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Grant Programs


Summary of the Safe Routes to School grant program

  • Iowa: $1.00M (FY05), $0.99M (FY06), $1.08M (FY07), $1.33M (FY08), $1.67M (FY09)
  • Federal share is at 100 percent—no local funding match required; reimbursement grants.
  • Eligible applicants: for infrastructure projects—local and state governments; for noninfrastructure projects—local and state governments, regional agencies, including nonprofits, schools (both public and private), parent teacher associations, etc.
  • Funding for infrastructure projects is 70 to 90 percent and 10 to 30 percent of funding for noninfrastructure projects (see examples below); efforts in both areas must be demonstrated
  • Primary beneficiaries must be K-8 students.
  • Infrastructure projects must be within two miles of a school and on public property or private land with legal public-access easements.
  • Competitive grant program administered by Iowa DOT.
  • Award recipients must comply with stringent federal and state funding requirements.

Infrastructure grant uses

School crossing signInfrastructure projects must improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and access. Some examples include:
  • Sidewalk improvements: new sidewalks, sidewalk widening, sidewalk gap closures, sidewalk repairs, curbs, gutters, and curb ramps.
  • Traffic calming and speed reduction improvements: roundabouts, bulb-outs, speed humps, raised crossings, raised intersections, median refuges, narrowed traffic lanes, lane reductions, full- or half-street closures, automated speed enforcement, and variable speed limits.
  • Pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements: crossings, median refuges, raised crossings, raised intersections, school crossing traffic control devices (including new or upgraded traffic signals, pavement markings, traffic stripes, in-roadway crossing lights, flashing beacons, bicycle-sensitive signal actuation devices, pedestrian countdown signals, vehicle speed feedback signs, and pedestrian activated signal upgrades), and sight distance improvements.
    • If necessary, request a Safe Routes to School - Traffic Engineering Assistance Program (SRTS-TEAP) study be done to evaluate traffic and safety in the area of the school (typically limited to cities with populations under 35,000). http://www.iowadot.gov/traffic/teap.html
  • On-street bicycle facilities: new or upgraded bicycle lanes, widened outside lanes or roadway shoulders, geometric improvements, turning lanes, channelization, roadway realignment,
    traffic signs, and pavement markings.
  • Off-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities: exclusive, multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trails and pathways separated from a roadway.
  • Secure bicycle parking facilities: bicycle parking racks, bicycle lockers, designated areas with safety lighting, and covered bicycle shelters.
  • Traffic diversion improvements: separation of pedestrians and bicycles from vehicular traffic adjacent to schools, and traffic diversion away from school zones or designated routes to a school.
Planning, design and engineering expenses, including consultant services, associated with developing eligible infrastructure projects are also eligible to receive infrastructure funds.

Infrastructure grant application information:

Background and Eligibility (please read first)
Download Application Form

Noninfrastructure grant uses

kids crossing street with crossing gaurdSAFETEA-LU specifies that eligible noninfrastructure projects are activities that encourage walking and bicycling to school, including: public awareness campaigns and outreach to press and community leaders; traffic education and enforcement in the vicinity of schools; student sessions on bicycle and pedestrian safety, health and the environment; and funding for training, volunteers and managers of SRTS programs. Some examples include:
  • creation and reproduction of promotional and educational materials;
  • costs to develop a SRTS study or plan;
  • bicycle and pedestrian safety curricula, materials and trainers;
  • training, including SRTS training workshops that target school- and community-level audiences;
  • modest incentives for SRTS contests and incentives that encourage more walking and bicycling over time;
  • safety and educational tokens that also advertise the program;
  • photocopying, duplicating and printing costs, including CDs, DVDs, etc., and also mailing costs;
  • costs for data gathering, analysis, and evaluation reporting at the local project level;
  • substitute teacher pay, if needed, to cover for faculty attending SRTS functions during school hours;
  • costs for additional law enforcement or equipment needed for enforcement activities;
  • equipment and training needed for establishing crossing guard programs;
  • stipends for parent or staff coordinators; (typically to reimburse volunteers for materials and expenses needed for coordination and efforts; "Super-volunteer" pay is possible in rare cases.);
  • costs to employ a SRTS program manager, which is a person that runs a SRTS program for an entire city, county or some other area-wide division that includes numerous schools; or
  • consultant costs (either nonprofit or for-profit) to manage a SRTS program, as described in previous bullet.

Noninfrastructure grant application information:

Background and Eligibility (please read first)
Download Application Form for Noninfrastructure Activities
Download Application Form for a Safe Routes to School Study or Plan

What can communities, schools, and others do to prepare for making a grant application?