All sponsors must submit a grant application on Office of Management and Budget Form 424 to access the allocated funds under the CARES Act.
On April 14, 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued information regarding the application for and distribution of approximately $10 billion in relief funds to airports that fall within four categories under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, 2020.
Category 1: Increasing the federal share to 100 percent for FY 2020 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants and FY 2020 supplemental discretionary grants – at least $500 million
Category 2: Commercial service airports – at least $7.4 billion
Category 3: Primary commercial airports – up to $2 billion
Category 4: General aviation airports – at least $100 million
Eligibility
Funds are only available to airports included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) who meet the statutory and policy requirements of the CARES Act, as well as comply with the FAA’s current NPIAS requirements. The NPIAS includes over 3,000 commercial service airports, reliever airports and some public-owned general aviation airports. Funds will be payable to airport sponsors―defined as a public agency or private owner of a public-use airport that submits receipts electronically to the Secretary of Transportation under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 471.
Application
All sponsors must submit a grant application on Office of Management and Budget Form 424 to access the allocated funds under the CARES Act. The FAA will provide the grant applications to airport sponsors through the local Airports District Office or Airports Regional Office. The grant agreement will include the requirements under the CARES Act, and will make funds immediately available for expenses (excluding airport development) including payroll, debt service, utility expenses, service contracts and supplies.
CARES Act grant money may be used for any purpose for which airport revenues may lawfully be used, so long as the use of funds is related to the airport, including capital expenditures and debt payments. In order to receive a grant, the airport sponsor must employ, through December 31, 2020, at least 90 percent (after making adjustments for retirement or voluntary separations) of the number of individuals employed as of March 27, 2020.
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