Small Community Air Service Development Program

The Small Community Program was established by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (Pub. L. No. 106-181), reauthorized by the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. No. 108-176), and subsequently reauthorized by the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L. No. 112-95) (FAA 2012), as amended. The program is designed to provide financial assistance to small communities in order to help them enhance their air service. The Department provides this assistance in the form of monetary grants that are disbursed on a reimbursable basis. Authorization for this program is codified at 49 U.S.C. 41743. The Small Community Program is authorized to receive appropriations under 49 U.S.C. 41743(e)(2), as amended. Appropriations are provided for this program for award selection in FY 2016 pursuant to FAA 2012, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. No. 114-113), as extended through FY 2017 by the Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act (Pub. L. No. 114-223). In addition, the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (Pub. L. No. 114-190) amended 49 U.S.C. 41743(e)(2) to authorize the program to receive an additional $6 million in appropriations through FY 2017. The FY17 Continuing Appropriations Act (Pub. L. No. 115-31 (May 5, 2017)) then provided additional appropriations for the program.