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3This report presents the results of ACRP Project S02-5. This introductory chapter describes the purpose of the report, pre- sents the methodology used to develop the report, and out- lines the organization of the report. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT Identifying opportunities to advance airport environmental programs is critical. Many opportunities exist to finance air- port environmental programs, including well-known sources of FAA funding and new sources of funding that many air- port operators may be unaware of or do not know how to access. However, the current economic downturn has resulted in fewer staff and limited resources available to respond to environmental demands. New opportunities exist for airports to sustain and enhance environmental programs that address air and water quality, noise, historic and cultural resources, species and habitats, parklands, waste management, brown- fields, sustainability, and climate change. The objective of this synthesis is to provide airport opera- tors and their potential partners with a comprehensive listing of financing opportunities for airport environmental programs and to outline strategies for identifying and pursuing additional opportunities as they arise over time. This report is intended to provide a high-level overview of the full breadth of potential funding programs. It is intended to provide information on possibilities and to broadly outline requirements and benefits for the programs. The data included in the matrices represent a âsnapshot in timeâ of information available at the time the review was conducted. Grant opportunities are constantly opening and closing, and the precise schedule for any particular program may vary from year to year. This report is not intended to be the sole source of information for airport operators in deciding whether to pursue funding opportunities. Full, detailed, and current information on funding opportunities can be obtained from program web- sites and contacts; program contacts are included for the vari- ous programs when they could be identified. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The primary method of research was an intensive review of federal and state government websites. For federal funding opportunities other than FAA programs, the grants.gov web- site (www.grants.gov) was the primary source of informa- tion. Review of this website was supplemented by research on individual agency websites. For state funding opportunities, individual state govern- ment websites were reviewed. On occasion where limited information was available, information was obtained from the individuals listed as program contacts. A limited web search was also conducted for foundation and other nongovernmental funding opportunities. Many of those identified were on state websites. Some states provide listings of nonstate funding sources that include nongovern- mental organizations (NGOs). In addition, interviews were conducted with airport staff to obtain information on their experiences with non-FAA financ- ing opportunities as well as the Voluntary Airport Low Admis- sion (VALE) program. Participation in the VALE program is increasing. However, it appears that for many airport operators the program is not as well understood as the standard Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant program. The results of the interviews are incorporated into the remaining chapters of the report, in particular the case examples. REPORT STRUCTURE The rest of this document presents the following: Chapter Two: Strategies for Identifying and Pursuing Fund- ing Opportunities for Environmental Initiativesâa dis- cussion of the steps airport management and staff can take to identify funding opportunities on a timely basis and to enhance the airportâs competitive position. Chapter Three: Federal Funding Opportunitiesâa review of federal funding opportunities. Accompanying the text is a matrix summarizing all of the potential funding sources available from the federal government, includ- ing FAA programs. Chapter Four: State Funding Opportunitiesâa review of state funding opportunities. Accompanying the text is a matrix summarizing funding opportunities available in each state. Chapter Five: Nongovernmental Funding Opportunitiesâ a discussion of the nongovernmental funding oppor- tunities that were identified. Accompanying the text is a matrix summarizing funding opportunities available from NGOs. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Chapter Six: Case Examplesâeleven case examples of air- ports that accessed financing through federal or state programs, including VALE, and through other sources are presented. Chapter Seven: Conclusionsâa summary of the informa- tion collected for this report and a discussion of areas where additional research could be helpful. 4 References, including reports, websites, and information sources used in preparing the synthesis report, and a glossary of terms, abbreviations, and acronyms are also included. Websites listed in the tables are not repeated in the references. Appendix A contains a listing of statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements typically applied to feder- ally funded grants.
