What's New
On September 12, FTA announced the availability of $6.3 million in competitive grant funds for transit coordination projects that improve access to healthcare. The grants will help improve options for people with limited transportation choices and bridge the gap between service providers in the transportation and health sectors. Applications are due November 13, 2018.
- See the FY18 Notice of Funding Opportunity
- Access the October 16, 2018 webinar recording and presentation
Overview
Access and Mobility Partnership Grants seek to improve access to public transportation by building partnerships among health, transportation and other service providers. This program provides competitive funding to support innovative projects for the transportation disadvantaged that will improve the coordination of transportation services and non-emergency medical transportation services. In 2018, there are two funding opportunities under the initiative: the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot Program and Human Services Coordination Research (HSCR) grants.
Eligible Recipients
Innovative Coordinated Access & Mobility
Eligible applicants are organizations that are eligible to be recipients and subrecipients of the Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program, (defined under 49 U.S.C. 5310):
- designated recipients
- states and local governmental authorities
- private nonprofit organizations
- operators of public transportation
Proposals may contain projects to be implemented by the recipient or its subrecipients.
Human Services Coordination Research (HSCR) grants
Eligible applicants for awards include:
- state and local governmental entities
- providers of public transportation
- private or nonprofit organizations
Eligible subrecipients include public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, and private providers engaged in public transportation.
Eligible Activities
The ICAM Pilot Program awards funds competitively to finance innovative capital projects for the transportation disadvantaged that improve the coordination of non-emergency medical transportation services.
HSCR grants supports innovative strategies in the coordination of human services transportation to provide more effective and efficient transportation services to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income individuals. Research projects address gaps identified in locally developed Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plans. HSCR funds finance operating and capital project expenditures to develop and deploy projects that improve transportation services for targeted populations through methods that effectively and efficiently coordinate human services transportation.
Statutory References
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program
Section 3006(b) of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. 114-94, Dec. 4, 2015) authorizes FTA to award grants for innovative coordinated access and mobility projects for the transportation disadvantaged population that improve the coordination of transportation services and non-emergency medical transportation services.
Human Services Coordination Research Program
The HSCR program is funded through the Public Transportation Innovation Program, 49 U.S.C. 5312(b), and will build upon identified gaps in services or planning activities for the improvement of services, as outlined in local Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation plans.
Funding Availability
For both ICAM and HSCR, grantees will have up to 18 months from the time of the award to complete the project. Within the first year, projects must be able to demonstrate impacts related to the expected outcome as described in the application.
Funds under the ICAM Pilot Program may be used for capital expenditures only. Funds under the HSCR Program may be used for operating or capital expenditures that are tied to Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plans.
Allocation of Funding
There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount; however, FTA intends to fund as many meritorious projects as possible. Due to funding limitations, projects selected for funding may receive less than the amount requested. In those cases, applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed projects are still viable and can be completed with the amount awarded.
Match
The maximum federal share of project costs under the ICAM Pilot Program is 80 percent. The applicant provides a local share of at least 20 percent of the net project cost and must document the source of the local match in the grant application.
For projects funded under the HSCR program, the maximum Federal share of capital project costs is 80 percent and the maximum Federal share of operating project costs is 50 percent. The applicant must document the source(s) of the local match in the grant application.
Eligible local-match sources include:
- cash from non-government sources other than revenues from providing public transportation services;
- revenues derived from the sale of advertising and concessions;
- revenues generated from value capture financing mechanisms;
- funds from an undistributed cash surplus;
- replacement or depreciation cash fund or reserve;
- new capital; or
- in-kind contributions.
In addition, the applicant may use transportation development credits for local match.