Contact: Helen Chaney | 919.807.0780

Application and Instructions

The application for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant has been designed to be as self-explanatory as possible. Nevertheless, if there is a question about a specific part of the application please see the detailed, step-by-step instructions below or contact Helen Chaney, 919.807.0780.

Two versions of the application form are available, Microsoft Word and PDF. The application is designed so that applicants who use Microsoft Word can download and save the application form, then complete the form electronically and print it out for submittal.

Interested applicants without access to Microsoft Word should download the PDF file and type in their information. Handwritten applications will be accepted, but are not preferred. In either case, please use only the space provided to answer the questions.

If you are unable to download either version of the application, please contact Helen Chaney, 919.807.0780.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Instructions for each section of the application are listed below, in order of the application. You may also go straight to instructions for a specific section by selecting it from the list below. Please note: when using MS Word to fill out your application, please tab from completed fields to the following fields, and refrain from using the hard return key unless you are completing the Narrative Description or Plan Development Schedule.

Applicant Information

1. Fill in all spaces not shaded.

2. Population = the year-round population of the municipality.

3. NCDOT Division = the "area of representation" in which your municipality resides (the state is divided into 14 Highway Divisions).

4. The "department applying for grant" should be a municipal department in which the "Contact Person" works. The Contact Person may or may not have prepared the application, but will be the key contact for the municipality with regards to the grant, and must be a full-time, permanent employee of the municipality.

Eligibility Criteria

1. You must choose to develop either a bicycle or a pedestrian plan - you may not do both in a given year.

2. The application must be signed and dated by the appropriate staff person in the space provided. Please print the signatory's title and name in the space directly to the right and below the signature. Appropriate staff may include a City/Town Manager, Administrator, or Mayor, if authorized.

3. A resolution from the municipal governing body (i.e. the City/Town Council) must be provided to be eligible for funding. It is strongly recommended that you ensure this resolution is put on the governing body's agenda in a timely fashion, so that you may send in the signed document with the application.

4. A resolution from your MPO must be provided to be eligible for funding. Please attach this document with your application.

   RPO's are not legally required to provide a resolution, but obtaining one is strongly encouraged.
   
   If you are obtaining a resolution from your representative planning organization, it is strongly recommended that this be put on their agenda in a timely fashion so that you may send in the signed document with your application.
   
   If you check "pending" please indicate when you expect to receive your resolution in the date field provided.

   If you are not a member of an MPO or RPO (and have indicated such in the Applicant Information section) do not check "yes", "no" or "pending" in the Eligibility Criteria section in relation to an MPO or RPO resolution.

Narrative Description

Read each question carefully. Answer all questions thoroughly and concisely within the space provided.

Remember to note online references and materials where applicable. Referring to online resources will also reduce the amount of paperwork submitted as attachments for each application packet.

For question No. 2, it may be helpful to look up specific crash data for your community. The North Carolina crash data can be found from a link on the Resources page.

For question No. 5, be sure to check with your MPO/RPO, county, and other regional groups for potentially relevant planning documents.

Plan Development Schedule

Please list the tasks and activities that will be involved in developing the plan and note whether the task will be undertaken by staff or consultant or both. You may want to refer to the recommended outline for guidance on items to include on the plan development schedule. Use only the space provided.

Project Cost Information

Note: The total requested by the municipality, as listed in the application, will be the amount honored through the reimbursement agreement, in accordance with the funding cap and the matching grant formula specifications.

1. Please fill in the top "summary row" including Total Project Cost, Total NCDOT Planning Funds Requested, and Total Local Match Committed with sources and amounts listed. Double-check to ensure that the Total NCDOT Planning Funds Requested and the Total Local Match Committed add up to the Total Project Cost.

2. Be sure that the Total NCDOT Planning Funds Requested is not over the funding cap allowed for your municipality size. Also double-check that the Total Local Match is the correct percentage of participation, based on the Matching Grant Formula.

Attachments

The required and optional attachment lists are provided for your convenience with check-boxes to ensure that you have attached everything necessary for submittal. Please check off all items that are attached.

1. Resumes: Resumes of any staff person identified in question 7 must be attached. Please write the number of resumes included in the space provided.

2. Municipality Map: A map of the municipality is required as an attachment. Please keep it within manageable size. You may also provide a link to it as an online reference.

3. Municipal Resolution: See Eligibility Criteria item #3 above for more information about your municipal resolution.

4. MPO/RPO Resolution: See Eligibility Criteria item #4 above for more information about MPO or RPO resolutions.

5. Letters of Support: We prefer that all letters of support be collected by the municipality and sent to NCDOT with your application packet. However, we will accept any letters sent directly that are received before 5 p.m. December 5, 2008. Unsigned letters or letters from previous grant applications will not be accepted. Letters should be addressed to:
   
   Helen Chaney
   NCDOT-Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation
   1552 Mail Service Center
   Raleigh, NC 27699-1552

   Please indicate in the space provided how many letters of support are attached or will be sent by December 5, 2008.

6. Copies of Previous Plans: Online information is preferred for any resources referred to in your Narrative Description answers. If Web links are not available, summaries of plan information are acceptable. Please do not attach an entire plan - only the pages with the pertinent information should be attached unless it is a bicycle plan or pedestrian plan.

Preparer Information

If the person who prepared the application is different from the "Contact Person" provided in the Applicant Information section, please provide the preparer's information in space provided.