Available Funding for Non-Infrastructure Program

The SRTS Program has set aside $400,000 for non-infrastructure programs and activities.  Funding requests may range from $10,000 to $50,000.  Funding may be requested to support discrete activities at an individual school or for community-wide, regional or statewide programs.

The non-infrastructure grant program is a cost reimbursement program.  This competitive reimbursement program is 100% federally funded – no local match is required.  Grant recipients must be able to cover the costs of the project and will be reimbursed during the course of project implementation.  All costs submitted for reimbursement are subject to eligibility requirements and must comply with a reimbursement agreement executed between NCDOT and the recipient.  Any work performed or costs incurred prior to a Notice to Proceed are not eligible for reimbursement.

Although no local match is required, applicants are encouraged to leverage their request for SRTS funding with other funding sources that may be available to them, including grant awards, local, state, or other federal funding.  Applicants who can designate other available resources to fund programs and activities to meet a comprehensive SRTS strategy will be considered upon evaluation.  However, additional funding is not required, and a lack of such will not penalize an applicant.  The SRTS funds may not be used as a match for other federal funding.  Also, per the federal guidance for SRTS, this non-infrastructure program funding cannot be used to replace existing funding sources for pedestrian or bicycle education, encouragement, enforcement, or evaluation programs.

Non-Infrastructure Program Timeline*

*This schedule is provided here to assist you in your planning.
The actual dates may be subject to change.(Last update 06/25/09)

Any state, local or regional agency or federally recognized tribal government, school or school district, or non-profit organization that can demonstrate an ability to meet the requirements of the federal SRTS program is eligible to apply for funds.  This entity must be willing and able to
enter into a reimbursement agreement with NCDOT.
A Resolution of Support and Administration from the lead sponsoring agency or organization must be attached to the application indicating support of the project and the sponsor’s ability to enter into agreement with NCDOT.  The lead sponsor will
be responsible for project administration, paying for any work performed, and submitting proper proof of payment
to NCDOT for reimbursement.  This sponsor will also be NCDOT’s primary contact if awarded
the grant.

Other eligible applicants with a strong interest in and support for the use of funding for non-infrastructure programs and activities are strongly encouraged to partner with the lead sponsor to develop the project application as a cosponsor.  If applying on behalf of an individual school or a cluster of schools, a letter of support from the principal of each school participating in the non-infrastructure project must be attached with the application.  If the school district is not the lead agency, it may also supply an endorsement if it chooses.

To stimulate creative approaches to implementing this program, communities are encouraged to develop relationships among diverse stakeholders.  Letters of support from these other stakeholders may be attached to the application.  Partners who may be contributing funds or resources to the non-infrastructure project must supply a resolution or letter indicating support in the application.  For projects that are within a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), resolutions of support from the respective MPO must be obtained and attached to application.  Resolutions of support from respective Rural Planning Organizations, although not required, are strongly encouraged.  A list of MPOs and RPOs and their respective contact information can be found on the NCDOT Transportation Planning Branch web site. 


Eligible Programs and Activities

Non-infrastructure projects consist of programs and activities that, when implemented, aim to shift community behavior, attitudes and social norms through education, encouragement and enforcement strategies.  These projects should also support increased safety and convenience for children to walk and/or bicycle to school.  For all applicants, requests for funds may involve implementation of any or all of the E’s, with the exception of engineering.  (Please note:  funds for developing and constructing engineering solutions in the vicinity of schools may be available through the SRTS Infrastructure Grant Reimbursement Program, the Highway Division Fund Program, or through your local municipal or county government among other sources.)  Any non-infrastructure project must include evaluation and one or more of the remaining E’s – education, encouragement, and enforcement.  Any signage proposed for enforcement or educational use must be portable; any signage proposed to be permanently placed will be considered infrastructure and is not eligible through the non-infrastructure grant program.

Applicants may apply for eligible programs and activities that allow for needs to be addressed at an individual school or cluster of schools; a school district, municipality, or county; or a regional or statewide level.  Applications must define complete, identifiable and implementable projects.  Funds are not available for partial activities that cannot function as a complete and useful whole or for programs that do not have an independent utility. 

1.     Inappropriate Uses of Funds

Although funding for SRTS is flexible to allow for creative partnerships and solutions, there are certain activities and projects that are ineligible for funding.  Ineligible expenses include:

• Programs and activities that do not specifically serve the stated purposes of the SRTS Program (see purpose for SRTS ).

• Recurring costs, such as salaries.  For example, program funds should not be used to pay crossing guard or program coordinator salaries, as these are recurring costs.  However, initial start-up costs, such as training and supplies, could be funded if adequate plans are provided for how they would be maintained in the future.

• Projects that focus on pick-up and drop-off areas or procedures in order to make it more convenient for the drivers rather than to improve child safety and/or walking and bicycling access.

• Education programs that primarily focus on bus safety.

• Improvements to bus stops.

2.     Program and Activity Locations

Any program or activity funded should benefit elementary and/or middle school children (K-8).  Programs may indirectly benefit high school aged youth or the general public; however, these constituencies cannot be the sole or primary beneficiaries.  For example, programs that target safe driving around elementary and/or middle schools or other activities that enhance the safety of children walking to/from school are eligible project types.  Programs specifically including traffic education and enforcement activities for a specific school(s) must take place within approximately two miles of the identified school(s).  Other eligible non-infrastructure activities do not have a location restriction.  Funding for education and encouragement activities at private schools is also allowed. 

3.   Types of Programs and Activities

The federal legislation specifies that public awareness campaigns and outreach to media and community leaders; traffic education and enforcement in the vicinity of schools; student sessions on bicycle and pedestrian safety, health, and environment are all eligible non-infrastructure related programs and activities.  Further ideas for eligible non-infrastructure programs and activities are broken down into the four categories below:

Education:  teach children about pedestrian, bicyclist and traffic safety; teach personal safety, health and environmental benefits; educate parents as teachers to enforce and encourage proper safety practices with their children; educate parents and neighbors as drivers in and around the school area on the rules of the road and proper drop-off/pick-up procedures; educate law enforcement officers; launch driver safety campaigns in the vicinity of schools; develop or procure appropriate curricula, materials and trainers; photocopying, duplicating, and printing costs including CDs, DVDs, etc.

Encouragement:  hold special SRTS-related events; participate in International Walk to School Day; participate in Bicycle Month, Car Free Day, or some other Walk and Roll to School Day; develop and implement mileage clubs and contests; implement a walking school bus or bicycle train program; secure promotional and educational materials; secure modest incentives for contests or incentives that encourage more walking and bicycling over time; distribute safety and educational tokens that advertise program; photocopying, duplicating, and printing costs including CDs, DVDs, etc.

Enforcement:  initiate community enforcement programs like crossing guard programs or “pedestrian decoy” programs; develop and implement a safety patrol program; initiate a neighborhood speed watch program; launch an enforcement campaign to target dangerous behaviors; data gathering, analysis, and evaluation reporting at the local project level; equipment and training needed for establishing crossing guard programs

Evaluation:  (Please note:  an evaluation component is required of all projects funded through the SRTS Program.)  gather, analyze, and evaluate current conditions and behaviors; conduct walkability and bikeability checklists; evaluate the implementation of a SRTS project, program or activity

Existing SRTS programs have also used non-infrastructure funding for the following purposes:

• Pay for substitute teacher if needed to cover for faculty attending SRTS-related training functions during school hours;
• Costs to engage the services of a consultant (either non-profit or for-profit) to coordinate the efforts of numerous stakeholders and volunteers and manage the process for implementation at a community-wide, regional, or statewide level.

The non-infrastructure programs and activities listed above are not exhaustive; other programs and activities not listed here may be eligible if they meet the purpose of SRTS Program.

There are several sources of information available nationally that provide further guidance on non-infrastructure activities, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Safe Routes to Schools: Practice and Promise, and NHTSA’s Safe Routes to School Toolkit.  The National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS) also provides strategies and ideas for potential projects through their Online Guide as well as case studies of what others have done.  Applicants developing a project are strongly encouraged to refer to these resources and others, which can be found at the NCSRTS’s Online Library.

Selection Criteria and Review Process

The NCDOT staff will conduct a preliminary review of all applications for eligibility, completeness and general appropriateness.  Applications that pass the initial screening will then be reviewed by the Review Committee.  This group will include Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation (DBPT) staff, Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) staff, and individuals with professional experience related to developing, administering and/or implementing bicycle- and pedestrian-related programs and activities.  These individuals will represent MPO’s, RPO’s, COG’s, municipalities and other appropriate transportation-related agencies and organizations, as well as representatives from the law enforcement, public health, and education fields.  The Review Committee will examine each application and evaluate it based on how well the proposal meets the selection criteria outlined below and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funding guidelines.  The Review Committee will forward their recommendations to NCDOT for final approval.  All selected projects must also be approved by FHWA and the NC Board of Transportation.

Because non-infrastructure funding is available at varying geographic levels, applicants will only compete with other applicants proposing programs and activities at the same level.  These levels are described as follows:

Individual school-based programs and activities:  Applicants from this level include an individual school or a cluster of schools in close proximity in which a safe built environment for walking and bicycling already exists or is planned for construction in the near future.  Clusters should be no more than five schools, and will typically be two to three schools.

Community-wide projects:  This category includes school district-, municipal-, or county-based projects.  In many cases, these projects will primarily relate to training, education, encouragement, and enforcement activities.  Projects that address school curriculum and training, walk to school day promotion, and media-oriented strategies are likely to be more effectively administered and implemented at some collective level above the individual school.

Regional or statewide programs:  This level includes any multi-county or regional sub-state configuration as well as any statewide initiative.  Examples of activities at this level include training, development and distribution of materials, providing a pool of safety educators for schools to draw upon, or mounting a media campaign or state curriculum initiative.  

Programs and/or activities proposed via a non-infrastructure funding request should aim to reduce child injuries and fatalities while increasing the number of children walking and bicycling to school.  Successful applications will:

• Exemplify the purpose of SRTS Program.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the value in developing education, enforcement, and encouragement initiatives, and demonstrate a need for funds requested to fulfill these initiatives.
  
• Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of the particular modal user (child bicyclist or pedestrian).
  
• Recognize the need to serve school populations as a whole, if applicable (i.e. students who live too far to walk, those with disabilities, etc.).
  
• Assure assignment of an appropriate contact person within the sponsoring agency or organization to oversee development of the program and/or activity.
  
• Demonstrate widespread local support:
  • Include Resolution of Support and Administration from lead sponsor (required)
  • Include Letter of Support from each school directly participating in the non-infrastructure program/activity (required)
  • Include Letter of Support/Resolution from all financially contributing partners (required)
  • Include Letter of Support from school district(s) (encouraged)
  • Include resolution from MPO (required) or RPO (encouraged)
  • Include letters of support and endorsements from other stakeholders and partners (encouraged)
    
    
• Identify valid partnerships with local stakeholders and/or address the need to develop a SRTS committee or task force.
• Build on existing school, local, regional or statewide initiatives as they relate to SRTS.
• Identify realistic objectives to evaluate the success of program/activity implementation.
• Identify realistic tasks, budget, and timeline to implement the program/activity.
  
  

06/29/09