ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Annual grant funds to improve safety on northwest Missouri roads are now available for regional transportation safety programs from the Northwest Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. This is the eighth year the funds have been available for interested applicants as part of the Coalition’s effort to reduce injuries and fatalities on roadways in northwest Missouri’s 20 counties.
"As of June 4, there have been 17 fatalities this year on northwest Missouri roadways,” says Larry Stobbs, Jr., chair of the coalition's Northwest Region. "Our coalition is part of a partnership working towards zero deaths on Missouri roadways. By funding projects at some of the great agencies and organizations around our region, we’re able to help them complete traffic safety programs that may otherwise have to be shelved due to lack of funds.”
Organizations eligible to apply for these funds include schools, community groups, law enforcement, health departments, and others. Online grant applications are available at http://savemolives.com/regions-connect/northwest. Completed applications are due by the close of business on Friday, July 14, 2017, with award announcements following soon thereafter. All awarded funds must be spent during the 2018 fiscal year.
To be eligible for the grants, programs must address at least one of the emphasis areas identified in Missouri’s Blueprint document. These include serious crash types, high-risk drivers and occupants, special vehicles, vulnerable roadway users, and special roadway environments. The more widespread the impact the program has, and the longer it lasts, the better chance it has to receive some of the limited funds. Further information on these emphasis areas is available in the Blueprint for Safer Roadways available for download at www.savemolives.com.
A new addition to the program this year is a grant writing mini workshop to be held on June 29, 2017 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The workshop will be held at MoDOT’s district office in St. Joseph, located at 3602 North Belt Highway. Representatives from the Coalition will walk grant applicants through the process and answer any questions the applicants may have. All potential grant applicants are encouraged to attend, if possible.
For more information, contact Northwest Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety Chairperson at 816-236-1474
or your local regional planning commission, as noted on the application.
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