Appendix C: Definitions

1. Welfare Recipient--An individual who receives or received aid or assistance under a state program funded under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act (whether in effect before or after the effective date of the amendments made by Title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193; 110 Stat. 2110)) at any time during the three-year period before the date on which the applicant applies for a grant.

2. Eligible Low-Income Individual--An individual whose family income is at or below 150 percent of the poverty line (as that term is defined in Section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) including any revisions required by that section for a family of the size involved, as calculated by HHS. The 2001 guidelines were published in the February 16, 200l (Volume 66, Number 33) Federal Register, page 10695-10697, and are available on the web at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/01poverty.htm.

3. Existing Transportation Service Providers--Public transportation providers including public, private and non-profit fixed route and paratransit operators, and governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations that receive assistance from Federal, state, or local sources for non-emergency transportation services.

4. Human Services Providers--Agencies and organizations involved in helping welfare recipients and low-income populations to make the transition to work and providing supportive employment services. These agencies and organizations include state and local workforce development organizations, agencies administering TANF and WtW formula and competitive funds, public and assisted housing providers and community development agencies, and, where appropriate, faith-based and community-based organizations providing employment support services.

5. Qualified Entity--(A) With respect to any proposed eligible project in an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000, the applicant(s) selected by the appropriate Metropolitan Planning Organization that meets the program eligibility requirements, including planning and coordination requirements, from among local governmental authorities and agencies and nonprofit organizations and; (B) With respect to any proposed eligible project in an urbanized area with a population of greater than 50,000 and less than 200,000, or an area other than an urbanized area, the applicant(s) selected by the chief executive officer of the state in which the area is located that meets the program eligibility requirements, including the planning and coordination requirements, from among local governmental authorities and nonprofit organizations.

6. Transit Capital and Operating Assistance Projects-Projects to finance acquisition, construction, improvement, and operating costs of facilities, equipment and associated capital maintenance items used in mass transportation service, including crime prevention and security of and for such equipment and facilities. Direct administrative expenses associated with the provision of job access and reverse commute services are also eligible operating expenses.

7. Community to be Served--Neighborhoods and geographic areas with a disproportionate number of welfare recipients and low-income residents as compared to the general population, and population groups such as tribes, migrant workers, and persons with disabilities who are disproportionately represented among low-income individuals.

8. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO)-Comprised of elected officials representing local governments and transportation service providers within the metropolitan area. They are responsible for adopting transportation plans and improvement programs to address a region's unique transportation needs, and working with states to include these priorities in statewide plans.

9. Project-A service or a set of services aimed at a low-income population located in a specific geographic area. A project may cover the entire area outlined in the Area-Wide Transportation Plan, or it may be aimed at a specific geographic area within that plan. Projects in areas with a population of over 200,000 frequently include services directed toward the low-income population segments of a political jurisdiction within the metropolitan region, but they may address the entire low-income population throughout the metropolitan region. Small urban (between 50,000 and 200,000 in population) and rural areas (populations of below 50,000) can propose projects that may be directed at low-income populations located in a specific area, or throughout a small urban area, county, or even at multi-county populations. State-wide proposals should be divided into specific locations with specific subregions.