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FYs 2019 and 2020 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) Program Project Selection
Crystal Odum, MPO Staff
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Each year, the Raleigh Urbanized Area (UZA) is apportioned formula grant funding by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program. Section 5310 funds are available for capital and operating expenses that support the provision of transportation services to meet the specific needs of elderly persons and persons with disabilities. The City of Raleigh/GoRaleigh, the federally recognized designated recipient of Section 5310 funding for the Raleigh UZA, and CAMPO developed and adopted a program management plan in June 2015 that lays out the policies and procedures for project selection, funding distribution and administration of projects supported by the funding.
In accordance with the program management plan, for FYs 2019 and 2020, GoRaleigh administered a call for eligible projects from March 1, 2019, through March 29, 2019, to solicit applications for projects that would make use of the Raleigh UZA’s Section 5310 funding. To assist potential applicants with the application process and an understanding of project eligibility, an application workshop was held March 12, 2019, and a recorded Power Point presentation/webinar was available on GoRaleigh’s website during the call for projects period. A total of $1,298,618 is available to be awarded for eligible projects for the FYs 2019 and 2020 call.
In response to the call for projects, a total of eight (8) applications were received from various agencies. A project selection committee comprised of representatives from CAMPO, DCHC MPO, the Town of Garner and the City of Creedmoor convened on April 10, 2019, to review the applications and make a recommendation on which projects should be awarded funding based on selection criteria outlined in the adopted program management plan. Seven (7) of the eight (8) applications were determined to be eligible for the available funding and recommended for funding. One applicant was eliminated from funding consideration due to a score of 20 out of 100 possible points for the organization's application, reflecting application deficiencies and incomplete responses to some questions, including responses necessary to verify grants eligibility (e.g. whether rides offered are exclusive versus the shared ride requirement).
The total aggregate request for Section 5310 funding among the eight (8) applications was $2,243,761, which is substantially higher than the amount made available for allocation to applicants. The project selection committee’s recommendation in the form of a recommended program of projects is provided as Attachment A for this item. The project selection committee recommended to fully fund the requests received by four (4) non-profit agencies that propose to provide mobility management and essential trips for elderly persons and persons with disabilities (i.e. Alliance for Disabilities Advocates*, Arc of the Triangle, Community and Senior Services of Johnston County, and Western Wake Crisis Ministry -
*Alliance for Disability Advocates’ original budget request was adjusted downward by the applicant.)
For the remaining requests, the project selection committee recommended partial funding to support funding for training, a volunteer program, and vehicle requests for the Center for Volunteer Caregiving, GoWake Access and GoTriangle.
Requested Action: Action Approve the endorsement of the FFY 2019 and 2020 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Section 5310 projects per the attached Project Selection Committee’s recommended program of projects.