A presentation for the NADO Research Foundation regarding the use of the National RTAP Transit Manager Toolkit and applications for identifying and securing matching funds.

1. Using the National RTAP Transit Manager’s Toolkit to
Identify Rural Transit Funding Resources
June 14, 2022
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Transit Administration
1

2. National Rural Transit Assistance Program
• Technical assistance center funded by FTA through Section 5311
• Creates rural and tribal transit solutions through technical assistance, collaboration,
free training, and transit industry materials
• Review Board – State DOT and rural/tribal transit staff
• National RTAP offices in MA and Washington, DC
• Learn more at nationalrtap.org

3. National RTAP Transit Manager’s Toolkit
• Provides new rural transit managers with the information they will need on
day one to ensure their agencies are operating smoothly and are complying
with the federal regulations associated with receiving FTA Section 5311
funding
• Updated regularly, most recently in 2020, and will be updated in June 2022
• Sections and full pdf version, plain language explanations
• Start at https://www.nationalrtap.org/Toolkits/Transit-Managers-
Toolkit/Welcome
• Learn about Potential Funding Sources for Rural Public Transportation at
https://bit.ly/3tjQrk5

4. Section 5311 - Formula Grants for Rural Areas
• For rural transit agencies in U.S. states and territories and Tribes (who can apply
as a subrecipient of a state or as a direct recipient with FTA)
https://www.transit.dot.gov/rural-formula-grants-5311
• Sub-Programs:
• Appalachian Development Public Transportation Assistance
• Intercity Bus Program
• Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (Tribal Transit Program)
FTA Circular C 9040.1G Formula Grants for Rural Areas: Program Guidance and
Application Instructions (Section 5311) (2014) https://bit.ly/3xmnfv4
Because each state administers its Section 5311 differently from other states, the best
source of information about applying for Section 5311 as a subrecipient is the State
DOT.

5. Section 5310 - Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities
• Provides funding to assist in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and
people with disabilities when the transportation service provided is unavailable,
insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs.
https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/enhanced-mobility-seniors-individuals-
disabilities-section-5310
• According to the FTA Fact Sheet on Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with
Disabilities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
(https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/fact-sheet-enhanced-mobility-seniors-and-
individuals-disabilities), no changes were made to the federal Section 5310 program
(beyond increases in the total program funding).
• Because each state administers its Section 5310 differently from other states, the best
source of information about applying for Section 5310 as a subrecipient is the State
DOT.

6. Section 5339 - Buses and Bus Facilities Program
• Provides funding for capital bus and bus-related projects that will support the
continuation and expansion of public transportation services.
https://www.transit.dot.gov/bus-program
• According to the FTA Fact Sheet on Buses and Bus Facilities Program under the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/fact-sheet-
buses-and-bus-facilities-program, changes made to federal Section 5339 program
include:
• The national distribution formula increased.
• Grant applicants are required to use, to the extent possible, innovative
procurement tools authorized under Section 3019 of the FAST Act.
• Requirements and options for Buses and Bus Facilities Program applicants who
are also applying for the Low or No Emission Grants program 5339(c)
https://bit.ly/3NrQS3C.

7. Additional FTA Funding Listed in the Transit Manager’s Toolkit
• Ferry Service for Rural Communities https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/fact-sheet-
ferry-service-rural-communities NEW - established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot Program
https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-
grants (the 2021 NOFO closed in December). Additional FTA funding programs that fund
mobility management projects are discussed in the Coordination and Mobility Management
section of the Toolkit.
• Funding to help transit agencies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: CARES Act, CRRSAA,
ARP Funding, and Emergency Relief Program https://www.transit.dot.gov/coronavirus
• Note: New grant programs will be added to future updates of the Toolkit. Also, see
https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/notices, which lists FTA grant opportunity links
and their closing dates

8. Other U.S. DOT and Federal Funding
• States can transfer funds from certain FHWA programs to FTA transit programs,
often referred to as flexible funds or “flex funds.”
• Transit managers seeking more information about the availability of flex funds in
their State should contact their State DOT transit program representative.
• General information about how states can transfer these funds is available in
Appendix D of FTA Circular C 9040.1G Formula Grants for Rural Areas: Program
Guidance and Application Instructions (Section 5311).
https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/fta-circulars/formula-grants-
rural-areas-program-guidance-and-application
• In 2021, National RTAP awarded 19 Community Rides Grants
https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/Community-Rides-Grants (other FTA TA Centers
also award grants)

9. Nonfederal Funding Sources
• State Grant Programs: may be available through State DOTs
• Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Contracts: check with the state
Medicaid program and peers across the state (e.g., state transit association)
• Human Service Transportation Contracts: Area Agencies on Aging, organizations that serve
people with disabilities
• Local Taxes: sales, property, lodging taxes
• Local Government Funds: counties, cities, and/or towns
• Advertising Revenue: on/in buses, brochures, facilities, benches, shelters
• Public/Private Partnerships and Sponsorships: local community organizations, businesses,
employers, colleges/universities, tourist destinations, etc.
• Passenger Fares
• Volunteers and In-Kind Support: to be eligible as local match for an FTA grant, the value of
volunteers and in-kind support must be documented as equivalent to the going rate for like services.

10. Grant Writing Tips
1. Read and reread the funding notification documents and call the funding source to ask critical questions.
2. Be certain that your narrative answers all the questions the application asks, and fully responds to the specific
questions that are asked.
3. More is not necessarily better. It can be confusing.
4. Include project tasks, benchmarks, key milestones, key personnel, deliverables, routes, and schedules.
5. Be sure that the funding request reflects what is required to achieve the service plan’s goals.
6. Be clear on the match requirements, and whether the match can be made in-kind or must be made with cash.
7. Consult relevant FTA circulars for vital information on allowable costs, eligible project activities, and essential
procurement procedures that will drive the project’s timeline.
8. Proofread and share the draft with an individual outside of the applicant agency, as they will catch errors program
staff may miss. Proofread again and double-check the grant’s final assembly against the grant guidance
documents.

11. Budget and Grant Planning Calendar
Chart Credit, Curtis Sims, Jr., CSSO, Training, Safety/Security, and RTAP Program Manager Office of Public Transit, South Carolina DOT

12. Be Notified about New Funding
Federal Transit Administration Weekly Digest Bulletin
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOTFTA/subscriber/new
National RTAP eNews
FTA/U.S. DOT Column and Opportunities Column
https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/National-RTAP-News
Visit and bookmark the sources listed in National RTAP’s Funding Resources section of our Find Anything Toolkit
https://www.nationalrtap.org/Toolkits/How-to-Find-Anything-Toolkit/Free-And-Low-Cost-Resources/Information-and-Best-
Practices#Funding

13. TACL: The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library
The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library
(TACL) provides a sustainable methodology and platform to
access rural and tribal transportation coordination resources
across a diverse range of transportation technical assistance
centers and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The FTA-funded technical assistance centers participating in
this ongoing work with links to their coordination resources are:
• National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)
• National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)
• National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)
• National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP)
• Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC)
• Transit Workforce Center (TWC)
http://transportation-tacl.org
Upcoming Twitter Chat:
Rural Transit Day
July 15, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
RSVP to info@nationalrtap.org

14. Questions and Contact Information
Cara Marcus
Resource Center Manager
National RTAP
781-404-5020
cmarcus@nationalrtap.org
nationalrtap.org
Monday-Friday
9 AM – 5 PM ET
Email, call, or chat with us