to transportationdisadvantaged groups


Analysis o system enhancements to anexisting limited-stop bus service

Public Transit Service Development,Transit Corridor

Implementing Intelligent TransportationSystems (ITS), including customer tripinormation technology


Queue jumper systems Intermodal Development

Transit-related aspect o bicycling (such asadding bicycle racks to vehicle to support)

Public Transit Service Development,Transit Corridor

Providing bicycle storage at transit stations,

shelters, and buses

Public Transit Service Development,

Intermodal DevelopmentLate night and weekend service Public Transit Service Development,

Transit Corridor, 5316, 5317

Ridesharing and carpooling activities Park and Ride Lot Program, 5316, 5317

What ypes o Projects CouldQualiy or Funding?

continued next page


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Examples o projects unded Types o Grant ProgramsLand acquisition or parking Park and Ride Lot Program

Expanding xed-route public transit routes Public Transit Service Development,Transit Corridor

Route deviation service Public Transit Service Development,Transit Corridor

Local service Public Transit Service Development

Shuttle service Public Transit Service Development,Transit Corridor

Demand-responsive van service 5310, 5311, 5316, 5317

Saety and preventative maintenancetraining


Water taxi enhancements Intermodal Development

Port inrastructure improvements Intermodal Development

Vehicle mechanical system improvements Public Transit Service Development

Study o Automated Smart Card Public Transit Service Development,Transit Corridor

Transit vehicles bus, hybrid bus, articulatedbus

5310, 5311, 5316, 5317, Public TransitService Development, Transit Corridor

Geographic Inormation Systems (GIS),mobile communications technology,computer equipment

5310, 5311, 5316, 5317, Public TransitService Development

Nitrogen-lled tires or transit buses Public Transit Service Development


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Overview Grant Writing Grant ProgramsOverview Grant Writing Grant Programs

Section 2:

Grant Writing


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ips or Writing ExceptionalGrant Applications

Certain general principles o grant writing are applicable to any type o grant, nomatter what the purpose is or who the grantor may be. Pay careul attention to theollowing principles to make your grant application stand out in a crowded eld o ap-plicants.

Follow instructions meticulously. Errors o preparation may result in delay or rejec-

tion o the application.Review the questions that the application requiresand answer them directly and eectively.

Separate act rom opinion. Do not present an opin-ion or speculation as a truth.

Establish your major points. These are the primaryitems on which the application will be evaluated.

Avoid unnecessary complexity. Be clear and con-cise.

Provide justication. Include data or a rational argument that explains why theproposed project is needed. A completed needs assessment or other study is anappropriate attachmentalthough the application should be complete enough tostand on its own.

Create clear goals and measurable objectives. Mea-surability allows the easy assessment o a projects

success.

Prepare accurate budgets that contain costs pro-

jected to the time o use.

Follow up with the District. Stay updated on thestatus o the grant application and always ask orpositive and negative eedback on the application.

Separate Fact

rom Opinion

Be Clear

and Concise


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Grant Applications Need toAnswer the Following Questions

Who is the organization? What plans, studies, and

data are available to

quantiy the need?

What is the proposed

project and its scope?

What goals and

measurable objectives

have been developed?

What is the identied

need?

What costs are associated

with the project?

How will the proposed

project address the need?

What will quantiy a

successul outcome o

the project?


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Make Sure Your Project Qualies

or the Grant and Relates to the

Purpose o the Funding

Each grant program has its own rules and stan-dards. It is important to ully understand the

specic requirements o each grant program and

conrm that your project complies with all the re-quirements. Always contact the FDOT District FourGrants Coordinator. This person can discuss with

you how well the grant program will work or yourproject and provide you with additional guidance

in the application process.

Planning, Researching, and

Organizing a Grant Applicationis Very Important

Your level o eort could make the dierence be-tween an application that is unded and one that isnot. It is an investment in your projects successulgrant unding and its overall success. Strive to cre-ate a grant application that leaves an excellent rstimpression and thoroughly convinces the grant re-

viewer that the project is worthy o being unded.

In a well-prepared proposal, the projects descrip-tion and delivery system are easily understood bythe reader.

Beore You Start, Consider

Find the right

grant program!

Make an excellent

rst impression!


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Secure Local Support

For a project to succeed, local level support withpublic input is essential. Many grant programs re-quire a local unding match. The stronger the localsupport or a project, the easier it will be to securematching unds, letters o support, and in-kinddonations.

Make Sure Your Project

Corresponds with Local,

Regional, or State PlanningDocuments

Grants or public transportation projects requirethat your project be identied in transportationplans, transit plans, and comprehensive plans. Youwill be required to quote page numbers and itemnumbers or your project. This helps unders iden-

tiy that your project is a local, state, or regionalpriority. Additionally, ensure that local transporta-

tion disadvantaged service plans are cited or grantprograms that serve transportation disadvantagedpopulations.

Projects Should Be Ready to Go

Make sure your public transportation project isready to be implemented and aspects that candelay a project are solved, such as land titles orpermitting problems.

Can you demonstrate

public support?

Is this a planned,

priority project?

Be ready to go!


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Assemble a

Strong Team

Assemble a Grant Writing eamDeveloping a good grant application typically requires the eorts o several people.Assemble a team o people early and use their various skills. This is a key component incompleting grant applications eciently and eectively. A grant writing team typicallyincludes the ollowing key team members:

Senior-level management must support and sign grant applications. Check sched-ules to ensure that signatures can be obtained in time. Allow sucient time or your

project to be placed on meeting agendas so governing boards can support applica-tions, matches, and resolutions.

The project manager is responsible or the project or which a grant is sought. Thisperson will have a broad range o knowledge regarding the project and will likely bethe primary source o project-related inormation.

The writer o the grant application may be the project manager, but could be anothertechnical writer working with the project manager. Make sure you have someone toassist in developing quality perormance objectives and project schedules.

A person with good prooreading and editingskills is critical. This person should ideally be

removed rom the project so that they canprovide an independent assessment ohow well the application presents the

required inormation.

Utilize your own organiza-tions fnance expertiseto assist with developinga good budget. Make sure

your budget is accurateand is refective o the items

you need to carry out yourproposal. Funders want to see goodscal planning and management.


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Problem or

Need

Goal

Objectives

Process

Outcome

Measurement/

Deliverables

Project Lie CycleGrant applications must describein detaileach phaseo the project lie cycle.

What is your overall aim?

How would you measure progress toward that goal?

What steps would you take to achieve your goal andobjectives?

What are the desired results o this initiative?

How would you measure your success?

What problem are you trying to solve with these unds?


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Te Most Important Aspects othe Application

Project Introduction

The introductory paragraph or the rst paragraph in your project description is a very

important paragraph. This paragraph is an attention grabber or the grant reader.

It should clearly explain what you are using unds or. It should be written in such amanner that any reader can understand at a glance what the proposal will deliver. Thisintroductory paragraph is similar to an abstract, but is more condensed. Oten thisparagraph is written last.

Project Introduction Example 1:

Transit Agency Anywhere seeks to expand our public transit service and alleviatecapacity issues by adding one transit route on Main Boulevarda seriously con-

gested urban corridor identied in local and county transportation plans. This route

will produce a minimum o 400 riders a day with 30-minute headways operatingMonday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm. Destination points include employers,businesses, shops, and the regional train station. This application seeks unding orone 35-oot, 30-passenger transit bus to begin this new service.

Project Introduction Example 2:

The Agency on Aging Graceully seeks to continue providing transportation to theresidents o Graceul Residential Hall, an assisted-living acility or 2,000 residents.

Eighty percent o our residents have physical or mental disabilities that impede anyability to utilize standard transportation options. Thereore, this application seeks

to transport 50 residents a day to local doctors, hospitals, shops, and businesses.This service will be available seven days a week rom 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thisservice will be possible with grant assistance to purchase a 20-passenger cutawaytransit vehicle with wheelchair equipment.


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Project NeedDiscuss the identied need or this project.What is the problem that you are trying tosolve with these unds? How will the pro-posed project address the need? What plans,studies, and data are available to identiy or

quantiy the need?

Project Objectives

The objectives o your project should mir-ror what you are using the grant unds orin your project. Objectives must be measur-able. There is a dierence between goals

and objectives. A goal might be, to providemore transit access. It is not measurable; it isan overall goal. Objectives are perormance-related, and can be measured.

Good objectives are important because i youreceive a grant award you will be required to

report on the progress toward the objectives.Your project success will be measured accord-ing to how well you achieved your objectives.Make sure your project objectives are realistic.

They will become the criteria by which yourproject is evaluated should you be selectedor unding.

Objectives must be

measurable...

and realistic


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EXAMPLES

Goal Objectives Process

Expand Service onRoute 16 DowntownEmployment District

Increase seat capacityby 50% on Route16 Downtown

Employment District.

Reduce headwaytime rom 60 minutesto 30 minutes onRoute 16 DowntownEmployment District.

Provide a second 40-passenger transit busto expanded service on

Route 16 DowntownEmployment District bythe last quarter o thesecond year o the project.

Enhance TransitAccessibility

Provide eight busshelters in JohnsonCity in approved bus

stop sites at H Street,J Street ( two), Cross

Avenue ( two), MainStreet ( two), and LittleStreet (two).

Place shelters, streeturniture, and sidewalkimprovements in

designated areas (ourby the end o the second

project year and our bythe end o the third projectyear).

Provide a QualityMarketing Program or theNW District o Johnson City

Conduct sixoutreach events inneighborhoods andactivity centers in the

NW District o JohnsonCity.

Place 24 monthlyads in Johnson Citynewspaper.

Purchase materials andassociated items or sixevents (three or the rstproject year and three

or the second projectyear); place newspaperadvertisements monthly.

Goals, Objectives, and Processes

Whats the Dierence?


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Project Schedule

In this section discuss how the project services will

be delivered. Discuss how the project will be man-aged by your agency and who will be in charge.Provide a project schedule. The project schedule issimilar to an activities timeline. The project must bebroken down into sequential or concurrent steps tocompletion. The project schedule submitted withthe grant application should only include thosesteps and tasks that will be supported by grant

unding. A project schedule should include the ol-lowing inormation: planned start date, activity, responsible party, completion date,milestones, and deliverables or products. Some steps may involve a specic deliver-able, such as the completion o a study or plan, while other milestones may not. Theproject schedule must provide enough activities so that the reviewer can gain a gen-eral understanding o what the project entails rom the schedule alone.

What is the timeline o

grant activities?


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Project BudgetThe project costs and project elements must beclear. What costs are associated with each element,and what portion o the costs will be borne by eachanticipated unding source? The budget should beorganized in columnar orm according to general

accounting principles and must include costs as-sociated with capital and non-capital expenditures.Expected revenues must be detailed and all sourceso unding itemized. All assumed in-kind services,

volunteer eorts, and indirect costs must be shown.The budget should not include a miscellaneous or

contingency category. When creating the project budget, keep in mind that all grantunds will be awarded in the uture. Budget numbers should be projected into theuture to the time o expenditure and should account or infation. The budget should

only include those items covered by the grant unds. As with the project schedule, theproject budget should provide sucient detail so that the reviewer can gain a generalunderstanding o what the project entails rom the budget alone.

The reviewer

should be able to

understand the

overall project just

by reviewing the

budget

provide detail!


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Additional Resources

In addition to the ideas presented above, there are grant writing resources available onthe Internet that provide inormation on how to write high-quality grant applications.You may want to research the ollowing web sites and perorm a web search or others.

Non-prot guides:

http://www.npguides.com

Federal government grants:

http://www.grants.gov

Foundation Center:

http://www.oundationcenter.org

Catalog o Federal Domestic Assistance:

http://12.46.245.173/cda/cda.html

FDOT Ofce o Modal Development

District Four Grant web site:

http://www.dot.state.f.us/publictransportation/D4/grants.htm

FDOT Public Transportation web site:

http://www.dot.state.f.us/publictransportation/deault.htm

FDOT Transit Resource Manual:

http://www.dot.state.f.us/transit/Pages/TransitResourceGuide.PDF
http://www.npguides.com/http://www.grants.gov/http://www.foundationcenter.org/http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.htmlhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/publictransportation/D4/grants.htmhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/publictransportation/default.htmhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/transit/Pages/TransitResourceGuide.PDFhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/transit/Pages/TransitResourceGuide.PDFhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/publictransportation/default.htmhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/publictransportation/D4/grants.htmhttp://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.htmlhttp://www.foundationcenter.org/http://www.grants.gov/http://www.npguides.com/


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Section 3:

Grant Programs


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State Discretionary Grant ProgramsThese programs aim to help public transit systems, local governments, and other publicentities increase public transportation methods and relieve roadway congestion by provid-ing unding or increased transit routes or service, bus stops and shelters, and intermodalinrastructure.

Spring Application Cycle

Contact us in January or Application Inormation

Public Transit Service

Development Program

State Discretionary

Grant Programs

Transit Corridor

Program


Program

Park and Ride Lot

Program


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Public ransit ServiceDevelopment Program

Purpose

The Public Transit Service Development Program isdesigned to provide initial unding to public transitprojects with new or innovative techniques to im-prove system eciencies, ridership, or revenues.

Funding Availability

Applications or new projects are accepted annually.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs include any allowable capital, marketing,or operating costs under the Federal Transit Admin-istration Section 5307 and State Public Transit BlockGrant programs.

Funding Limitations and MatchingRequirement

The Public Transit Service Development Program cov-

ers up to 50 percent o the capital, marketing, and netoperating costs (less any ederal unds, ares, or othersources o income to the project). In-kind services are acceptable as a match, withdocumentation o the value and approval by the District. For projects that are deter-mined to have a statewide signicance, the Department (as approved by the CentralOce) may provide additional unding that could be up to 100 percent o the total

project costs, less any operating revenues.

Eligible Projects

The utilization o newservice routes; expansiono service; access to servicewith shelters, stops, etc.

The application o newtechnologies or methodolo-gies to improve operations,maintenance, or marketing.

Eligible Recipients

Public agencies, includingcounties, municipalities,transit agencies, and othergovernment agencies.


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Length o Project

The ollowing are specied time durations or Service Development Projects:

1) projects that improve system operations no more than three years; 2) projects thatimprove system maintenance procedures no more than three years; 3) projects thatimprove marketing and consumer inormation programs no more than two years;and 4) projects that improve technology involved in overall operations no more thantwo years.

Success Criteria

The success o the project shall be evaluated based on criteria supplied by the appli-

cant. Applications should provide expected results o the project and the criteria toevaluate the results. For example, the criteria to evaluate a project may be ridership,and the expected results may be a 5 percent increase in ridership over the previousyear.

Grant Deadlines

Grant application packages are generally available ater January o each year. Checkwith the District Four Oce o Modal Development, as deadlines and procedures can

vary rom year to year.

Available FundingTotal unding or this programvaries rom $1,400,000 to$1,800,000 and averages ourto six awards per year. Rangeso awards are rom $50,000 to$300,000 not including localmatch.


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ransit Corridor Program

Purpose

The Transit Corridor program is designed to relievecongestion and improve capacity within an identi-ed transportation corridor by increasing the peo-ple-carrying capacity o the transportation systemsthrough the use o high-occupancy conveyances.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs include:

Development o Transit Corridor Plans.

Design and construction or installation over-sight o project acilities and improvements.

Providing guidance and administrative supportto the Technical Advisory Group during plan-

ning and implementation o the project.

Development o marketing and public relationsactivities.

Capital acquisition, including, but not limitedto:

Rolling stock such as buses, vans, light railvehicles, and other high-occupancy ve-hicles.

Purchase o land or installation o projectacilities and right-o-way or transporta-

tion corridor improvements.

Construction and installation o acilities,such as park and ride lots, shelters, and sta-tions.

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects includethose listed below and similarintiatives. All projects mustbe within a transportationcorridor designated within a

local or statewide CongestionManagement Plan/Mobil-

ity Management Plan or aninterstate corridor or otherconstrained corridor listed ina Transit Development Plan.Eligible projects include:

Creation o new or ex-panded transit services.

The improvement o busoperations through theuse o bus pull-out lanes,high-occupancy vehicle

(HOV) lanes, and similarmeasures.

The improvement o ac-cess to origins and des-tinations within the cor-ridor.

Eligible Recipients

Public agencies, includingcounties, municipalities, tran-

sit agencies, and other gov-ernment agencies.


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Transportation corridor improvements such as turn lanes, trac controls, andexclusive lanes or acilities or high-occupancy vehicles.

Operational costs, including, but not limited to:

Pre-service preparations

Transit service operating decits

Marketing and public relations

Project administration

Security and trac control

Equipment and project lease, including appraisals

Commuter transportation services

Carpool and vanpool activities

Other Transportation Demand Management strategies targeting employers alongthe corridor or legitimate costs deemed appropriate by the District.


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Funding Limits and Match Requirements

Funding is limited to 50 percent o the non-ederal share o the project cost, not toexceed the unding committed by the local project sponsor. For projects that are deter-mined to have a statewide signicance or are regional in nature and have no regionalunding mechanism, additional unding may be provided that could be up to 100 per-cent o the total project costs, less any operating revenues. In-kind services are accept-able as a match with documentation o the value and approval by the District.

Grant Deadlines

Grant application packages are generally available ater January o each year. Check

with the District Four Oce o Modal Development, as deadlines and procedures canvary rom year to year.

Success Criteria

The success o the project shall be measured based on goals, objectives, and mile-stones toward the meeting o those goals and objectives that were created as part othe project planning process.

Available Funding

This program averages two to ve awards per year depending on appropriations, andawards range rom $50,000 to $300,000 not including the local match i applicable.


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Park and Ride Lot ProgramPurpose

This program provides or the purchase and/or leasing o private land or the construc-

tion o park and ride lots, the promotion o these lots, and the monitoring o their use.This program is an integral part o the commuter assistance program eorts to encour-age the use o transit, carpools, vanpools, and otherhigh-occupancy modes. Regional projects and/orconnections between modes will be given a higherpriority.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs include planning, design, right-o-wayacquisition, engineering, marketing, and construc-tion o park and ride lots.

Length o Project

All projects will continue provided that they meetminimum occupancy standards. Projects that do not

meet minimum occupancy standards or a period oone year may be closed or otherwise disposed o.

Funding Limits and Match Re-

quirements

The unding may be up to 100 percent o the projectcost or projects carried out entirely by the Depart-ment, when title to the park and ride lot is to beretained by the Department, or when approved

or the Local Advance Program. No local match isrequired. Any local unding commitment must beevidenced through a letter rom the applicants chie

nancial ocer. Toll revenue credits may not be usedas a match. Local unds or private unds may be usedas a match.

Eligible ProjectsTo be eligible, park and ridelots must be shown on aDistrict park and ride projectlist, a Transit Corridor Plan, a

Transit Development Plan, amajor highway construction

justication plan, or anotherlocally published plan. Thepark and ride lot must be

sited, sized, and promotedin such a way that there is areasonable expectation o atleast 60 percent occupancyand that the lot can acilitate

transer between modes. Theproject must be designed inaccordance with the StatePark and Ride Lot PlanningHandbook.

Eligible RecipientsPublic agencies, includingcounties, municipalities, tran-sit agencies, and other gov-ernment agencies.


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Grant Deadlines

Grant application packages are generally available ater January o each year. Check

with the District Four Oce o Modal Development, as deadlines and procedures canvary rom year to year.

Available Funding

Annual unding or the District ranges rom $250,000 to $300,000 per year, which isused to und one to two projects.


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Intermodal Development Program

Purpose

The Intermodal Development Program providesassistance or major capital investments in xedguideway transportation systems; access to sea-ports or airports; and construction o intermodal,multimodal, or other transportation terminals. It

is intended to acilitate the intermodal or multi-modal movement o people and goods. Regional

projects and/or connections between modes willbe given a higher priority.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs include planning, design, and con-struction o intermodal acilities.

Funding Limits and Match Re-

quirements

Projects that are regional in nature may be undedat up to 100 percent. For local projects, a maxi-mum o 50 percent o the non-ederal share o theproject costs may be unded. Toll revenue credits

may not be used as a match. Local unds or privateunds may be used as a match. In-kind services areacceptable as a match with documentation o thevalue and approval by the District. Local undingcommitment must be evidenced through a let-ter rom the applicants chie nancial ocer. For

projects including operating costs, ares do notcount as a match and must be deducted rom the

operating project budget.

Eligible Projects

Projects that are eligible orunding under this program in-clude major capital investmentsin public rail and xed guideway

transportation acilities and sys-tems which provide intermodalaccess and which have compliedwith the requirement o the De-partments major capital invest-ment policy; road, rail, or xedguideway access to, rom, orbetween seaports, airports, andother transportation terminals;

and construction o intermodalor multimodal terminals, de-velopment and construction odedicated bus lanes, and proj-ects which otherwise acilitatethe intermodal or multimodalmovement o people and goods.Projects must be consistent with

approved local governmentcomprehensive plans to themaximum extent easible.

Eligible RecipientsPublic agencies, includingcounties, municipalities, transitagencies, and other governmententities.


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Project Management

The Joint Participating Agreement must be signed and returned within 90 days o theagencys receipt. Failure to meet this deadline may result in unds being re-allocated toanother project which is ready to go. Project invoicing should begin six months aterthe Joint Participating Agreement is executed. Final invoices must be submitted within

our months ater project completion. Quarterly progress reports are due to the DistrictProgram Manager within 30 days o the end o the quarter.

Success Criteria

The success o the project shall be measured based on the goals, objectives, and mile-stones created as part o the project planning process.

Grant Deadlines

Grant application packages are generally available ater January o each year. Checkwith the District Four Oce o Modal Development, as deadlines and procedures can

vary rom year to year.

Available Funding

Funding or this program averages $2 million annually, District-wide. The number oawards varies based on priorities.


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FA Grant ProgramsAdministered through FDO

These programs are available to help transportation disadvantaged groups such as theelderly, persons with disabilities, workorce, or rural populations.

5310 Elderly and Persons

with Disabilities Program

FTA Grant Programs

5311 Rural and Small

Urban Areas Program

5316 Job Access and Reverse

Commute Program

5317 New Freedom

Program

Fall Application Cycle

Contact us in August or Application Inormation


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Section 5310 Program ransportation or theElderly and Persons with Disabilities

Purpose

The Section 5310 program provides ederal capitalunds to assist private non-prot groups in meet-ing the transportation needs o elderly persons andpersons with disabilities when public transporta-tion service is unavailable, insucient, or inappro-

priate to meet these needs.

Eligible Costs

Eligible expenses are limited to buses, vans, or

other paratransit vehicles; radios and communica-tions equipment; wheelchair lits and restraints; ve-hicle rehabilitation; vehicle overhaul (which may be

calculated as up to 20 percent o the agencys an-nual vehicle maintenance costs); associated capitalmaintenance, including the cost o tires, tubes, andreplacement parts which exceed .05 percent o thedepreciated value o the vehicle or which they are

used; microcomputer hardware and sotware; initialinstallation costs; vehicle procurement, inspection,and acceptance costs; and other durable goodssuch as spare components with unit cost over $300and a useul lie o more than one year.

Funding Limits and Match Re-quirements

The ederal share or eligible costs may not exceed80 percent and the state share may not exceed 10percent. A local match o 10 percent is required.

Eligible ProjectsCapital requests or vans, cut-

aways, and transit buses.

Eligible Recipients

Recipients must be a Commu-nity Transportation Coordinator(CTC) or a contractor providingservice under the terms o a

coordination o transportationoperator contract with a CTC.(A CTC is a transportation entityrecommended by a Metro-politan Planning Organization

(MPO)or other designatedplanning agency where an MPOdoes not existto providetransportation services to thetransportation disadvantagedpopulation in a designated

service area.)


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Project Management

Recipients must adhere to vehicle maintenance and saety standards procedures.

Success Criteria

The projects success shall be based on the hours o service provided, eciency o theservice provided, and the extent to which the needs o elderly persons and personswith disabilities are served.

Grant Deadlines

Check with the District Four Oce o Modal Development, as deadlines and proce-dures can vary rom year to year.

Available Funding

Funding varies, but averages $1.7 to $2 million per year or the District.


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Section 5311

Non-Urbanized Area Program

Purpose

The Section 5311 Program provides ederal unds to support public transportation inrural and small urban areas with a population o less than 50,000. Funds may be usedor capital, operating, and project management expenses.

Eligible Costs

Operating assistance: administrative, management, and operations costs directly re-

lated to public transportation services, less any operating revenue.

Capital assistance: buses, vans, or other paratransit vehicles; radios and communica-tions equipment; wheelchair lits and restraints; vehicle rehabilitation; microcomputerhardware/sotware; initial installation costs; vehicle procurement, inspection, andacceptance costs; construction or rehabilitation o transit acilities, including design,engineering, and land acquisition; and other durable goods, such as spare components

with a unit cost over $300 and a useul lie o morethan one year.

Funding Limits and Match

Requirements

Operating assistance: the ederal share o eligiblecosts may not exceed 50 percent. The 50 percentlocal match may include non-cash items such asin-kind donations, provided the value is ormallydocumented and supported. The match must becommitted unding rom a combination o ederal,

state, local, and private unding sources. Up toone-hal o the required match may be rom unre-stricted ederal unds.

Capital assistance: the ederal share o eligiblecosts may not exceed 80 percent. State unds may

Eligible Recipients

Political subdivisions o theState o Florida and agenciesthereo, Indian Tribes, CTCs, orcontractors providing servicethrough contractual arrange-ments with an eligible recipient.


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support up to 10 percent o eligible costs. The remaining 10 percent shall be local or

private unds.

Project Management

Recipients are required to maintain adequate nancial, maintenance, and operatingrecords and comply with the reporting requirements o the Disadvantaged Business

Enterprise (DBE) program. Recipients providing service across an urbanized/non-ur-banized area boundary must segregate the cost o services so that Section 5311 undsare used primarily or non-urbanized area service.

Grant Deadlines

Check with the District Four Oce o Modal Development as deadlines and procedurescan change rom year to year.

Available Funding

Funding varies, but averages $400,000 or the District per year.


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Section 5316

Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC)Program

Purpose

Funds rom the Section 5316 JARC Program are

available or capital, planning, and operatingexpenses that support the development and

maintenance o transportation services designedto transport low-income individuals to and rom

jobs and activities related to their employmentand to support reverse commute projects. Reversecommute projects are projects that provide trans-portation services rom inner city areas to jobs, job

training, or education in suburban employmentcenters.

Eligible Expenses

Eligible capital expenses are limited to buses, vans,or other paratransit vehicles; radios and communi-cations equipment; wheelchair lits and restraints; vehicle rehabilitation; microcomput-er hardware/sotware; initial installation costs; vehicle procurement, inspection, andacceptance costs; construction or rehabilitation o transit acilities including design,engineering, and land acquisition; and other durable goods such as spare componentswith unit cost over $300 and a useul lie o more than one year. Equipment purchasedmust be necessary and reasonable to the provision o public transportation services

or JARC program eligible clients. Eligible expenses or operating are administrative,management, and operations costs directly incident to the provision o public trans-

portation services less operating revenues. The ederal share or net eligible operatingcosts may not exceed 50 percent. The remaining match is local unds.

Eligible Recipients

Political subdivisions o theState o Florida and agencies,

Indian Tribes, private non-protorganizations, and operators opublic transportation services,including private or-protoperators and designated Com-munity Transportation Coordi-nators.


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Matches

Capital matches are 80/20. State unds will match up to 10 percent, and a 10 percentlocal match is required (or capital expenses only). Operating matches are speciedas 50/50 requiring a local match o 50 percent. In-kind matches are permissible withDepartment approval.

Selection Process

Except when there is sucient unding to grant all requests, applications shall beevaluated and ranked by a minimum o three knowledgeable persons within eachdistrict. At least one evaluator shall be rom outside the Department, unaliated with

any applicant under consideration, and as amiliar as possible with transportation andpublic issues and needs in the district.

Application Cycle

This program is on a biennial application cycle on odd-numbered years.


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Section 5317 New Freedom Program

Purpose

Funds under this program are awarded or newpublic transportation services and public transpor-tation alternatives beyond those required by theAmericans with Disabilities Act o 1990, that assistindividuals with disabilities with transportation.New service is not required to go beyond ADA re-quirements. Rather, it must simply be new service

that (1) is targeted toward people with disabilities,and (2) meets the intent o the program by remov-ing barriers to transportation or persons withdisabilities. Eligible services may include, but arenot limited to, eeder service, upgrades to existingservice, service extensions or expansions, voucherand transit pass programs, mobility managementprograms, training programs, and corridor services.

All selected projects must serve a need identiedin the Transportation Disadvantaged Service Planor other Locally-Developed Coordinated Public

Transit Human Services Plan.

Eligible Costs

This program only provides unding or operating costs. The Department will provideoperating assistance which will not exceed 50 percent o the net operating costs othe project. The sub-recipient will be responsible or providing the local match. In-kindmatch may be allowed, upon District approval.

Project Selection

The District Oces are responsible or selecting individual projects that will orm thedistrict program o projects. Projects selected must serve needs identied in the Trans-portation Disadvantaged Service Plan or the Locally-Developed Coordinated TransitHuman Services Public Transportation Plan. Except when there is sucient unding to

Eligible Recipients

Political subdivisions o theState o Florida and agencies-

thereo, Indian Tribes, privatenon-prot organizations, andoperators o public transporta-

tion services, including privateor-prot operators and desig-nated Community Transporta-tion Coordinators.


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grant all requests, applications shall be evaluated and ranked by a minimum o three

knowledgeable persons within each district. At least one evaluator shall be rom out-side the Department, unaliated with any applicant under consideration, and as amil-iar as possible with transportation and public issues and needs in the district.

Funding Availability

This program is on a biennial application cycle on odd-numbered years.


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COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR

(CTC): A transportation entity recommended by

a metropolitan planning organization, or by theappropriate designated ocial planning agency as

provided or in Section 427.015(1), F.S. in an areaoutside the purview o a metropolitan planning

organization, and approved by the Commission,to ensure that coordinated transportation servicesare provided to the transportation disadvantaged

population in a designated service area.

COORDINATION CONTRACT: A written contractbetween the community transportation coordina-tor (CTC) and an agency that receives transporta-

tion disadvantaged unds and perorms some, inot all, o its own transportation services, as well

as transportation services to others, when shownto be more eective and more ecient rom a

total system perspective. The contract refects thespecic terms and conditions that will apply tothose agencies that perorm their own transporta-

tion, as well as joint utilization and cost provisionsor transportation services to and rom the CTC.

CONGESTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MOBILITY

SYSTEM MOBILITY MANAGEMENT PROCESS: Asystematic process that provides inormation ontransportation system perormance and alterna-

tive strategies to alleviate congestion and enhancethe mobility o persons and goods.

DESIGNATED OFFICIAL PLANNING AGENCY:A planning entity so designated by the Florida

Commission or the Transportation Disadvantagedto conduct planning and support unctions or

transportation disadvantaged services.

DISTRICT OFFICE: For the purposes o this proce-dure, the Department o Transportation DistrictPublic Transportation Oce or District Oce o

Modal Development and/or its sta.

ELIGIBLE DESIGNATED TRANSPORTATION COR-

RIDORS: For the purposes o the transit corridorprogram procedure, transportation corridors

which are included in a local or the statewide Con-gestion Management Plan/Mobility Management

Plan where increased trac congestion and over-crowding are causing an inecient transportation

system. This denition also includes interstate cor-ridors, as well as other constrained corridors listed

in Transit Development Plans.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES: Those individu-

als who by reason o illness, injury, congenitalmalunction, or other permanent or temporary

incapacity or disability, including persons usingwheelchairs and those with semi-ambulatorycapabilities, are unable, without special acilities or

special planning or design, to utilize mass trans-portation acilities and services as eectively as

persons who are not so aected.

LOCALLY-DEVELOPED COORDINATED PUBLIC

TRANSIT HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION

PLAN: A plan that identies the transportation

needs o individuals with disabilities, older adults,and people with low incomes; provides strate-

gies or meeting those local needs; and prioritizestransportation services or unding and implemen-

tation. Projects considered or New Freedom und-ing must serve identied needs o the disabledpopulation. A locally-developed Transportation

Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP) will qualiyin most instances. All stakeholders identied in

circular must be included in the development othe TDSP.

METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

(MPO): The policies and planning bodies, desig-

nated by the governor, responsible or transporta-tion planning in urbanized areas.

MULTIMODAL: The use o more than one mode toserve transportation needs in a given area.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: A corporation or

association determined by the U.S. Secretary othe Treasury to be an organization described by26 U.S.C. Section 501(c) which is exempt rom

Defnitions & Acronyms


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taxation under 26 U.S.C. Section 501(a) or onewhich has incorporated within Florida certied as

not-or-prot by the Secretary o State.

PRIVATE ORGANIZATION: A non-public orga-nization; bodies which are not municipalities

or other political subdivisions o states; are notpublic agencies or instrumentalities o one ormore states; are not Indian Tribes (except private

non-prot corporations ormed by Indian Tribes);are not public corporations, boards, or commis-

sions established under the law o any state; or arenot subject to direct control by public authority,

ederal, state, county, or municipal.

PUBLIC AGENCY: An authority, commission,committee, council, department, division, bureau,board, section, or any other unit or entity o the

state or o a town, city, municipality, county, orother local governing body.

PUBLIC TRANSIT: The transporting o people byconveyances or systems o conveyances, travel-

ing on land or water, local or regional in nature,and available or use by the general public. Publictransit includes those orms o transportation

commonly known as paratransitcharacterizedby their non-scheduled, non-xed-route nature.

STATE PARK AND RIDE PROGRAM: A program

designed to encourage the use o transit, carpools,vanpools, and other high-occupancy vehiclemodes, by providing sae and convenient park-

ing acilities or commuters. The Park and Ride LotProgram provides primary support or the Depart-

ments Commuter Assistance Program and localtransit authorities.

TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED: Those per-sons who because o physical or mental disability,

income status, or age are unable to transport

themselves or to purchase transportation andare, thereore, dependent upon others to obtainaccess to health care, employment, education,shopping, social activities, or other lie-sustaining

activities, or children who are disabled or high-riskas dened in Section 411.202, F.S.

TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICEPLAN (TDSP): A plan developed by the CTC and

approved by the Local Coordination Board thatidenties service gaps and provides recommend-

ed strategies to provide service in areas o need.The TDSP may serve as the Local Coordinated

Human Services Transportation Plan. The TDSP isupdated annually but includes a ve-year plan-ning window.

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

(TIP): The result o a continuing, cooperative, andcomprehensive planning process that delineates

transportation improvements recommended or

ederal and state unding during the program pe-riod. The MPO submits the TIP to the Department

per the requirements o Chapter 339, F.S.

TRANSPORTATION OPERATOR CONTRACT: Awritten contract between the CTC and the trans-portation operator prepared at the local level that

outlines the terms and conditions or any servicesto be perormed.

TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT

STRATEGIES: A set o measures designed to

reduce the number o trips made by single-occu-pant vehicles and enhance the regional mobility

o all citizens.


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For more information, contact:

FDOT District Four Transit Grants Coordinator

3400 West Commercial Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309-3421

954-777-4491