The State Airport Aid and FAA State Block Grant Programs are administered by the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation on behalf of 72 public use airports located in North Carolina.
State Airport Aid is an airport (financial) aid program funded by the State of North Carolina. Under the terms of North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 63, "the Department of Transportation is hereby authorized to provide State aid in the forms of loans and grants to cities, counties, and public airport authorities for the purpose of planning, acquiring, constructing, or improving municipal, county and other publicly owned or controlled airport facilities, and to authorize related programs of aviation safety, promotions, and long-range planning". The State Airport Aid Program funds projects from two different State Transportation fund sources - the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Block Grant Program is an airport (financial) aid program funded by the federal government. The Division of Aviation is categorized as a block grant state, thereby empowered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to administer grant funds to NC public airports included in the national plan of airports. Block grants are appropriated annually to North Carolina.
