Safe Routes to School

Main
  • Events & Newsletter
  • SRTS Starter Kit
  • Join our email list
  • Contact us

Statewide
• Walk to School Day
• Student Travel Tally Week
• Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
• Bike to School Day

Resources
• Grant Opportunities
• Resource Library
• Marketing Toolkit
• Zone In, Not Out
• Other Links / Partners

Non-Infrastructure Grants

Important Dates

February 11, 2020 – Online Application Opens
February 21, 2020 – Deadline for Optional Review of Activities and Programs Plan (APP)
March 6, 2020 - Deadline to Upload APP to Grant Management System
March 20, 2020 – Application Closes
May 13, 2020 – Awardees Notified and Grant Agreement Process Begins
August 1, 2020 – Grant Period Begins

Important Links

Online Grant Management System
Sample Application
Sample Letter of Interest
Grant Guidelines
Local Match FAQs
Grant Procedures Guide

Each non-infrastructure grant application must include a VDOT-approved Activities and Programs Plan (APP), which serves as the applicant’s letter of intent. Non-Infrastructure grants between $5,000 and $100,000 can be used to fund education, encouragement, evaluation and enforcement programs related to Safe Routes to School (SRTS). The Non-Infrastructure Grant can also be used to fund a SRTS Coordinator. A SRTS Coordinator is a part- or full-time SRTS advocate who works within a local jurisdiction or school division to promote and facilitate SRTS activities at a minimum of three schools.

Who can apply for Non-Infrastructure Grants?

The entities who may apply for funding include:

Schools (public and private)
School divisions
Local governments (cities, counties, or towns)
Regional and state agencies working on behalf of a school or schools
Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations working on behalf of a school or schools

Note: Any school or school division that has already received, through VDOT, three SRTS non-infrastructure grants spanning three school years is required to provide a local match of 20% of the total project cost as part of their budget in order to be eligible for additional grants. For more information regarding the local match requirement, refer to the Virginia SRTS Grant Program Guidelines and the Local Match FAQs (includes a list of school divisions that now require a local match).

Application Information

The first step in applying for a Non-Infrastructure Grant is to create a SRTS Activities & Programs Plan (APP). The APP is the first phase of any SRTS effort and outlines a school or community's intentions for making active travel to and from school safer and more sustainable. It's a great way to organize programs, projects, and people in support of SRTS. Once complete, the APP also serves as a legacy document for the school's or division's SRTS program.

There are both a Reference Guide and Template available for preparing a SRTS APP. The Virginia SRTS Program has also developed a FAQ sheet to help answer common questions that arise while preparing an APP.

During each application period, program staff are available to review draft APPs for completeness. The APPs will be reviewed as they are received, and a response will be provided within two weeks of the request. Each application period will include a deadline for APP review. Any APPs received after the deadline will be reviewed as time and resources allow.

Once the APP is complete, applicants should submit their APP (as a PDF) via the online grant management system. Upon submission of the APP, the applicant will be granted access to the application system within two business days. Being granted access to the online application does not indicate that the APP meets all of the necessary requirements, and the applicant may be asked to revise the APP prior to submitting the completed application.

What types of programs and activities are eligible under a Non-Infrastructure Grant?

Only the types of programs and activities identified as “Strategies” in the target school’s APP will be eligible for funding. If an applicant seeks funding for a program or activity that is not included in the corresponding APP, the application will not be considered. If you are unsure as to whether a certain program or activity is eligible, please contact the Virginia SRTS Coordinator.

Examples of fundable activities and other reimbursable costs that are often part of a comprehensive SRTS program are listed below.

Education	Creation of educational materials Pedestrian and bicycle safety skills training for students and parents (some qualifications) Bicycle rodeo to teach on-bike skills Personal safety skills training for students and parents Resources promoting the health, environmental, and sustainable transportation benefits of walking and bicycling for students Educating parents and caregivers about safe driving procedures around schools Training, including SRTS training workshops that target school- and community-level audiences
Encouragement	SRTS promotional campaigns and materials Incentive programs that encourage safe walking and bicycling over time Walking school bus programs Bike train programs International Walk to School Day or other special event Walking and biking mileage clubs Community safe driving awareness and education campaigns
Enforcement	Crossing guard training programs and equipment Parent or student safety patrol programs Neighborhood Watch initiative
Evaluation	Printing, copying and mailing costs for data gathering Conducting school-wide Student Travel Tallies (counting the number of students who walk and bicycle to and from school; mandated for funded projects) Tracking the number of crashes within two miles of school Conducting Parent Surveys (measuring parent and guardian perceptions of safety; mandated for funded projects) Consultant services for expanding or improving an existing School Travel Plan
Reimbursable SRTS-related Costs	Equipment and supplies used for SRTS activities (some qualifications) Educational materials Promotions, incentives or publicity Printing, copying and postage Consultant Services - Education and Training Costs to employ SRTS Coordinator: Requests for funding SRTS Coordinators will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis; the position is time-limited and funding should not supplant existing funding for staff who are already responsible for these types of activities.

Non-Infrastructure Grant Recipients to Date

Click here for a list of non-infrastructure projects funded from 2007-2019.

Page last modified: Feb. 26, 2020