Since 2001, the New Jersey Department of Transportation's Office of Maritime Resources (NJDOT/OMR) has accepted Proposals for funding under the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG). BIG was initially authorized by Section 7404 of the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998. The program was reauthorized by Congress in the FY 2005 transportation legislation, "SAFETEA-LU."
BIG funds are provided through the US Department of the Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service to states "to construct, renovate, and maintain tie-up facilities" for transient, recreational vessels 26 feet or more in length, and are distributed annually. Some examples of development and programs allowed under BIG include navigational aides, one time dredging, breakwaters, dockside utility service, recycling and trash receptacles, marketing materials, and other services that serve to increase transient boating nationally.
Those interested in applying are encouraged to review the grant guidelines and criteria for BIG. All project costs are pro-rated to serve a transient boating population, and there is a 25 percent match associated with receipt of the BIG funds. The project budget must be clear, reasonable and cost-efficient. Applicants may apply for Tier 1, Tier 2, or both, so long as the projects are not one and the same.
NJDOT/OMR is currently accepting Letters of Interest (LOI) for FY 2017 BIG funding. Below are links to Tier 1 and Tier 2 Federal Notices of Grants and Requests for Applications:
• Tier 1
• Tier 2
Draft proposals are due to the NJDOT/OMR by August 15, 2016 and final proposals are due to the NJDOT/OMR by August 29, 2016. Application instructions may be found here.
For questions on the BIG Program, please contact William Henderson at 609-530-6629 or [email protected].