Aviation Grant Programs

Department of Transportation

Transportation Systems Development

55100100

GAA Line 1858, FY 2016-2017, $212,854,180

088719

Sections 332.003 - 332.007, and 3208.08058(32), Florida Statutes.

Aviation grant programs were established to fund projects relating to airport planning, airport capital improvement, airport land acquisition, airport economic development and airport security and management.  Aviation grant programs fund and maintain one of the most comprehensive and progressive airport systems in the country by helping airports build and maintain runways and taxiways, eliminate airport hazards, protect airspace, develop plans, acquire land and build terminals and other facilities.

Cooperative Agreements
Direct Appropriations
Grants
Loans
Loan Guarantees
Property
Other

Local Government
Non-Profit
For-Profit

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is able to fund any capital project on airport property and any services that lead to capital projects such as planning and design services. The only off-airport projects allowed are the purchase of mitigation lands and avigation easements, noise mitigation and access projects for intercontinental airports.

Airport capital equipment is eligible for funding if it is not too closely related to day-to-day operations. In general, operational costs such as maintenance services, equipment and supplies are not eligible for aviation grants.

Eligible projects must be consistent with the airport¿s role as defined in the Florida Aviation System Plan and, to the maximum extent feasible, with the approved local government comprehensive plan. In addition, capital projects must be consistent with an FDOT-approved airport layout plan, have an airport sponsor and be entered into the Florida Aviation Database via the Joint Automated Capital Improvement Program (JACIP).

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

- Airport planning to plan and promote airport facilities and operations.
- Airport capital improvement to add capacity to major airports in order to maintain
  Florida's competitive advantage in the international marketplace, develop transportation
  facilities at commercial service airports and develop transportation facilities at general
  aviation airports.
- Land acquisition to acquire land for airport development or safety.
- Airport economic development to develop facilities at any public airport that will produce
  airport revenue and encourage positive community economic impact. Non-aeronautical projects
  are eligible.

The amount of funding an airport may receive varies depending on its designation by FDOT as either a commercial service airport or a general aviation airport.

Following is the amount of funding that may be provided depending on the type of airport:

- Commercial Service Airports: When no federal funding is available, FDOT may provide up to
  50 percent of the total project costs.
- General Aviation Airports: When no federal funding is available, FDOT may provide up to 80
  percent of the total project costs.
- Airport Economic Development: FDOT may provide up to 50 percent of the costs to build on-
  airport, revenue-producing capital projects such as industrial park facilities at airports.
- Strategic Airport Investment Initiative: FDOT may fund strategic airport investment
  projects at up to 100 percent for both commercial and general aviation airports if the
  project meets all of the following criteria:

1.  Provides important access and on-airport capacity improvements;
2.  Provides capital improvements to strategically position the state to maximize
    opportunities in international trade, logistics and the aviation industry;
3.  Achieve state goals of an integrated intermodal transportation system; and
4.  Demonstrates the feasibility and availability of matching funds through federal, local or
    private partners.

FDOT may provide up to 100 percent of project costs on projects and studies that are designed to help demonstrate the impact that Florida¿s public airports have on their local community, the region, and the state as a whole if that project is statewide in scope or involves more than one county where no other governmental entity or appropriate jurisdiction exists.

The Airport Improvement Plan (AIP) provides funding for capital projects on airport property, as well as off-site projects related to mitigation. All public-owned, Florida airports that are open for public use are eligible for AIP funding.

Secure Airports for Florida¿s Economy (SAFE) supports security related aviation projects and provides training for airport security and management.

The Discretionary Capacity Program provides funding for capacity-related improvement projects, including those projects dealing with off-airport access. This funding program is available to airports with scheduled intercontinental service.

N/A

Requests for project funding are received through the Florida Aviation Database (FAD) as the central repository for Florida Aviation System Data.

N/A

Pursuant to s. 288.0656(2), F.S., a county or community seeking funding through the Rural Economic Development Initiative must meet two qualifications.  first, the county or community must meet the statutory definition of "rural" noted in Section 288.0656(2)(e), F.S., to be eligible for a waiver of reduction of match requirements.  Second, the eligible county or community must also have three or more of the "economic distress" conditions identified in Section 288.0656(2)(c), F.S.

Pursuant to the Airport Revenue Protection Act of 1996, by accepting state financial grants or property transfers, the airport agrees to abide by certain binding contractual obligations (i.e., signing a contract with a state government where the government provides the funding and the recipient agrees to follow certain rules).  One of those rules specifies that all airport-generated revenues should be spent at the airport.

Availability of funding and shares of project costs are limited to amounts appropriated by the Florida Legislature and allocations to each FDOT district office. 

Department of Transportation
Aviation & Spaceports Office, 
605 Suwannee Street
Tallahassee, FL  32399
Phone: (850) 414-4500

http://www.fdot.gov/aviation/