It's GRANT Season and JMTE wants to help you get yours!
$1.5 Billion Available through 2023 RAISE Grant Program – Now Accepting Applications
It is Grant Season again and JMTE is excited and able to help you with grant applications. Right now, there are several grant opportunities on the horizon that you may want to consider. These include the RAISE Grants and Building Outdoor Communities Grants. RAISE Grants, funded by the USDOT are the successors to the very popular TIGER and Build Grants of earlier administrations. RAISE Grants are limited to transportation projects or transportation aspects of broader projects. Most recently, with JMTE’s assistance, Rutherfordton and Spindale advanced the stalled US 74 Corridor Improvement project by cooperating with the NCDOT to submit a winning proposal to improve US 74 between Main Street in Rutherfordton and Oak Street in Spindale with sidewalks, bike lanes and bus stops.
Building Outdoor Communities Grants are funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission. This new program is available only to counties in the Appalachian Region and is focused on improving the tourism and recreation industries in the region. This is a new grant program and Western North Carolina has been very successful with projects to renovate or re-use existing buildings. Bicycle, sidewalk, greenway, and trail projects are also eligible for this grant opportunity.
Grants are Competitive. Be realistic, for example, two percent of RAISE grant applications are successful. Also, consider the grant a supplemental funding source.
Grants Require a Match. Most grants require matching funds. For a RAISE Grant the minimum match requirement is twenty percent and higher percentages are desirable. Believe it or not, you can sometimes match grants with grants from other sources. Beware you cannot match one USDOT grant with another USDOT grant.
Politics are important. These grants are competitive, and all the submissions are good to excellent. You need friends to help you get over the bar, this is where JMTE and your congressional representative can help.
Watch the cost. Big grants make headlines, but grantors like to spread their money around as evenly as possible . For RAISE Grants there have been some amazing awards, but the average award has been around $12,000,000.
Divide the project. It may be helpful to divide a project into smaller phases to improve your chances of a win.
“The only part of the pig that isn’t used is the squeal.” Apply that philosophy to your application. Chances are that your first grant will not be successful. Do not give up. Save your application. Request a debrief from the grant sponsor. Improve the application for the next opportunity, which may be just around the corner and the overlooked application can be the basis for the next winning application. Again, JMTE can always help post grant award and provide analysis.
If you would like to discuss some grant opportunities, please give us a call at 828-456-8383.
Is your municipality complying with Federal and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) standards and a commitment to addressing deficiencies in the public realm that impact daily lives?
Per North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) provisions, municipalities with 50 or more employees must complete the self-evaluation and transition plan process. JMTE will assist Town personnel in evaluating specific Town facilities for Title II compliance with applicable federal and state regulations. This evaluation will identify barriers in programs and activities that prevent persons with disabilities from access and will also include an evaluation of policies and practices. JMTE will then develop the Transition Plan, based on the Self-Evaluation, in a format required for submittal to the NCDOT. The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) will be referenced throughout the evaluation and while developing the Town’s ADA Transition Plan.
ADA Plans should evaluate pedestrian facilities located in the public right-of-way, Town parking areas, Town recreational facilities, entrances to public buildings, and Town policies, activities and programs. It is for:
- Those with mobility impairments, whether that be someone in a wheelchair, someone who uses a cane or walker for stability, or others.
- Parents or individuals pushing strollers.
- Those who are visually and/or hearing impaired.
- All users of publicly maintained facilities and public programs offered by the municipalities.
An ADA evaluation identifies common barriers to accessibility and proposes a plan to eliminate barriers so that all individuals have safe and guaranteed access to Town facilities and services.
Please contact Candace Hladick directly our ADA Subject Matter Expert
at 828-456-8383 or email
