Montana Aeronautics Board Awards $3.33 Million to 46 Public Airports

The Montana Aeronautics Board approved approximately $3.33 million in grants and loans for state fiscal year 2027 to 46 public-use airports statewide, the Montana Department of Transportation said, with Helena receiving $235,600 and Butte’s Bert Mooney Airport awarded $58,829. The MDT release states the awards were approved during the board’s January meeting and will fund projects ranging from pavement preservation to safety and capacity upgrades.

MDT’s announcement notes that applicants sought $5.1 million in state assistance for FY 2027. “For FY 2027, $5.1 million was requested in state assistance, reflecting strong demand for pavement preservation, safety enhancements, and capacity upgrades,” the department wrote, and added that the board “awarded all available grant funding” after review. Out of Montana’s 126 airports, MDT reports, 71 currently receive federal funding; state awards are routinely used to leverage federal construction and rehabilitation dollars.

The department’s itemized table shows grant awards totaling $3,330,004 and loan awards totaling $33,304, with the table header identifying the columns as GRANT and LOAN. That tabular breakdown sums to $3,363,308, while the department’s headline and narrative round the total to “approximately $3.33 million.” The release includes the full list of recipients and amounts, with larger single grants including St. Ignatius at $495,000, West Yellowstone at $231,555, Cut Bank at $395,892, and Sidney at $137,600.

Local project-level detail highlights how the state dollars will function as matching funds for federal work. Butte’s Bert Mooney Airport plans a major maintenance project this summer funded with an estimated $4–5 million in FAA money that requires a 5–10 percent local match; the $58,829 award is intended to help cover that match. The release ties many awards to common project categories: pavement preservation, safety enhancements, capacity upgrades, and FAA-required upgrades and passenger safety compliance.

The grants and loans approved in January span community and regional airfields across Montana, from Anaconda’s $12,600 grant to Choteau’s $130,245 and Deer Lodge’s $269,980 plus a $28,264 loan. MDT emphasized the competitive, proposal-driven process used each year, noting “The Montana Aeronautics Board awarded approximately $3.33 million in airport grant and loan funding for state fiscal year (FY) 2027 during its January meeting.” The department also reminds airport sponsors that state awards support both federally funded and non-federally funded efforts at airports of all sizes.

MDT’s aviation loans and grants webpage contains the full, itemized table of awards and project information for agencies and airport sponsors seeking details on specific allocations and conditions.