ACEA Awarded $750,000 Grant to Accelerate Smart Airport Technologies

ATLANTIC COUNTY – Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson has announced that the Atlantic County Economic Alliance (ACEA) was awarded $750,000 in federal funds from a USEDA i6 Challenge grant to help with aviation technology development in southern New Jersey.

The money will be matched with $933,673 in local funding and in-kind commitments.

The National Institue of Aerospace (NIA) will be ACEA’s lead partner under the grant. The NIA works with NASA and other government agencies to conduct research and technology development in space exploration, aeronautics, and science.

“We are very excited to be leading the Smart Airport and Aviation Partnership for ACEA. We look forward to working with our regional government, industry and academic partners, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration, to establish a thriving Smart Airport and Aviation cluster in Southern New Jersey,” said Douglas Stanley, president of NIA.

Other partners include Atlantic County government, Cape May County government, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the National Aviation Research and Technology Park (NARTP), the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and Rowan University, Stockton University, Atlantic Cape Community College, South Jersey Transportation Authority, and aviation-related businesses.

Partner organizations will create a Smart Airport and Aviation Partnership (SAAP) in South Jersey.

Levinson believes that the NARTP and an Aviation Innovation Hub of FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center and the Atlantic City International Airport is working.

“Our efforts are being recognized and validated by both industry and academia,” Levinson said. “This was a highly competitive application process. Over 183 i6 Challenge applications were submitted and only 26 were awarded funding. Other recipients included Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Purdue University, and the Mayo Clinic. We are proud to be ranked among such prestigious institutions.”