Premium on Safety - Issue 41, 2021 - 10

FOCUS POINT
addition to sharing the workforce development rewards, it allows
members of the group to share the workload of applying for the
grant and delivering it if awarded.
Other eligible applicants are flight schools providing pilot
training under Part 61 or Part 141; accredited institutions of higher
education (high schools or secondary schools); and state or
local governmental entities. Obviously eligible for maintenance
technician grants are Part 21 manufacturers of aircraft parts and
products and Part 145 repair stations.
Each grant applicant must evaluate its eligibility and its ability to
create and deliver " meaningful aviation education that is designed
to prepare " the target audience for the intended aerospace career.
GRANT PARTNERSHIPS
Those who do not meet the eligibility requirements or possess
curriculum development or delivery capabilities can pursue these
opportunities in partnership with an eligible applicant such as an
institution of higher education, a flight school, or another qualified
organization.
The FAA encourages partnerships because they can " reach and
include students in various geographic and economic areas " and
" help the applicant provide additional opportunities, assistance,
and resources to ensure success and sustainability. " In addition,
because the grant program is competitive, partnerships can " satisfy
Congressional intent and meet the requirements of the selection
criteria. "
The FAA awards its workforce development grants to individual
pilot or maintenance technician programs and does not limit the
number of partnerships or grant applications in which an eligible
entity may participate. It awards grants based on the quality and
quantity of applications received for a given fiscal year.
The FAA expects to fund a minimum of 10 grants a year. The
grants do not require or include any cost matching nor will
the FAA reimburse any pre-award or application costs, facility
construction, or research activities. Applicants can see a list of
previous recipients on the Notice of Funding Opportunity on the
grants.gov website, which is linked to the FAA's Aviation Workforce
Development Grants website.
When it comes to recruiting the next
generation of aviation professionals,
business aviation must engage them
early and enthusiastically.
APPLICATION PACKAGE
The FAA only accepts electronic grant applications through the
Notice of Funding Opportunity posted on grants.gov. Applicants
create an account on the site, which gives them access to
the necessary forms. Prospective applicants can preview the
application forms before creating an account.
The Fiscal Year 2021 application package for pilot and maintenance
grants was a baker's dozen of PDF forms filled out using Adobe
Reader. Three forms address the project, the abstract and its
separate summary, and another for its narrative. Two forms
address the project's budget. The remainder fulfills bureaucratic
requirements for application for federal assistance, key contacts,
disclosure of lobbying activities, assurances of non-construction
programs, and the Project/Performance Site Location.
Photo credit: SM Spangler
10
http://www.grants.gov http://www.grants.gov
Premium on Safety - Issue 41, 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Premium on Safety - Issue 41, 2021
