BACKGROUND

National security-related activities are placing a large financial burden on state transportation agencies. These activities include the provision of additional security-related training to a large, geographically dispersed work force; mitigation of the risks identified in vulnerability assessments and emergency response planning; hardening of transportation facilities against terrorist threats; and development and operation of emergency response systems.

These activities are sponsored through a variety of funding approaches, including the use of federal government resources, such as contracts and direct grants. Provision of training through national training centers represents another form of federal assistance. While there are many potential funding sources, only a relatively small subset is designed to address the specific security needs faced by state Departments of Transportation (DOT). Many more grant programs are designed with an emphasis that overlaps state DOT interests and represent sources for which state DOTs may only be eligible to receive funds as a collaborator or subcontractor with another agency. Sorting through and identifying the appropriate funding sources in time and fulfilling the application process can be a daunting task. This guide has been developed to help state DOTs in this task.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this project is to develop an updateable reference guide to security funding resources for State transportation agencies, with an emphasis on federal grant sources.

TASKS

1. Gather, review, and distill from all funding agencies information and guidance materials on available funding mechanisms and grant programs potentially applicable to State transportation agencies.
2. Develop a compendium on available programs and grants, including as an appendix general guidance on how to prepare grant applications. This document is intended for use by State transportation agency leadership and their designated proposal preparers to use in accessing grant funding from sources other than US DOT.

Status: Complete. The final report was received in October 2004. Security Funding Resources: A Reference Guide for State Transportation Agencies is available on the AASHTO website at https://cms.transportation.org/sites/security/docs/20-59-Final.html

Summary of Federal Assistance Sources for State DOT Security Issues is a spreadsheet program that can be downloaded from the AASHTO website at https://security.transportation.org/?siteid=65&pageid=1364
as Attachments: Federal Assistance Sources DMF.xls (MS Excel)