FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $216 million in competitive grants under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program (FSRC) (Federal Assistance Listing #20.532). FSRC makes funding available competitively to assist in the financing of capital, planning, and operating assistance for eligible ferry services. This is a joint Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and announces the availability of FY 2024 funding for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program (Passenger Ferry Program), Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program (LowNo Ferry Program), and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program (Rural Ferry Program). All programs can be found under Federal Assistance Listing: 20.532. Federal public transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5307(h)) authorizes FTA to award grants for passenger ferries through a competitive process. The Passenger Ferry Program provides funding to designated recipients and direct recipients under FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Program, as well as public entities engaged in providing public transportation passenger ferry service in urban areas that are eligible to be direct recipients. Projects funded under the program will improve the condition and quality of existing passenger ferry services, support the establishment of new passenger ferry services, and repair and modernize ferry boats, terminals, and related facilities and equipment. Section 71102 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also called the ‘‘Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’’ or ‘‘BIL’’) (Pub. L. 117–58) authorizes FTA to award grants for electric or lowemitting ferries through a competitive process, as described in this notice. The Low-No Ferry Program is available to any eligible designated or direct recipient of FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Program or Formula Grants for Rural Areas funding, including States (including territories and Washington, DC), local governmental authorities, and tribal governments. Grants will be awarded under this program for the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferries, the electrification of or other reduction of emissions from existing ferries, and related charging or other fueling infrastructure (for which the applicants will maintain satisfactory continuing control) to reduce emissions or produce zero onboard emissions under normal operation. Section 71103 of the BIL authorizes FTA to award grants for the Rural Ferry Program through a competitive process, as described in this notice. The Rural Ferry Program provides funding for capital, operating, and planning expenses to States and territories for ferry service to rural areas. Applicants to this program are required to have operated ferry public transportation service on a regular schedule at any time during the five-year period from March 1, 2015, to March 1, 2020, and operated at least one route segment of more than 50 sailing (nautical) miles between two rural areas. The Department seeks to fund projects that advance the Departmental priorities of safety, equity, climate and sustainability, workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation as described in the USDOT Strategic Plan, Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan, and in executive orders.1