1. (1) After the final submission deadline for applications, each board member will independently review each application prior to the board meeting.
2. (2) The board will hold an annual public grant and loan review meeting. Notice for the meeting will be in accordance with state law. The board may allow applicants, supporters or opponents to speak or provide for a presentation regarding applications during the meeting. The board will review and discuss applications and vote on disbursement of grant and loan monies during the public meeting.
3. (3) All funding discussions, priority setting, and grant or loan amount allocations will occur in a recorded public meeting so as to ensure complete transparency of the process. A publicly viewable spreadsheet will be used during the meeting to rank and track priorities as discussed by the board, assign allocations and ensure a fair and public assignment of grant and loan amounts to the applicant organizations. Extemporaneous information, such as the withdrawal of requests, change of requested amounts, and change of FAA allotments and funding priorities, along with other new information, is often introduced during the allocation process and discussion by the board. Given the variable nature of this information and in the interest of ensuring complete and fair disbursement of available funds, the distribution spreadsheet is dynamic up until the point of adoption, requiring a variable selection and scoring system.

4. (4) Projects which are specifically related to airports, airport development, and aviation/public safety will be given the highest priority when evaluating applications for aeronautically related projects. The board shall utilize the Federal Aviation Administration’s National Priority System as an initial rating to assist in the grant and loan award process, but not as the sole determinant, as the federal priorities may not align perfectly with state and local priorities.

   1. (a) Additional factors for consideration when weighing award priorities may include project timing, local funding sources and constraints, technological advances, regional and federal aviation initiatives, and numerous other objective factors that may develop over time.
   2. (b) Additional priority consideration will be given to the project’s positive impact on safe aeronautical operations at the airport, as well as the overall impact on the aviation community.
5. (5) The board shall use its unique expertise as members of Montana’s airport and aviation community to objectively award grants and loans to applicants based on the criteria in this rule. The board may offer applicants amounts higher or lower than the amounts requested in the applications. The board may offer grants in place of loans and vice versa.

Authorizing statute(s): 2-15-2506, 67-1-103, 67-2-102, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 2-15-2506, 67-1-103, 67-1-301, 67-1-304, 67-1-306, 67-1-307, 67-1-309, MCA

History: NEW, 2006 MAR p. 81, Eff. 1/13/06; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 1525, Eff. 9/7/19; AMD, 2025 MAR, Notice No. 2025-90, Eff. 10/11/25.