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1 North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants Instructions July 1999 INFORMATION COLLECTION STATEMENT: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501), please note the following information. This information collection is authorized by the North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989, as amended (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.). The information collection solicited is necessary to gain a benefit in the form of a grant, as determined by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission; is necessary to determine the eligibility and relative value of wetland projects; results in an approximate paperwork burden of 80 hours per application; and does not carry a premise of confidentiality. Your response is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. This information collection has been approved by OMB and assigned clearance number is 1018- 0100. The public is invited to submit comments on the accuracy of the estimated average burden hours for application preparation and to suggest ways in which the burden may be reduced. Comments may be submitted to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Mail Stop 224 ARLSQ, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, D.C. 20240 and/or Desk Officer for Interior Department (1018-0100), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503. Cover: Greater Snow Geese at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Staff Photo: NAWWO. North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants Instructions The purpose of the 1989 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), as amended, is to promote long-term conservation of North American wetland ecosystems, and the waterfowl and other migratory birds, fish and wildlife that depend upon such habitat. Principal conservation actions supported by NAWCA are acquisition, creation, enhancement and restoration of wetlands and wetlands-associated habitat. In 1996, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Council) initiated a pilot Small Grants program with an allocation of $250,000. The objective was to promote long-term wetlands conservation activities through encouraging participation by new grantees and partners who may not otherwise be able to compete in the Standard Grants program. The Council also believed that a Small Grants program could be important in developing a pool of new partners/grantees that might eventually participate in the Standard Grants program. The Small Grants program was made fully operational in 1998 with an allocation of $500,000. Over the first four years of the program, about 326 proposals requesting a total of approximately $10.1 million competed for funding. Ultimately, 55 projects were funded for a total of about $1.7 million. For 2000, with the approval of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, the Council has set aside a minimum of $500,000 for funding Small Grants. Up to $1.0 million in high quality proposals may be funded. To be considered for funding in 2000, proposals must have a grant request no greater than $50,000. Proposals requesting more than $50,000 are ineligible for Small Grants program funding consideration. All wetland conservation proposals which meet the requirements of the Act will be accepted. However, funding priority will be given to projects from new grant applicants (individuals or organizations who have never received a NAWCA grant) with new partners, where the project ensures long-term conservation benefits. This does not preclude former NAWCA grant recipients from receiving Small Grants funding; ultimately, project resource value is the critical factor in deciding which projects are funded by the Council. At this time, the Small Grants program is open only to projects proposed for the U.S.; it is not open to projects in Canada or Mexico. 1 USFWS In addition, proposals must represent on-the-ground projects, and any overhead in the grant budget may be no greater than 10 percent of the grant amount. The anticipated magnitude of wetlands and wildlife resources benefits that will result from project execution are important factors to be considered in proposal evaluation, as may be reflected in whether or not the Small Grants project is part of another or broader initiative, and there should be a reasonable balance between wetlands and wetland-associated uplands. Please keep in mind that NAWCA and matching funds may only be used for wetlands acquisition, creation, enhancement, and/or restoration; they may not be used for signage, displays or other educational materials, programs, or equipment, even though the goal of the project may ultimately be to support wetland conservation education curricula. Projects oriented toward education are not ordinarily eligible for NAWCA funding because education is not a primary purpose of the Act. However, useful project outcomes can include educational benefits resulting from conservation actions. Research also is not a primary purpose of the Act, and research proposals will not be considered for funding (See Appendix A). Even though requiring less information than those submitted for the Standard Grants program, Small Grant proposals still must be clearly explained and meet the basic purposes given above and the 1:1 or greater non-Federal matching requirements of the NAWCA. Small Grants projects must also be consistent with Council guidelines, objectives and policies. All non-Federal matching funds and proposed expenditures of grant funds must be consistent with Appendix A, “Eligibility Requirements for NAWCA Grant and Matching Funds.” Although one objective of Small Grants program administration is still to provide for brevity and a lessening of the applicant’s paper burden when compared to the Standard Grants program, successful applicants will be asked in some instances to provide greater detail on certain features of their projects. This results from NAWWO’s accountability and reporting needs, and the desirability of providing for short- and long-term assessment of the success of the program consistent with the Standard Grants program. Successful applicants with proposals including real property acquisitions usually are required to assign conservation easements covering properties acquired with Act (grant) funds and those properties used as match to the Fish and Wildlife Service, or a State resource conservation agency, or an established trust or conservancy, or otherwise provide a legal recordable document that provides protection in perpetuity to the partnerships’ investments. In the case of small enhancement projects on private lands, this investment protection may only entail guaranteeing the life of the project for a period not to exceed 25 years. All applicants are required to submit a completed Standard Form 424, Application For Federal Assistance; the form, with instructions, can be found in Appendix E on pages 13 and 14. It is necessary for the applicant to complete only items 2 (left side), 5 - 9 (DOI/FWS), 11 - 16 (indicate b. NO/program not covered by E.O. 12372), 17 - 18. The prospective applicant can get an idea of the nature of projects funded through the Small Grants program by visiting the North American Waterfowl and Wetlands website at: http://www.fws.gov/r9nawwo. Keep in mind that NAWCA and matching funds may only be used for wetlands acquisition, creation, enhancement, and/ or restoration . . . 2 USFWS Small Grants proposals may be submitted at any time, but must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 3, 1999. Send proposals, in triplicate, to the following address: North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 North Fairfax Drive Suite 110 Arlington, VA 22203 Attn: Small Grants Coordinator It is essential that grant request packages be complete when they are received in the North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office, including all of the documentation of partners (partner letters) with funding pledge amounts. Information on funding in partner letters, i.e., amounts and description regarding use, needs to correspond with budget amounts in the budget table and in any figures provided in the narrative. The NAWWO will not be able to contact proposal sources to verify and/or request supplemental data and/or materials. Those proposals lacking required information or containing conflicting information will not be considered for funding. For more information, call (703)358-1784, facsimile (703)358-2282, or send email to R9ARW_NAWWO@FWS.GOV. The Small Grants instructions are also available as Wordperfect© files; if compatible with your system, please specify to the secretary the version that you would like to have sent. For assistance within your Joint Venture Administrative Area, which is geographically larger than a Joint Venture Area (See Appendix D), you may wish to contact the appropriate Joint Venture Coordinator, as follows: Again, as you prepare to submit your proposal, please keep in mind that upon arrival in the NAWWO your proposal package must be: • complete with regard to all of the information requested; • in the format requested; and • on time. 3 Atlantic Coast Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 300 Westgate Center Drive Hadley, MA 01035-9589 (413) 253-8269 Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2233 Watt Avenue, Suite 375 Sacramento, CA 95825-0509 (916) 979-2085 Gulf Coast Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P. O. Box 1306 Albuquerque, NM 87103 (505) 248-6876 Intermountain West Joint Venture U.S. Forest Service 145 East 1300 South, Suite 404 Lincoln Plaza Center Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (801) 524-5110 Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2524 South Frontage Road, Suite C Vicksburg, MS 39180-5269 (601) 629-6600 Pacific Coast Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 9317 NE Highway 99, Suite D Vancouver, WA 98665 (360) 696-7630 Playa Lakes Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P. O. Box 1306 Albuquerque, NM 87103 (505) 248-6877 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P. O. Box 25488 Denver, CO 80225 (303) 236-8145 Rainwater Basin Joint Venture Natural Resources Conservation Service 2550 North Diers Avenue, Suite L Grand Island, NE 68803-1214 (308) 382-8112 Upper Mississippi River-Great Lakes Region Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Building, Fort Snelling Twin Cities, MN 55111-4056 (612) 713-5433 William Vinje/USFWS Basic Application Requirements for Small Grants I. COVER PAGE The cover page should contain the following information in the sequence specified. • Project Title: • Amount of NAWCA funding requested: • Project Location (include State and County, Parish or Borough): • Grantee Organization: • Street: • City, State, Zip: • Project Officer: • Telephone Number: • Facsimile Number: • Electronic Mail Address (if available): • Date Submitted: II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION, SCOPE OF WORK AND PARTNER INFORMATION In 2 pages or less, provide short summaries containing the following information. A. Project Description and Scope of Work to include: • need for the project; • purpose, goals, and objectives; • work to be done and by whom; • who owns or will own and manage project lands; • duration of benefits, including length of any land or management contracts, easements or other agreements; • expected results and how they will be monitored; and • a timetable for accomplishment of major project activities during the grant period (maximum 2 years). In completing section A, address the overall purpose of the project, the number of wetland and wetland-associated upland habitat acres/hectares that will be affected and how they will be affected, and any other information necessary to convey an understanding of what the project involves and will accomplish. Address the overall purpose of the project, the number of wetland and wetland-associated upland habitat acres/hectares that will be affected and how they will be affected and other information necessary to convey an understanding of what the project involves and will accomplish. 4 USFWS Attach as a separate page at least one map (color preferred, but will accept black and white) of the area, with sufficient large-scale detail (e.g., 1 inch = 1 mile, or greater) to show clearly the scope of the project. A photograph is desirable but not necessary. B. Partner Information, to include: • name(s), affiliation, roles and contributions of each participating group; and • attach, as additional pages, letters confirming the commitment of eligible matching funds from each contributing partner (See Appendix B). III. PROJECT BUDGET Fill out the budget sheet completely (Appendix C), listing total cost by project activity (e.g., acquisition, restoration) and apportioning these costs between grant dollars and matching dollars (non-Federal funds) provided by the partners. Budget categories must be line items that specifically describe project costs, for example, “salaries,” “contractor services,” “equipment,” or “supplies.” In the “Category” column, if appropriate, provide the number of acres/hectares to be affected by the monies expended in each activity. IV. SMALL GRANTS EVALUATION QUESTIONS In 2 pages or less, provide brief narrative accounts of how this proposal addresses the following elements: A. Partnerships: Is a new partner or partnership concept involved? Is this project proposed by a new applicant who has not previously received a NAWCA grant? If applicable, how does this project encourage additional support (e.g., new partners; funding support; local or other governmental support) for migratory bird and wetlands conservation? Also list the partners and provide a summary of their contribution (dollar amount, in-kind, cash, etc.) to the project. B. Waterfowl: How will the completed project benefit waterfowl including those listed below? Focus the answer on those species the project is designed to substantially benefit. Consider the typical geographic range of the species or population; do not cite benefits for species that are casual or accidental in occurrence. Budget categories must be line items that specifically describe project costs. How will the completed project benefit waterfowl? 5 USFWS HIGHEST PRIORITY SPECIES/POPULATION: Pacific greater and Tule white-fronted geese; dusky, cackling and southern James Bay Canada geese; northern pintail; mottled and American black ducks; mallard; lesser and greater scaup; black, surf, and white-winged scoters; and eastern population of Barrow’s goldeneye. OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES/POPULATION: Wrangel Island snow goose, Atlantic/Pacific brant, wood duck, redhead, canvasback, ring-necked duck, common eider. C. Nongame and Other Migratory Birds: How will the completed project benefit nongame migratory birds, including those listed below? Focus on species that will benefit most from the project. HIGHEST PRIORITY SPECIES: Marsh/Grassland/Open-water Birds: red-faced cormorant, Heermann’s gull, Xantus’ murrelet, reddish egret, black rail, yellow rail, bristle-thighed curlew, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, snail kite, swallow-tailed kite, short-tailed hawk, short-eared owl, Baird sparrow, Henslow’s sparrow, saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow, Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow, seaside sparrow, bobolink Shorebirds: mountain plover, black oystercatcher, red knot, snowy plover, willet, marbled godwit, black turnstone, rock sandpiper, surfbird, stilt sandpiper, buff-breasted sandpiper, short-billed dowitcher, Franklin’s gull Wet Forest/Riparian/Mangrove Land Birds: long-billed thrasher, white-crowned pigeon, Nuttall’s woodpecker, Bell’s vireo, golden-winged warbler, Lucy’s warbler, Kentucky warbler, prothonotary warbler, cerulean warbler, Swainson’s warbler, black swift, Lewis’ woodpecker, wood thrush, painted bunting, Abert’s towhee, Audobon’s oriole, Lawrence’s goldfinch OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES: Marsh/Grassland/Open-water Birds: common loon, western grebe, Clark’s grebe, American bittern, least bittern, white ibis, Northern harrier, king rail, sandhill crane, black tern, sedge wren, LeConte’s sparrow, tricolored blackbird 6 USFWS Shorebirds: American golden plover, Wilson’s plover, piping plover, American avocet, upland sandpiper, whimbrel, sanderling, white-rumped sandpiper, Baird’s sandpiper, Wilson’s phalarope Wet Forest/Riparian/Mangrove Land Birds: Mississippi kite, common black-hawk, gray hawk, red-shouldered hawk, limpkin, black-billed cuckoo, yellow-billed cuckoo, mangrove cuckoo, broad-billed hummingbird, violet-crowned hummingbird, blue-throated hummingbird, elegant trogon, Gila woodpecker, Northern beardless tyrannulet, Acadian flycatcher, vermillion flycatcher, great crested flycatcher, veery, gray catbird, black-whiskered vireo, yellow-throated warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, Connecticut warbler, hooded warbler, summer tanager, black-headed grosbeak, hooded oriole D. Wetland Types: What wetland type(s) will benefit from the completed project? Refer to the list below. Provide the total project acres/hectares and the percent of the project made up of each wetland or associated upland type. Keep the explanation clear and numbers consistent; acre/hectare figures must “add-up.” Estuarine Intertidal Palustrine Emergent Estuarine Intertidal Emergent Palustrine Forested Estuarine Intertidal Forested/Shrub Palustrine Non-vegetated Estuarine Subtidal Palustrine Shrub Lacustrine Riverine Marine Intertidal Wetland-associated Uplands E. Endangered Species: Will the project benefit any endangered birds or other wildlife? Provide relevant information, i.e., only if the completed project contributes directly to a Federally listed threatened/endangered species recovery plan or provides critical habitat for Federal or State threatened or endangered species. Indirect, minor, or unknown benefits related to species which may use the project area need not be explained. F. Special Considerations: Are there any special considerations, outside of A-E above, which you feel should be factored into project evaluation, e.g., threats, historical record, opportunities, trends or outstanding resource values or benefits not represented elsewhere? Are there any special considerations, which you feel should be factored into project evaluation, e.g., threats, historic record, opportunities, trends or outstanding resource values or benefits not represented elsewhere? 7 USFWS APPENDIX A Eligibility Requirements for NAWCA Grant and Matching Funds Matching contributions may take the form of cash, goods, services, or land value and must: (1) at least equal the grant request; (2) be permanent, non-reimbursable, and dedicated to a project; and (3) be documented by a partner letter. Funds from the following sources must be documented and may be used to match NAWCA grants: (1) those spent or contributed to meet proposal objectives • no earlier than 2 years prior to the date the proposal is submitted and/or • during the 2-year grant agreement period; (2) those without a Federal origin (money from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Aid program are of Federal origin); (3) those that have not been successfully used to match other Federal grants, including grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and (4) those from The Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act. Costs incurred prior to grant execution which may be eligible as match include: (1) appraisal fees, acquisition negotiations, land acquisition legal costs; (2) boundary surveys; (3) engineering and project design; (4) required State and Federal compliance activities; (5) travel and transportation; (6) consulting fees; and (7) special studies. Grant and matching funds may be used to pay for or have as their source project expenses directly associated with land acquisition (fee-title, conservation easement, lease or donation), long-term wetland restoration, enhancement, or wetlands creation. Expenses must be: (1) necessary and reasonable for the proper administration of the project; (2) documented and verifiable from the grantee’s and subgrantees’ records; (3) representative of fair market value; (4) a special expense caused by the project; (5) the result of work done on-site(s) • within the same wetlands system (e.g., watershed or river basin), and/or • managed to meet the same wetland objectives, and/or • that are close to each other; and (6) salary and labor of employees hired to manage the project after the grant agreement is developed. Grant and matching funds may be used to pay for or have as their source project expenses directly associated with land acquisition (fee-title, conservation easement, lease or donation), long-term wetland restoration, enhancement, or wetlands creation. 8 Grant and matching funds may be used to pay for or have as their source the following project expenses: (1) equipment expenses that are prorated; (2) material and supply costs; (3) annual payments for conservation agreements of at least 10 years or for the maximum duration allowed by State law; (4) previous monitoring and/or evaluation of wetlands conservation activities if the results are critical to the design of a submitted proposal; and (5) initial management costs. Grant and matching funds may not be used for or have their source from: (1) routine expenses of the contributor; (2) project management salary costs prior to grant execution; (3) project planning and proposal development, including investigations to document the project's resource value; (4) conservation education materials or salaries; (5) fundraising; (6) law enforcement; (7) research; (8) boat ramps, parking lots, roads, and other public access work; (9) observation towers and blinds; (10) routine operations and maintenance salaries and costs; (11) building construction, repairs, and value of donated property; (12) equipment acquisition in lieu of a more cost-effective means; or (13) acquisition of vehicles. In addition, grant funds may not be matched for: (1) actions that put credits into wetlands mitigation banks; (2) Federal mitigation compliance under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act or the Water Resources Development Act, including mitigation required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act; (3) work completed prior to submission of the proposal. Projects completed are not eligible for retroactive funding; or (4) interest payments. For other eligibility questions, contact the Small Grants Coordinator. 9 USFWS APPENDIX B Sample Partner Letter November 1, 1999, Dear Council Coordinator: (Letter may be addressed to grant applicant.) We are committed to providing $100,000 (amounts of $75,000; $20,000; and $5,000 explained below) to match the grant request for the proposal titled "Duck Creek Restoration, Arizona." Contributions are eligible according to factors given in the Small Grants Instructions. Following are details pertaining to our contribution. The Sherman tract, consisting of ca. 30 ha, was acquired in fee-title on July 4, l999 for the fair market price of $75,000. This is the main source of water for the Duck Creek Restoration project. The source of funds was a dedicated land acquisition account. The property was donated to the Arizona Game and Fish Department on July 20, 1999. It is our plan to raise $20,000 to aid in the restoration of the Sherman tract. If funds are not raised, we will use existing funds from another account under our control. Five-thousand dollars ($5,000) was spent on the restoration and enhancement of two wetlands during April and July, 1999. (See Tracts B and C on enclosed map.) Fencing the dike and upland areas was necessary to keep cattle out, and seeding the dike and spoils areas was done to encourage natural vegetation for cover for duck production. The restored wetlands in our match are in the same watershed and adjacent to other tracts in the Duck Creek proposal. The value was determined as follows: 33 hours labor @ $15/hr. = $495 5 hours tractor @ $30/hr. = $150 5 rolls of fence @ $36/roll = $180 35 posts @ $5/post = $175 $1,000 per site X 5 sites = $5,000 The Harmony Watershed Project Plan, which other partners and I are committed to implementing, includes all of the tracts in our match. These tracts, plus others in the proposal, will be managed to meet the same wetlands conservation objective of increasing quantity and quality of waterfowl habitat. Sincerely, Chairman of the Board Friends of Harmony Watershed Enclosures 10 11 APPENDIX C Sample Project Budget Category NAWCA Grant Funds Partner #1 Partner #2 Expense per Category RESTORATION: Supplies $400 $600 $1,000 ACQUISITION: Appraisals $5,000 $5,000 ACQUISITION: 40 Hectares $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $45,000 TOTALS $25,400 $15,000 $10,600 $51,000 APPENDIX D NAWCA Administrative Units 12 * Atlantic Coast includes Caribbean area ** Pacific Coast includes Alaska & Hawaii Upper Mississippi/ Great Lakes Atlantic Coast* Gulf Coast Lower Mississippi Valley Intermountain West Pacific Coast** Rainwater Basin PlayaLakes Prairie Pothole Central Valley Notes: Principal conservation actions supported by NAWCA are acquisition, creation, enhancement and restoration of wetlands and wetlands-associated habitat. 17 July 1999 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office Suite 110 4401 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, Virginia 22203 First Class Mail Postage & Fees Paid U.S. Department of the Interior Permit G-77
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Title | North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants Instructions |
Contact | mailto:library@fws.gov |
Description | OLD NAWCA_Grantapp.pdf |
FWS Resource Links | http://library.fws.gov |
Subject | Document |
Publisher | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Date of Original | July 1999 |
Type | Text |
Format | |
Source | NCTC Conservation Library |
Rights | Public domain |
File Size | 892435 Bytes |
Original Format | Document |
Full Resolution File Size | 892435 Bytes |
Transcript | 1 North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants Instructions July 1999 INFORMATION COLLECTION STATEMENT: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501), please note the following information. This information collection is authorized by the North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989, as amended (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.). The information collection solicited is necessary to gain a benefit in the form of a grant, as determined by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission; is necessary to determine the eligibility and relative value of wetland projects; results in an approximate paperwork burden of 80 hours per application; and does not carry a premise of confidentiality. Your response is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. This information collection has been approved by OMB and assigned clearance number is 1018- 0100. The public is invited to submit comments on the accuracy of the estimated average burden hours for application preparation and to suggest ways in which the burden may be reduced. Comments may be submitted to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Mail Stop 224 ARLSQ, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, D.C. 20240 and/or Desk Officer for Interior Department (1018-0100), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503. Cover: Greater Snow Geese at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Staff Photo: NAWWO. North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants Instructions The purpose of the 1989 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), as amended, is to promote long-term conservation of North American wetland ecosystems, and the waterfowl and other migratory birds, fish and wildlife that depend upon such habitat. Principal conservation actions supported by NAWCA are acquisition, creation, enhancement and restoration of wetlands and wetlands-associated habitat. In 1996, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Council) initiated a pilot Small Grants program with an allocation of $250,000. The objective was to promote long-term wetlands conservation activities through encouraging participation by new grantees and partners who may not otherwise be able to compete in the Standard Grants program. The Council also believed that a Small Grants program could be important in developing a pool of new partners/grantees that might eventually participate in the Standard Grants program. The Small Grants program was made fully operational in 1998 with an allocation of $500,000. Over the first four years of the program, about 326 proposals requesting a total of approximately $10.1 million competed for funding. Ultimately, 55 projects were funded for a total of about $1.7 million. For 2000, with the approval of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, the Council has set aside a minimum of $500,000 for funding Small Grants. Up to $1.0 million in high quality proposals may be funded. To be considered for funding in 2000, proposals must have a grant request no greater than $50,000. Proposals requesting more than $50,000 are ineligible for Small Grants program funding consideration. All wetland conservation proposals which meet the requirements of the Act will be accepted. However, funding priority will be given to projects from new grant applicants (individuals or organizations who have never received a NAWCA grant) with new partners, where the project ensures long-term conservation benefits. This does not preclude former NAWCA grant recipients from receiving Small Grants funding; ultimately, project resource value is the critical factor in deciding which projects are funded by the Council. At this time, the Small Grants program is open only to projects proposed for the U.S.; it is not open to projects in Canada or Mexico. 1 USFWS In addition, proposals must represent on-the-ground projects, and any overhead in the grant budget may be no greater than 10 percent of the grant amount. The anticipated magnitude of wetlands and wildlife resources benefits that will result from project execution are important factors to be considered in proposal evaluation, as may be reflected in whether or not the Small Grants project is part of another or broader initiative, and there should be a reasonable balance between wetlands and wetland-associated uplands. Please keep in mind that NAWCA and matching funds may only be used for wetlands acquisition, creation, enhancement, and/or restoration; they may not be used for signage, displays or other educational materials, programs, or equipment, even though the goal of the project may ultimately be to support wetland conservation education curricula. Projects oriented toward education are not ordinarily eligible for NAWCA funding because education is not a primary purpose of the Act. However, useful project outcomes can include educational benefits resulting from conservation actions. Research also is not a primary purpose of the Act, and research proposals will not be considered for funding (See Appendix A). Even though requiring less information than those submitted for the Standard Grants program, Small Grant proposals still must be clearly explained and meet the basic purposes given above and the 1:1 or greater non-Federal matching requirements of the NAWCA. Small Grants projects must also be consistent with Council guidelines, objectives and policies. All non-Federal matching funds and proposed expenditures of grant funds must be consistent with Appendix A, “Eligibility Requirements for NAWCA Grant and Matching Funds.” Although one objective of Small Grants program administration is still to provide for brevity and a lessening of the applicant’s paper burden when compared to the Standard Grants program, successful applicants will be asked in some instances to provide greater detail on certain features of their projects. This results from NAWWO’s accountability and reporting needs, and the desirability of providing for short- and long-term assessment of the success of the program consistent with the Standard Grants program. Successful applicants with proposals including real property acquisitions usually are required to assign conservation easements covering properties acquired with Act (grant) funds and those properties used as match to the Fish and Wildlife Service, or a State resource conservation agency, or an established trust or conservancy, or otherwise provide a legal recordable document that provides protection in perpetuity to the partnerships’ investments. In the case of small enhancement projects on private lands, this investment protection may only entail guaranteeing the life of the project for a period not to exceed 25 years. All applicants are required to submit a completed Standard Form 424, Application For Federal Assistance; the form, with instructions, can be found in Appendix E on pages 13 and 14. It is necessary for the applicant to complete only items 2 (left side), 5 - 9 (DOI/FWS), 11 - 16 (indicate b. NO/program not covered by E.O. 12372), 17 - 18. The prospective applicant can get an idea of the nature of projects funded through the Small Grants program by visiting the North American Waterfowl and Wetlands website at: http://www.fws.gov/r9nawwo. Keep in mind that NAWCA and matching funds may only be used for wetlands acquisition, creation, enhancement, and/ or restoration . . . 2 USFWS Small Grants proposals may be submitted at any time, but must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 3, 1999. Send proposals, in triplicate, to the following address: North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 North Fairfax Drive Suite 110 Arlington, VA 22203 Attn: Small Grants Coordinator It is essential that grant request packages be complete when they are received in the North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office, including all of the documentation of partners (partner letters) with funding pledge amounts. Information on funding in partner letters, i.e., amounts and description regarding use, needs to correspond with budget amounts in the budget table and in any figures provided in the narrative. The NAWWO will not be able to contact proposal sources to verify and/or request supplemental data and/or materials. Those proposals lacking required information or containing conflicting information will not be considered for funding. For more information, call (703)358-1784, facsimile (703)358-2282, or send email to R9ARW_NAWWO@FWS.GOV. The Small Grants instructions are also available as Wordperfect© files; if compatible with your system, please specify to the secretary the version that you would like to have sent. For assistance within your Joint Venture Administrative Area, which is geographically larger than a Joint Venture Area (See Appendix D), you may wish to contact the appropriate Joint Venture Coordinator, as follows: Again, as you prepare to submit your proposal, please keep in mind that upon arrival in the NAWWO your proposal package must be: • complete with regard to all of the information requested; • in the format requested; and • on time. 3 Atlantic Coast Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 300 Westgate Center Drive Hadley, MA 01035-9589 (413) 253-8269 Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2233 Watt Avenue, Suite 375 Sacramento, CA 95825-0509 (916) 979-2085 Gulf Coast Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P. O. Box 1306 Albuquerque, NM 87103 (505) 248-6876 Intermountain West Joint Venture U.S. Forest Service 145 East 1300 South, Suite 404 Lincoln Plaza Center Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (801) 524-5110 Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2524 South Frontage Road, Suite C Vicksburg, MS 39180-5269 (601) 629-6600 Pacific Coast Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 9317 NE Highway 99, Suite D Vancouver, WA 98665 (360) 696-7630 Playa Lakes Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P. O. Box 1306 Albuquerque, NM 87103 (505) 248-6877 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P. O. Box 25488 Denver, CO 80225 (303) 236-8145 Rainwater Basin Joint Venture Natural Resources Conservation Service 2550 North Diers Avenue, Suite L Grand Island, NE 68803-1214 (308) 382-8112 Upper Mississippi River-Great Lakes Region Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Building, Fort Snelling Twin Cities, MN 55111-4056 (612) 713-5433 William Vinje/USFWS Basic Application Requirements for Small Grants I. COVER PAGE The cover page should contain the following information in the sequence specified. • Project Title: • Amount of NAWCA funding requested: • Project Location (include State and County, Parish or Borough): • Grantee Organization: • Street: • City, State, Zip: • Project Officer: • Telephone Number: • Facsimile Number: • Electronic Mail Address (if available): • Date Submitted: II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION, SCOPE OF WORK AND PARTNER INFORMATION In 2 pages or less, provide short summaries containing the following information. A. Project Description and Scope of Work to include: • need for the project; • purpose, goals, and objectives; • work to be done and by whom; • who owns or will own and manage project lands; • duration of benefits, including length of any land or management contracts, easements or other agreements; • expected results and how they will be monitored; and • a timetable for accomplishment of major project activities during the grant period (maximum 2 years). In completing section A, address the overall purpose of the project, the number of wetland and wetland-associated upland habitat acres/hectares that will be affected and how they will be affected, and any other information necessary to convey an understanding of what the project involves and will accomplish. Address the overall purpose of the project, the number of wetland and wetland-associated upland habitat acres/hectares that will be affected and how they will be affected and other information necessary to convey an understanding of what the project involves and will accomplish. 4 USFWS Attach as a separate page at least one map (color preferred, but will accept black and white) of the area, with sufficient large-scale detail (e.g., 1 inch = 1 mile, or greater) to show clearly the scope of the project. A photograph is desirable but not necessary. B. Partner Information, to include: • name(s), affiliation, roles and contributions of each participating group; and • attach, as additional pages, letters confirming the commitment of eligible matching funds from each contributing partner (See Appendix B). III. PROJECT BUDGET Fill out the budget sheet completely (Appendix C), listing total cost by project activity (e.g., acquisition, restoration) and apportioning these costs between grant dollars and matching dollars (non-Federal funds) provided by the partners. Budget categories must be line items that specifically describe project costs, for example, “salaries,” “contractor services,” “equipment,” or “supplies.” In the “Category” column, if appropriate, provide the number of acres/hectares to be affected by the monies expended in each activity. IV. SMALL GRANTS EVALUATION QUESTIONS In 2 pages or less, provide brief narrative accounts of how this proposal addresses the following elements: A. Partnerships: Is a new partner or partnership concept involved? Is this project proposed by a new applicant who has not previously received a NAWCA grant? If applicable, how does this project encourage additional support (e.g., new partners; funding support; local or other governmental support) for migratory bird and wetlands conservation? Also list the partners and provide a summary of their contribution (dollar amount, in-kind, cash, etc.) to the project. B. Waterfowl: How will the completed project benefit waterfowl including those listed below? Focus the answer on those species the project is designed to substantially benefit. Consider the typical geographic range of the species or population; do not cite benefits for species that are casual or accidental in occurrence. Budget categories must be line items that specifically describe project costs. How will the completed project benefit waterfowl? 5 USFWS HIGHEST PRIORITY SPECIES/POPULATION: Pacific greater and Tule white-fronted geese; dusky, cackling and southern James Bay Canada geese; northern pintail; mottled and American black ducks; mallard; lesser and greater scaup; black, surf, and white-winged scoters; and eastern population of Barrow’s goldeneye. OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES/POPULATION: Wrangel Island snow goose, Atlantic/Pacific brant, wood duck, redhead, canvasback, ring-necked duck, common eider. C. Nongame and Other Migratory Birds: How will the completed project benefit nongame migratory birds, including those listed below? Focus on species that will benefit most from the project. HIGHEST PRIORITY SPECIES: Marsh/Grassland/Open-water Birds: red-faced cormorant, Heermann’s gull, Xantus’ murrelet, reddish egret, black rail, yellow rail, bristle-thighed curlew, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, snail kite, swallow-tailed kite, short-tailed hawk, short-eared owl, Baird sparrow, Henslow’s sparrow, saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow, Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow, seaside sparrow, bobolink Shorebirds: mountain plover, black oystercatcher, red knot, snowy plover, willet, marbled godwit, black turnstone, rock sandpiper, surfbird, stilt sandpiper, buff-breasted sandpiper, short-billed dowitcher, Franklin’s gull Wet Forest/Riparian/Mangrove Land Birds: long-billed thrasher, white-crowned pigeon, Nuttall’s woodpecker, Bell’s vireo, golden-winged warbler, Lucy’s warbler, Kentucky warbler, prothonotary warbler, cerulean warbler, Swainson’s warbler, black swift, Lewis’ woodpecker, wood thrush, painted bunting, Abert’s towhee, Audobon’s oriole, Lawrence’s goldfinch OTHER PRIORITY SPECIES: Marsh/Grassland/Open-water Birds: common loon, western grebe, Clark’s grebe, American bittern, least bittern, white ibis, Northern harrier, king rail, sandhill crane, black tern, sedge wren, LeConte’s sparrow, tricolored blackbird 6 USFWS Shorebirds: American golden plover, Wilson’s plover, piping plover, American avocet, upland sandpiper, whimbrel, sanderling, white-rumped sandpiper, Baird’s sandpiper, Wilson’s phalarope Wet Forest/Riparian/Mangrove Land Birds: Mississippi kite, common black-hawk, gray hawk, red-shouldered hawk, limpkin, black-billed cuckoo, yellow-billed cuckoo, mangrove cuckoo, broad-billed hummingbird, violet-crowned hummingbird, blue-throated hummingbird, elegant trogon, Gila woodpecker, Northern beardless tyrannulet, Acadian flycatcher, vermillion flycatcher, great crested flycatcher, veery, gray catbird, black-whiskered vireo, yellow-throated warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, Connecticut warbler, hooded warbler, summer tanager, black-headed grosbeak, hooded oriole D. Wetland Types: What wetland type(s) will benefit from the completed project? Refer to the list below. Provide the total project acres/hectares and the percent of the project made up of each wetland or associated upland type. Keep the explanation clear and numbers consistent; acre/hectare figures must “add-up.” Estuarine Intertidal Palustrine Emergent Estuarine Intertidal Emergent Palustrine Forested Estuarine Intertidal Forested/Shrub Palustrine Non-vegetated Estuarine Subtidal Palustrine Shrub Lacustrine Riverine Marine Intertidal Wetland-associated Uplands E. Endangered Species: Will the project benefit any endangered birds or other wildlife? Provide relevant information, i.e., only if the completed project contributes directly to a Federally listed threatened/endangered species recovery plan or provides critical habitat for Federal or State threatened or endangered species. Indirect, minor, or unknown benefits related to species which may use the project area need not be explained. F. Special Considerations: Are there any special considerations, outside of A-E above, which you feel should be factored into project evaluation, e.g., threats, historical record, opportunities, trends or outstanding resource values or benefits not represented elsewhere? Are there any special considerations, which you feel should be factored into project evaluation, e.g., threats, historic record, opportunities, trends or outstanding resource values or benefits not represented elsewhere? 7 USFWS APPENDIX A Eligibility Requirements for NAWCA Grant and Matching Funds Matching contributions may take the form of cash, goods, services, or land value and must: (1) at least equal the grant request; (2) be permanent, non-reimbursable, and dedicated to a project; and (3) be documented by a partner letter. Funds from the following sources must be documented and may be used to match NAWCA grants: (1) those spent or contributed to meet proposal objectives • no earlier than 2 years prior to the date the proposal is submitted and/or • during the 2-year grant agreement period; (2) those without a Federal origin (money from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Aid program are of Federal origin); (3) those that have not been successfully used to match other Federal grants, including grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and (4) those from The Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act. Costs incurred prior to grant execution which may be eligible as match include: (1) appraisal fees, acquisition negotiations, land acquisition legal costs; (2) boundary surveys; (3) engineering and project design; (4) required State and Federal compliance activities; (5) travel and transportation; (6) consulting fees; and (7) special studies. Grant and matching funds may be used to pay for or have as their source project expenses directly associated with land acquisition (fee-title, conservation easement, lease or donation), long-term wetland restoration, enhancement, or wetlands creation. Expenses must be: (1) necessary and reasonable for the proper administration of the project; (2) documented and verifiable from the grantee’s and subgrantees’ records; (3) representative of fair market value; (4) a special expense caused by the project; (5) the result of work done on-site(s) • within the same wetlands system (e.g., watershed or river basin), and/or • managed to meet the same wetland objectives, and/or • that are close to each other; and (6) salary and labor of employees hired to manage the project after the grant agreement is developed. Grant and matching funds may be used to pay for or have as their source project expenses directly associated with land acquisition (fee-title, conservation easement, lease or donation), long-term wetland restoration, enhancement, or wetlands creation. 8 Grant and matching funds may be used to pay for or have as their source the following project expenses: (1) equipment expenses that are prorated; (2) material and supply costs; (3) annual payments for conservation agreements of at least 10 years or for the maximum duration allowed by State law; (4) previous monitoring and/or evaluation of wetlands conservation activities if the results are critical to the design of a submitted proposal; and (5) initial management costs. Grant and matching funds may not be used for or have their source from: (1) routine expenses of the contributor; (2) project management salary costs prior to grant execution; (3) project planning and proposal development, including investigations to document the project's resource value; (4) conservation education materials or salaries; (5) fundraising; (6) law enforcement; (7) research; (8) boat ramps, parking lots, roads, and other public access work; (9) observation towers and blinds; (10) routine operations and maintenance salaries and costs; (11) building construction, repairs, and value of donated property; (12) equipment acquisition in lieu of a more cost-effective means; or (13) acquisition of vehicles. In addition, grant funds may not be matched for: (1) actions that put credits into wetlands mitigation banks; (2) Federal mitigation compliance under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act or the Water Resources Development Act, including mitigation required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act; (3) work completed prior to submission of the proposal. Projects completed are not eligible for retroactive funding; or (4) interest payments. For other eligibility questions, contact the Small Grants Coordinator. 9 USFWS APPENDIX B Sample Partner Letter November 1, 1999, Dear Council Coordinator: (Letter may be addressed to grant applicant.) We are committed to providing $100,000 (amounts of $75,000; $20,000; and $5,000 explained below) to match the grant request for the proposal titled "Duck Creek Restoration, Arizona." Contributions are eligible according to factors given in the Small Grants Instructions. Following are details pertaining to our contribution. The Sherman tract, consisting of ca. 30 ha, was acquired in fee-title on July 4, l999 for the fair market price of $75,000. This is the main source of water for the Duck Creek Restoration project. The source of funds was a dedicated land acquisition account. The property was donated to the Arizona Game and Fish Department on July 20, 1999. It is our plan to raise $20,000 to aid in the restoration of the Sherman tract. If funds are not raised, we will use existing funds from another account under our control. Five-thousand dollars ($5,000) was spent on the restoration and enhancement of two wetlands during April and July, 1999. (See Tracts B and C on enclosed map.) Fencing the dike and upland areas was necessary to keep cattle out, and seeding the dike and spoils areas was done to encourage natural vegetation for cover for duck production. The restored wetlands in our match are in the same watershed and adjacent to other tracts in the Duck Creek proposal. The value was determined as follows: 33 hours labor @ $15/hr. = $495 5 hours tractor @ $30/hr. = $150 5 rolls of fence @ $36/roll = $180 35 posts @ $5/post = $175 $1,000 per site X 5 sites = $5,000 The Harmony Watershed Project Plan, which other partners and I are committed to implementing, includes all of the tracts in our match. These tracts, plus others in the proposal, will be managed to meet the same wetlands conservation objective of increasing quantity and quality of waterfowl habitat. Sincerely, Chairman of the Board Friends of Harmony Watershed Enclosures 10 11 APPENDIX C Sample Project Budget Category NAWCA Grant Funds Partner #1 Partner #2 Expense per Category RESTORATION: Supplies $400 $600 $1,000 ACQUISITION: Appraisals $5,000 $5,000 ACQUISITION: 40 Hectares $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $45,000 TOTALS $25,400 $15,000 $10,600 $51,000 APPENDIX D NAWCA Administrative Units 12 * Atlantic Coast includes Caribbean area ** Pacific Coast includes Alaska & Hawaii Upper Mississippi/ Great Lakes Atlantic Coast* Gulf Coast Lower Mississippi Valley Intermountain West Pacific Coast** Rainwater Basin PlayaLakes Prairie Pothole Central Valley Notes: Principal conservation actions supported by NAWCA are acquisition, creation, enhancement and restoration of wetlands and wetlands-associated habitat. 17 July 1999 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service North American Waterfowl and Wetlands Office Suite 110 4401 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, Virginia 22203 First Class Mail Postage & Fees Paid U.S. Department of the Interior Permit G-77 |
Original Filename | OLD NAWCA_Grantapp.pdf |
Date created | 2012-08-08 |
Date modified | 2013-03-06 |
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