It’s time for airports to submit their applications for the second round of 2021-2023 Airport Aid Program grants. The Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation Division anticipates awarding between $1.1 and $1.3 million in funding.
Airports can only apply for projects previously submitted through the Statewide Capital Improvement Program, also known as SCIP. The SCIP is an unconstrained prioritized list of projects entered by Washington’s 132 public-use airports that captures project requirements for airports to address individual airport needs.
To apply, airports can fill out the online application and airport aid application checklist. WSDOT requires airport aid grant assurances be submitted with the application package.
Applications are due Friday, May 13, no later than 5 p.m. Qualifying projects should be targeted for completion by June 30, 2023. Eligible projects may include work beginning after June 1, 2022.
WSDOT will prioritize applications based on the SCIP project scores.
Guidance and information regarding scoring is provided online in the WSDOT Airport Aid Grant Procedures Manual.
WSDOT will announce grant award decisions after June 1, 2022.
The next grant cycle begins July 2023.
Airport Transformation Grant Program
Starting this year there is also an Airport Transformation Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to support the transformation of Washington's public use airports to become more environmentally sustainable.
In October 2021, WSDOT Aviation announced that with its 2022 Airport Aid grant program, 10% of the annual program funds available will be dedicated to this program.
Sustainable aviation projects may include, but are not limited to, sustainable aviation fuel storage, electrification of ground support equipment, electric aircraft charging infrastructure, airport clean power production or electric vehicle charging stations whose infrastructure also supports ground support equipment and electric aircraft charging.
Projects will be evaluated on their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the modification of airport infrastructure to adopt clean forms of transportation, adoption of airport clean power generation, and/or modification of existing infrastructure resulting in less dependence on fossil fuels.
Projects not selected for funding for Airport Transformation Grants will automatically be considered for funding under a new sustainable aviation grant program that WSDOT Aviation will establish in 2022.
Information on how to apply for an Airport Transformation Grant can be found on WSDOT’s Aviation website.
For questions, contact Eric Johnson, WSDOT airport construction and grants program manager, at eric.johnson@wsdot.wa.gov or 360-708-8970.