FTA Grant Programs
STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING OFFICE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION
(FTA) FORMULA GRANT PROGRAMS
PROGRAMMING SECTION
The Federal Government, through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), provides financial assistance to develop new public transportation systems and improve, maintain, and operate existing systems. FTA oversees thousands of federally assisted projects to hundreds of State and local public transportation providers, primarily through its ten regional offices. Each FTA recipient is responsible for managing its programs and projects in compliance with applicable Federal requirements, and FTA is responsible for ensuring that recipients comply with those requirements.
The FTA recipient of grant funds for the State of Hawaii is the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Statewide Transportation Planning Office (STPO). FTA Region 9 oversees the STPO and is responsible for providing financial assistance to FTA recipients and overseeing the implementation of most FTA programs. Certain programs, however, are the responsibility of FTA headquarters.
Each year, Congress passes legislation which, when signed by the President, appropriates funds for the Department of Transportation and related agencies. After that legislation is enacted, FTA publishes a Notice in the Federal Register that provides an overview of the apportionments and allocations based on these funds for the various FTA programs as well as statements of policy and guidance on public transit administration.
Upon publication of the regional apportionments, the STPO allocates FTA grant funds to eligible subrecipients in Maui, Kauai, Honolulu, and Hawaii Counties. These four counties include the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii (also known as the Big Island).
Pre-Award Authority:
Pre-award costs may only be considered where costs are incurred prior to the award, but after program authority has been enacted and the appropriation becomes available. If pre-award costs are incurred before the funding becomes available, but after program authority exists, pre-award costs may be awarded on a case-by-case basis, depending on statutory language, legislative history, or other particular factors, such as applicable program regulations.
Pre-Award Authority Request Forms:
Pre-Award Authority Form (Word Version)
Pre-Award Authority Form (PDF Version)
Note: See 15 CFR § 14.25(e) for prior written approval requirements for pre-award costs, including the requirements for research awards.
Budget Transfers and Amendments:
Subrecipients of FTA funds for all programs are allowed to request changes to the approved budget. These changes might include a budget amendment or budget transfer.
To request a budget amendment, the change must include increasing or decreasing the awarded amount and/or changing or adding a new ALI to the existing grant.
There are several types of budget transfers. The first type of budget transfer includes moving funds between ALIs within an existing grant and/or transferring funds within an existing ALI for a different use (i.e. operating costs to overhead costs). The second type of budget transfer is for FLEX funds. This would include transferring unobligated FTA funds to FHWA or vice versa.
Transmittal of the budget transfer or amendment form will initiate the request for review by the Statewide Transportation Planning Office (STP). However, there may be additional requirements to complete the transfer request as deemed necessary and appropriate by the affected agencies.
If you would like to request a budget transfer or budget amendment, please complete and return the applicable form below.
Budget Transfer Forms:
Budget Transfer Form (Word Version)
Budget Transfer Form (PDF Version)
Budget Amendment Forms:
Budget Amendment Form (Word Version)
Budget Amendment Form (PDF Version)
FLEX Transfer Forms:
FLEX Transfer Form (Word Version)
FLEX Transfer Form (PDF Version)
The STPO manages the following FTA grant programs:
FTA 5303 Grant Program Description:
The FTA grant program (49 U.S.C. 5303) provides funding to encourage and promote the safe and efficient management, operation, and development of surface transportation systems that will serve the mobility needs of people and freight, while minimizing transportation-related fuel consumption and air pollution through the continued improvement, encouragement and evolution of the metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes by metropolitan planning organizations, State departments of transportation, and public transit operators. The planning programs are jointly administered by FTA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which provides additional funding. Funds are allocated by formula to States, which then suballocate the funding to metropolitan planning organizations.
FTA 5303 Grant Application (FFY25) Word Version
FTA 5303 Grant Application (FFY25) PDF Version
FTA 5304 Grant Program Description:
The FTA grant program (49 U.S.C. 5304) provides funding and procedural requirements for multimodal transportation planning (including accessible pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities) in metropolitan areas and states that is cooperative, continuous and comprehensive, resulting in long-range plans and short-range programs of transportation investment priorities. States shall carry out a statewide transportation planning process that provides for consideration and implementation of projects, strategies, and services that will increase the accessibility and mobility of motorized and nonmotorized uses of public transportation. The planning program is jointly administered by FTA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which provides additional funding.
FTA 5304 Grant Application (FFY25) Word Version
FTA 5304 Grant Application (FFY25) PDF Version
FTA 5305 Grant Program Description:
The FTA grant program (49 U.S.C. 5305) provides funding to States, authorities of the States, metropolitan planning organizations, local governmental authorities, and make agreements with other departments, agencies, or instrumentalities of the Government to develop transportation plans and programs to plan, engineer, design, and evaluate a public transportation project, as well as to conduct technical studies relating to management, planning, operations, capital requirements, and economic feasibility of public transportation. This includes other similar and related activities preliminary to and in preparation for constructing, acquiring, or improving the operation of facilities and equipment. The planning programs are jointly administered by FTA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which provides additional funding.
FTA 5307 Grant Program Description:
The Urbanized Area Formula Funding program (49 U.S.C. 5307) makes federal resources available to urbanized areas and to governors for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning. An urbanized area is an incorporated area with a population of 50,000 or more that is designated as such by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
FTA 5309 Grant Program Description:
The Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grant program (49 U.S.C. 5309) offers FTA discretionary grant program funds for transit capital investments, including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars and bus rapid transit. For New Starts and Core Capacity projects, the law requires completion of two phases in advance of receipt of a construction grant agreement – Project Development and Engineering. For Small Starts projects, the law requires completion of one phase in advance of receipt of a construction grant agreement – Project Development. For this competitive grant, the law also requires projects to be rated by FTA at various points in the process according to statutory criteria evaluating project justification and local financial commitment.
FTA 5310 Grant Program Description:
The FTA grant program (49 U.S.C. 5310) aims to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation service and expanding transportation mobility options. This program supports transportation services planned, designed, and carried out to meet the special transportation needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities in all areas – large urbanized (over 200,000), small urbanized (50,000-200,000), and rural (under 50,000). It provides formula funding to states for the purpose of assisting private nonprofit groups in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities when the transportation service provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs. Eligible projects include both traditional capital investment and nontraditional investment beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complementary paratransit services provided in Maui, Kauai and Hawaii County.
FTA 5310 Grant Application Word Version
FTA 5310 Grant Application PDF Version
FTA 5311 Grant Program Description:
The FTA grant program (49 U.S.C. 5311) is a formula grant for Rural Areas and provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000, where many residents often rely on public transit to reach their destinations. The program also provides funding for state and national training and technical assistance through the Rural Transportation Assistance Program.
FTA 5339 Grant Program Description:
The FTA Grant for Buses and Bus Facilities (49 U.S.C. 5339) formula program provides funding to states and transit agencies through a statutory formula to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities. In addition to the formula allocation, it includes two discretionary components: the Bus and Bus Facilities Discretionary Program and the Low or No Emissions Bus Discretionary Program.
ALI (Activity Line Item) Codes:
All FTA programs require a scope code and activity line item code identifier for grant applications. Please download and print a copy here: ALI and SCOPE CODES
Categorical Exclusions:
All FTA programs require an environmental finding for grant applications. Categorical exclusions may be allowed for class level exempt activities (per line item).
Please download and print a copy of the HDOT Comprehensive Exemption List: CLICK HERE
Please contact the Program Manager for information on the FTA Grant application process:
| FTA Grant Fund | Program Manager |
| 5303 | |
| 5304 | |
| 5305 | |
| 5307 | [email protected] |
| 5309 | |
| 5310 | [email protected] |
| 5311 | [email protected] |
| 5339 |
Click on the FTA Grant Fund link above, for additional program information.
Programming Staff Contact Information:
5303, 5304, 5305 and 5310 Program Manager 808-831-7988
5307, 5309, 5311 and 5339 Program Manager 808-831-7987
General Professional 808-831-7981
Planning Program Administrator 808-831-7968