The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) will be hosting a meeting on Monday, June 21, at 2:00 p.m. in the IndyGo Board Room (1501 W. Washington Street) to announce available Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for transportation projects serving low income individuals and individuals with disabilities. Funding sources include Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom Transportation grant programs.
IndyGo was selected by the Indiana Department of Transportation in 2007 to be the designated recipient of certain FTA funding for the Indianapolis urban area. This area consists of Marion County and portions of the surrounding counties of Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, and Hendricks. As the designated recipient, IndyGo is responsible for all grant administration (including the grant application process, application evaluation and grant awards, grant contract administration and closeout). This will be IndyGo’s third Call for Projects and more than $1.2 million will be available for eligible applicants. Grant applications will be made available on June 21st.
The JARC program provides funding for transportation targeted for low income individuals to access jobs or job related services. The New Freedom program provides funding for transportation alternatives targeted for persons with disabilities that extend beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Applicants eligible to receive JARC and New Freedom funding include:
· public and private operators of public transportation
· authorized units of local government
· private not-for-profit organizations
All projects submitted for grant consideration must have been derived from the Indianapolis area coordinated transportation plan. A copy of this plan can be found on the IndyGo website through the following link: http://www.indygo.net/procurement/grant_info.htm.
As these are federal grant funds, there is a local match requirement of 20% for “capital” projects and 50% for “operating” projects. Grant applicants must be able to secure and provide matching resources to be eligible to receive funding.
A number of local organizations have been successful in receiving grants over the past two years including:
* The John Boner Community Center has received JARC grant funding and has implemented a neighborhood employment circulator service called the North Eastside Orbiter (NEO).
* BOSMA Enterprises (formerly BOSMA Industries for the Blind) has received New Freedom grant funding and acquired two flex fuel accessible vans.
* Family Services of Central Indiana Inc. is a recipient of JARC grant funding and uses these funds to support administering a car loan program targeted for low income individuals.
* IndyGo is a recipient of JARC and New Freedom grant funds to assist in underwriting the extension of Fixed Route service to the new Indianapolis International Airport for job access and portions of its taxi vouchers program for disabled individuals.
“Accessing these federal transportation funds presents a great opportunity for organizations and agencies seeking to address job access challenges for individuals in the Indianapolis region” says Michael Terry, IndyGo President and CEO. “The funding provides opportunities for collaborations with employers and service providers to create greater access to employment and employee prospects, particularly outside of Marion County and areas that are not currently served by public transit.”
For further information contact Roscoe Brown, IndyGo Director of Coordinated Transportation Programs at (317) 614-9318 or at Rbrown@indygo.net.
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