The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P. L. 117–58), which became law on November 15, 2021, appropriated $1 billion to be awarded by the Department of Transportation (DoT) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 for the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program (SS4A). The DoT recently issued a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for SS4A funding.
The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micro mobility users, and commercial vehicle operators.
Eligible applicants for SS4A grants include:
- metropolitan planning organizations
- political subdivisions of a State or territory
- federally recognized Tribal governments
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has brought the SS4A grant to the attention of the EMS community. While the program is not directly targeted to EMS services, its funds are directed exclusively toward local government entities. Additionally, SS4A is based on the elements of the National Roadway Safety Strategy, one of which is post-crash care that relates directly to EMS. As such, NHTSA has expressed that EMS agencies could be partners in this program and benefit from its planning and implementation activities.
The Federal share of a SS4A grant may not exceed 80 percent of total eligible activity costs. Recipients are required to contribute a local matching share of no less than 20 percent of eligible activity costs. Applications for SS4A must be submitted by 5 PM EDT on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Applications must be submitted through Grants.Gov.
For more information on SS4A you may view the DoT’s NOFO. Fire and EMS chiefs also are encouraged to review the National Roadway Safety Strategy.