Regulatory Alert: FAA Announces $8 Billion in Airport Rescue Grants
June 22, 2021
Today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced grant awards for the $8 billion in Airport Rescue Grants that the agency is making available to airports and eligible concessionaires through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). As airports are aware, ARPA provided $8 billion in relief that included $6.492 billion for primary commercial service and certain cargo airports; $100 million for nonprimary commercial service and general aviation airports; and $800 million to primary airports for concessionaire relief. 
The spreadsheet released by FAA today, which can be viewed here, indicates how much each airport has been awarded, and the amount allocated to each airport for eligible concessionaires. Additional information, including a video brief on ARPA and the grant program, can be found here. 
Next Steps for Airports to Access Funds. Within the next few days FAA personnel will reach out to each airport sponsor to provide an opportunity to submit a grant application. FAA will then make a simplified grant agreement available for execution shortly after receiving a completed application from the airport. The deadline for applying for an Airport Rescue Grant is November 30, 2021. 
There is an additional step that airports will need to take to claim the allocation that is available to them under ARPA for providing relief to concessionaires. Airport sponsors will have to submit an application for a Concessions Rent Relief Airport Rescue Grant to FAA; this is separate application from the one necessary to obtain funds that are available directly for airport use. Upon acceptance of the concessionaire relief funds, airports will have to develop a relief plan and provide relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees (MAG) to eligible small and large airport concessionaires as outlined in the FAA guidance. 
FAQ Guidance on Airport Rescue Grants. As we reported in our June 11 Regulatory Alert, FAA already released an FAQ document that provided a number of details on how FAA plans to administer the Airport Rescue Grants, including information about how to obtain ARPA funds, appropriate uses for the grants, invoicing and payment reimbursements, grant closeouts, and workforce retention, among other issues. FAA also provided a significant amount of information on how eligible airport sponsors can distribute the amount of funds that will be made available to them for providing relief to concessionaires. The FAQ guidance can be accessed here. 
Airport members will find that the FAQ document is similar in many regards to the guidance that has been developed by FAA for airports participating in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant program and the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP). However, there are key distinctions between the programs of which airports should be aware, particularly as it relates to administering concessionaire relief. Airport sponsors are encouraged to review all the FAQs relating to concessionaire relief (Q-CR1 through Q-CR23). 
Q&A Webinar on Airport Rescue Grants. In a briefing from FAA Office of Airports yesterday afternoon, the agency indicated to AAAE that they are planning to host a webinar event in late July to answer questions about Airport Rescue Grants. Airport members may recall that FAA hosted a similar event to address issues related to Airport Concessions Relief Grants made available through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA). Additional details will be provided to members when made available.
Today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced grant awards for the $8 billion in Airport Rescue Grants that the agency is making available to airports and eligible concessionaires through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). As airports are aware, ARPA provided $8 billion in relief that included $6.492 billion for primary commercial service and certain cargo airports; $100 million for nonprimary commercial service and general aviation airports; and $800 million to primary airports for concessionaire relief. 
The spreadsheet released by FAA today, which can be viewed here, indicates how much each airport has been awarded, and the amount allocated to each airport for eligible concessionaires. Additional information, including a video brief on ARPA and the grant program, can be found here. 
Next Steps for Airports to Access Funds. Within the next few days FAA personnel will reach out to each airport sponsor to provide an opportunity to submit a grant application. FAA will then make a simplified grant agreement available for execution shortly after receiving a completed application from the airport. The deadline for applying for an Airport Rescue Grant is November 30, 2021. 
There is an additional step that airports will need to take to claim the allocation that is available to them under ARPA for providing relief to concessionaires. Airport sponsors will have to submit an application for a Concessions Rent Relief Airport Rescue Grant to FAA; this is separate application from the one necessary to obtain funds that are available directly for airport use. Upon acceptance of the concessionaire relief funds, airports will have to develop a relief plan and provide relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees (MAG) to eligible small and large airport concessionaires as outlined in the FAA guidance. 
FAQ Guidance on Airport Rescue Grants. As we reported in our June 11 Regulatory Alert, FAA already released an FAQ document that provided a number of details on how FAA plans to administer the Airport Rescue Grants, including information about how to obtain ARPA funds, appropriate uses for the grants, invoicing and payment reimbursements, grant closeouts, and workforce retention, among other issues. FAA also provided a significant amount of information on how eligible airport sponsors can distribute the amount of funds that will be made available to them for providing relief to concessionaires. The FAQ guidance can be accessed here. 
Airport members will find that the FAQ document is similar in many regards to the guidance that has been developed by FAA for airports participating in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant program and the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP). However, there are key distinctions between the programs of which airports should be aware, particularly as it relates to administering concessionaire relief. Airport sponsors are encouraged to review all the FAQs relating to concessionaire relief (Q-CR1 through Q-CR23). 
Q&A Webinar on Airport Rescue Grants. In a briefing from FAA Office of Airports yesterday afternoon, the agency indicated to AAAE that they are planning to host a webinar event in late July to answer questions about Airport Rescue Grants. Airport members may recall that FAA hosted a similar event to address issues related to Airport Concessions Relief Grants made available through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA). Additional details will be provided to members when made available.
