NortheastGeorgiaPlanning

Grants

Community Facilities and Infrastructure

Airport Aid Program

General Description: Financial assistance available to owners of public airports, with state participation up to 75% of the total project cost.

Eligible Applicants: Owners of public airports open to the public.

Eligible Activities: Application are accepted for the following activities:

Available Funds: The total level of funding varies each fiscal year and is currently $3.8 million, with no limitation on individual projects.

Deadlines: Applications must be received by December 31 for funding beginning the next fiscal year, July 1.

For more information contact:
Ed Ratigan
Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT)
(404) 651-9221

Clean Water Loan Program

General Description: Low interest loans, a 3% interest rate over a 20-year period, to construct any number of publicly owned wastewater treatment improvements.

Eligible Applicants: Loans are available to county and city governments as well as water and sewer authorities.

Program Requirements: Applications are selected based on the following criteria:

Eligible Activities: Loans may be used for the following eligible activities:

Available Funds: Maximum loans are limited to 20% of the entire appropriation. The current maximum per community per calendar year is $14 million.

Deadlines: There are no deadlines for application, however a project must be placed on the Comprehensive List of Potential Loan Recipients prior to the submission of a pre-application that can be submitted at any time after the project is placed on the list.

For more information contact:
Gregory R. Mason
GEFA - (404) 656-3824

Construction Loan Program

General Description: Short-term loans made at low interest rates for the improvement of water, wastewater and solid waste management systems.

Eligible Applicants: Funds are available to city and county governments, as well as water and sewer authorities.

Program Requirements: Applications are selected based on the applicant providing a known source of permanent financing, including grants and Local Option Sales Tax.

Available Funds: A maximum of $1 million per applicant per calendar year.

Deadlines: Applications may be submitted at any time of the year.

For more information contact:
Dan Clarke
GEFA - (404) 656-0940

Environmental Emergency Loan Program

General Description: Loans made at a rate of 2% interest for projects that affect the immediate health of the public or the environment.

Eligible Applicants: Available to city and county governments, as well as local authorities.

Program Requirements: Applications are selected based on the jurisdiction's environmental certification and the documented threat to human health and/or the environment.

Available Funds: A maximum of $100,000 per successful applicant.

For more information contact:
James Thompson
GEFA - (404) 656-4046

Georgia Fund Loan

General Description: Low interest loans for water or wastewater projects, provided from annual state appropriations and repayments from outstanding loans.

Eligible Applicants: Funds are available to city and county governments, as well as water and sewer authorities.

Program Requirements: Applicants must have environmental certification and demonstrate the ability to repay the loan.

Available Funds: A maximum of $3 million per applicant per calendar year.

Deadlines: Applications may be submitted at any time of the year.

For more information contact:
Dan Clarke
GEFA - (404) 656-0940

Immediate Threat and Danger Grant

General Description: Designed to fund those activities that the state certifies are designed to meet community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health and welfare of the community.

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants include local governments ineligible to participate in the urban counties and metropolitan cities program administered by HUD.

Program Requirements: Applications must address an event or situation that has occurred in the prior 18 months, which adversely impacts a community and its citizens. Ample descriptions of the cause of the threat and probable ramifications must be provided.

Available Funds: A maximum of $50,000 per applicant, not to exceed half of the total project cost.

For more information contact:
Chris McGahee, cmcgahee@negrdc.org
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center - (706) 369-5650

- Or -

Bobby Smith
DCA - (404) 679-3168

Local Assistance Road Program (LARP)

General Description: The state aid program is designed to assist local governments in improving and maintaining their local road and street networks.

Eligible Applicants: Both city and county governments are eligible for LARP funds.

Program Requirements: The selection of projects is based on an engineering evaluation of need, service to be provided vs. cost, local government priority, and availability of funds.

Eligible Activities: The program is designed to help local governments improve road networks through the leveling and resurfacing of deteriorated pavement.

Available Funds: The total state appropriation for this fiscal year was $59 million, and varies each fiscal year.

Deadlines: Local governments are required to submit a prioritized list of projects. As the government is prepared to proceed with the project request for funds must be made in writing.

For more information contact:
Steve Henry
DOT - (770) 986-1001

Local Development Fund (LDF)

General Description: Matching grant program designed to aid local governments fund community improvement projects.

Eligible Applicants: All city and county governments are eligible provided they retain certification from DCA as a Qualified Local Government (QLG).

Program Requirements: Applications are reviewed on the following criteria:

Eligible Activities: Applications may be submitted for the following activities:

Ineligible projects are general improvements or renovations to non-historic public buildings, or water and sewer activities.

Available Funds and Deadlines: A maximum of $10,000 for a single applicant and $20,000 for a joint applicant. A 50% cash or in-king match is required. There are generally two rounds per year with deadlines in the spring and fall.

For more information contact:
Lee Carmon, lcarmon@negplanning.org or Chris Ulmer, culmer@negplanning.org
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center
(706) 369-5650

Local Law Enforcement Block Grants

General Description: Provides federal funds for state and local law enforcement agencies.

Eligible Applicants: Local governments not eligible for participation in the LLBEG program.

Program Requirements: Applications are selected based on economic factors from all applications within the approved purpose areas (Federal regulations provide 7 purpose areas for funding).

Available Funds: A maximum of $10,000 per applicant.

For more information contact:
Robert Thornton
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
(404) 559-4949

Local Rail Freight Assistance

General Description: Financial assistance provided to preserve and improve local rail freight service. Funding may provide up to 70% of the total costs.

Eligible Applicants: Public bodies along rail lines within the state of Georgia that carry 3 million or less gross tons of freight annually.

Program Requirements: Funding is awarded in accordance to the priority placed in the line in the State Rail Plan.

For more information contact: Hal Wilson - DOT (404) 651-9201

Public Library Grants

General Description: Funds are available for use towards library operating expenses, the purchase of books and other materials, and for the salaries of professional librarians.

Eligible Applicants: Eligible libraries must meet the criteria for state aid in the Department of Education Administration Rules.

Available Funds: Funding is done on a formula basis.

For more information contact:
Dr. Lamar Veatch
Georgia Department of Education
(404) 982-3560

Quality Growth Grant Program

General Description: The purpose is to provide financial assistance for the implementation of quality growth initiatives outside of the typical scope of other grant and loan programs.

Eligible Applicants: All city and county governments are eligible provided they retain certification from DCA as a Qualified Local Government (QLG).

Program Requirements: All local governments must be in compliance with all DCA requirements. (Compliance with the Local Government Financial Management Act, Solid Waste Management Act, Georgia Planning Act, Service Delivery Act, and prepared to amend the comprehensive plan to reflect the proposed quality growth project.)

Eligible Activities: Eligible Activities include, but are not limited to:

Available Funds: A maximum grant amount of $40,000. Any applicant requesting more than $25,000 must clearly demonstrate the exceptional qualities of the proposed project.

Deadlines: There are two competitive rounds per year with due dates of November 15 and May 15 respectively.

For further information contact:
DCA - Quality Growth Grant Program
(404) 649-4940

Recreational Trails Program (RTP)

General Description: Acquisition and/or development grants for motorized or non-motorized trails.

Eligible Applicants: All city and county governments are eligible for funding as well as local authorities.

Eligible Activities: Funds may be used for new trail construction, maintenance/rehabilitation of existing trails, or trail-side and trail-head facilities. The 2003 program will encourage trail projects that benefit the environment such as, the redesign, reconstruction, non-routine maintenance, or relocation of trails in order to mitigate and minimize the impact to the natural environment.

Available Funds: Varies according to appropriations. FY 2003 minimum grant award will be $25,000 and the maximum grant award will be $100,000. The matching requirement is 20% local.

Deadline: March 28, 2003.

For more information contact:
Eric Hunter
DNR - (404) 656-3830

Recreation Assistance Fund (RAF)

General Description: State grants to increase the supply of local public recreation lands and/or facilities.

Eligible Applicants: All city and county governments are eligible for funding as well as local authorities.

Eligible Activities: Funds may be used for the purchase of real property, facility development or rehabilitation of existing facilities.

Available Funds: Varies according to appropriations.

Deadlines: Generally coincides with annual appropriations around mid-April.

For more information contact:
Antoinette Norfleet
Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
(404) 656-3830

Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance

General Description: Intended to help conserve rivers, establish trails, and provide outdoor recreational opportunities.

Eligible Applicants: Local governments, authorities, and nonprofit organizations.

Eligible Activities: Eligible Activities include, but are not limited to:

For more information contact:
U.S. Department of the Interior
(202) 565-1200
www.doi.gov

Scenic Byways Discretionary Program

General Description: Program designed to undertake specific work activities recognized as eligible projects in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA).

Eligible Applicants: Local governments must act as the sponsor for a grassroots organization or local authority to apply for Scenic Byway designation.

Program Requirements: Pre-application must meet standards and criteria set forth by DOT. Final application must be based on a corridor management plan. Program requires 20% local matching funds.

Available Funds: Varies according to project. $22 million available nationwide per year.

Deadlines: Applications are solicited on a yearly basis by DOT according to local interest.

For more information contact:
Jordan Hoffman
DOT - (404) 651-7603

State/Local Highway Safety Program

General Description: Grants to assist state and local governments in addressing highway safety deficiencies.

Eligible Applicants: Local and state political subdivisions identified by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

Program Requirements: Previous year's traffic crash data is used to evaluate a relative ranking of each jurisdiction statewide to prioritize funds.

Available Funds: Total funding is $15 million per year. Funds are granted on an annual basis according to availability and the pursuance of the stated goals. The jurisdiction must commit to funding the project beyond the availability of federal funds.

For more information contact:
Yvonne McBride
Governor's Office of Highway Safety
(404) 656-6996

Transportation Enhancement Program

General Description: A funding source available for a broad range of activities to help promote multi-modal transportation within communities and serve as a community development tool. The Georgia Department of Transportation administers the Transportation Enhancement (TE) Program that provides funding for four types of activities including: historic resources, scenic preservation, transportation aesthetics and multi-use facilities. The funding is provided through federal legislation known as the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and formally known as Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). The next round of funding has not yet been authorized.

Eligible Applicants: Units of city and county local governments.

Eligible Activities: Eligible activities fall under four broad categories:

In the past, historic buildings were eligible for funding if their reuse involved a continued or new transportation-related purpose. The properties must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places and rehabilitation or restoration work must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards. Historic downtown are typically considered eligible project areas.

Funded projects:

In Northeast Georgia, TE funds have greatly improved the transportation network through numerous "streetscape" projects in historic downtowns, the rehabilitation of historic depots and covered bridges, and creation of bicycle and pedestrian trails. TE has gone hand-in-hand with historic preservation in cities like Greensboro, Hoschton, Monticello, Statham, Winterville, Commerce, Winder, and Watkinsville. TE awards, in our region, range from $100,000-$500,000.

For more information contact:
Burke Walker, bwalker@negrdc.org
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center
(706) 369-5650

or

Rhonda Britt
DOT - (404) 657-6914
www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/plan-prog/planning/projects/te/index.shtml

Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program

General Description: Allows local communities to address urban recreational needs by providing funding for the rehabilitation of critically needed recreation areas and facilities and improving recreation programs.

Eligible Applicants: Generally for city governments but county may sponsor the grant based on a consolidated parks and recreation department.

Eligible Activities: Eligible Activities include, but are not limited to:

For more information contact:
U.S. Department of the Interior; National Center for Conservation and Recreation
(202) 565-1133

USDA Funding for Rural Water, Wastewater and Solid Waste Systems

General Description: Funding available from the USDA Rural Development Division to rural communities unable to obtain financing from other sources.

Eligible Applicants: All public bodies and nonprofit organizations are eligible for funds.

Program Requirements: Prior to the final review the following criteria must be satisfied:

Eligible Activities: Funds may be used for, but not limited to, the following activities:

Available Funds: The level of funding varies according to the economic and demographic conditions of the service area.

For more information contact:
Athens Area Office; USDA
(706) 546-2471

Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center
Planning Department • 305 Research Drive • Athens, GA 30605
Phone: (706)369-5650 • Fax: (706)369-5792