Capital & Planning Grants

Purpose: Provide capital for the purchase of vehicles for programs related directly to the transportation of elderly and persons with disabilities. This is a capital-only program and is utilized by WYDOT to purchase accessible vehicles and equipment.

Overview: Funding to private nonprofit organizations and public bodies to purchase vehicles and related transit equipment for the provision of special transportation services for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Generally, Sec. 5310 funding is used to acquire or repair lift or ramp equipped vehicles to ensure access for persons with disabilities. In larger transit programs, Sec 5310 funding is used to acquire or repair transit vehicles used in "paratransit" service, a more specialized service which compliments fixed route system.

Program Features & Facts:

· Applications are solicited from private nonprofit corporations and associations that provide special transportation services to the elderly and person with disabilities, and from public bodies that coordinate services for the elderly and person with disabilities, and certify to WYDOT that nonprofit organizations in the area are not readily available to provide services.

· This is a capital grant program for the purchase of vehicles and related support equipment that will be used to provide transportation services which meet the special needs of elderly and persons with disabilities for whom other forms of mass transportation are unavailable, insufficient or inappropriate.

· Funds are apportioned on an annual basis and are to be allocated during the year for which they are apportioned.

· Grantees must provide at least a 10 percent match of the total project cost. The local share must be in cash rather than in-kind contributions and must be from a non-federal source. Wyoming Transportation Enterprise Fund is an eligible non-federal match. State Loan & Investment Board

· FTA requires applicants to explore the possibility of coordinating operations and facilities with health and social services which may already be providing transportation to elderly and persons with disabilities in their area. To the maximum extent feasible, states must ensure that private-for-profit mass transportation operators have been given a fair and timely opportunity to participate in local planning for the project, and have been afforded every feasible opportunity to provide the proposed services for elderly and persons with disabilities. For more information on coordination plans click Here.

Application Procedures:

Applications for fiscal year 2020 will be availableApril 1, 2019, and will be due May 13, 2019 at 12 p.m. MST. Final dated TBD. 

All applications for federal transit funding will be administered through WYDOT's BlackCat Grant Management database. Current agencies enrolled in the WYDOT Transportation program should go directly into the BlackCat Grant Management database and fill out their FY 2020 applications. Any new agency applying for funding should contact the WYDOT Local Government Transit staff for assistance:

Office of Local Government Coordination

Transit Program – Planning Building, Room #215

5300 Bishop Boulevard

Cheyenne, WY 82009-3340

 Talbot Hauffe (307) 777-4384, Vacant (307) 777-4181, Vacant (307) 777-4179

 

***Any NON-ADA vehicle will be funded at a 50 percent match. ADA vehicles will have either a wheelchair ramp or lift.

 

Purpose: Provide a state funding source for public transit vehicle acquisitions.

Overview: Wyoming’s Transportation Enterprise Fund is administered by the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB). Applications are submitted annually and are reviewed by the SLIB staff, along with recommendations from WYDOT– LGC—Transit staff. Project recommendations are developed with assistance of WYDOT—LGC’s Transit Vehicle Inventory Database.

Background: The Transportation Enterprise Fund was enacted into law by the 1999 Wyoming State Legislature. Annual interest income from the Transportation Trust Fund, along with any program carry-over provides the corpus of the fund.

Program Features:

· Applications are solicited annually from public entities and private non-profit organizations providing “public transportation” in Wyoming. WYDOT may be requested to review applications and submits comments to the State Loan and Investment Board.

· With more than 40 public transit providers, demand for new vehicles typically exceeds the availability of Transportation Enterprise funds. In times of higher interest rates for the Trust Fund, more capital funds are available in the Enterprise Fund.

· WYDOT LGC staff leverages FTA Section 5310 funding with Transportation Enterprise Funds to achieve a more desirable funding match for the applicants.

· Vehicle types have varied, but range from large 40 passenger coaches to minivans.

· Additional information may be found at the Office of State Lands & Investment Web page.

Purpose: Planning funds for metropolitan and statewide rural areas to foster the development of coordinated community and regional transit planning.

Overview: Metropolitan planning funds (5303) are provided to Casper and Cheyenne and are annually part of their apportionment. WYDOT is only involved as a “reviewer” for these monies. Statewide planning (5304) in Wyoming is generally placed in a Consolidated planning program and is added to state planning funds and made available to both municipalities and small rural areas for their planning needs.

Program Features & Facts:

· Section 5303 is handled by the municipalities and is only reviewed by WYDOT in publication form.

· Municipalities access these planning funds with an 80/20 match.

· Rural programs and money allocated as planning funds to WYDOT is put into a Consolidated Planning Grant and is available to both municipalities and rural transit programs on a 90.49 matching basis.

· This money is used by rural programs to do transit development and coordination plans and for planning for construction projects and long-term transit development programs.

Planning funds are available throughout the year for use. Please contact Talbot Hauffe 307.777.4384 for more information on how to access them.