$2B in grants available for airports affected by COVID-19

Almost $2 billion in federal grant funding is being made available by the U.S. Department of Transportation to help airports impacted by COVID-19.

The grants are through the Federal Aviation Administration‘s (FAA) Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program, which is funded by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Act Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020.

According to FAA, the program is available to more than 3,000 publicly-owned, commercial service and reliever general-aviation airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Most funding will go toward keeping employees safe and working, FAA says, as well as debt service payments, reimbursing operational expenses and rent relief to airport concessions.

“President Biden has made it a priority to deliver immediate relief to our transportation sectors and their workers, ensuring they can continue to provide essential services through this pandemic and beyond,” says Pete Buttigieg, secretary of transportation. “[This] announcement one of many steps we are taking to protect the health of America’s travelers and workers, while keeping our nation’s airport operations and related small businesses up and running.”

Airport grant applications must be submitted by June 30.