FY 2023 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program

Background
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $170 million in competitive grants under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 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.

Grant Details
The program provides funding for capital, operating, and planning expenses to States and territories for ferry service to rural areas. Projects funded under this program will support ferry transportation service that operated a regular schedule at any time during the five-year period from March 1, 2015, to March 1, 2020, and includes at least one route segment of at least 50 sailing (nautical) miles between two rural areas. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, provides an additional $17,500,000 for ferry service meeting the above criteria.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants for the Rural Ferry Program are States and Territories in which eligible service is operated. For the $152.6 million made available under Division J of the BIL, eligible service includes passenger ferry service that operated a regular schedule at any time between March 1, 2015, and March 1, 2020, and operated at least one segment between two rural areas located more than 50 sailing (nautical) miles apart.

Period of Performance
Funds are available for obligation for five years after the fiscal year in which the awards are announced. Except for any proposed continuation of Rural Ferry projects funded from the FY 2022 NOFO, funds are available only for projects that have not already incurred costs prior to the announcement of project selections.

Grant Value
$170 million in competitive grants under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program