Lake Sara Shoreline Bluff Stabilization

1. Lake Sara Shoreline Bluff Stabilization How a Small Volunteer Group Utilized 319 Grants Tom Ryan Lake Sara Forever Foundation

2. Volunteers How many here today? Lake Sara Erosion Control Committee

3. Lake Sara - Effingham, IL • 536 Acres • 7,700 Acre Watershed • Part of Upper Little Wabash Watershed • On Impaired Waters List • Governed by Effingham Water Authority • 3 Board Members, 1 Superintendent & 1 Full time employee • Approx. 450 Residences

4. Over 5 Miles of Unprotected Public Lake Bluffs

5. Bluffs Erode an Avg. 10”/Year (since 1957!)

6. High Waters of 2009/2010 Cut Some Bluffs 4-6 feet

7. June 2007 EWA Board asks for volunteers to participate on an Erosion Control Committee

8. Benchmarked BMP’s Transitional Wetland Breakwater Process Original slope when reservoir is filled Eroded slope -Slumped overhang -Sediment accretion -Vegetation establishment Breakwater installed Courtesy Southern Illinois University

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10. Barge Laying Riprap

11. Community Building Area Pilot/Demonstration Site • Funded by simpler SWCD & PLWIP Grants • Proved Construction & Procurement Processes • Garnered Community Support ($1/4 mill. Foundation Cash & Pledges) • Exhibited Competency to Handle Bigger Projects

12. Grants Awarded • SWCD SP2000 Grant $10,000 • Priority Lakes Watershed $40,000 Improvement Program • Lumpkin Foundation $25,000 • 319 Grants (2) $274,000 • Lake Sara Forever Foundation $250,000 Cash & Future Pledges

13. 2010 State PLWIP Grant Timing?

14. Lake Sara Forever Foundation Resident Program Old Rotted Wooden Seawall Before

15. Resident Program Fabric & Riprap Repair After

16. Resident Program An Additional Source of Funds • Foundation Sponsors Barges being Contracted with Residents to Restore Old Seawalls or Protect Bare Private Shorelines • “Bonus” TMDL Load Reductions • Residents Contribute $10/ft to Foundation • Working with IEPA to Count this Program as “In-Kind” Matching Funds (2009 - $170,000)

18. Since Erosion Control Committee Creation during June, 2007: • 3,900 ft. of Transitional Wetland Breakwaters Constructed • $306,000 Construction Expenditures • Less than $1,000 spent on admin, research, design, & project management (zero grant dollars)

19. Services Erosion Control Committee Now Offers • Grant writing & reporting • Project design, surveying & engineering • Army Corp & EPA Permit Processing • Vender review & bid package preparation • Construction oversight • Cash flow management support • State & Federal reimbursement voucher submission • All at NO COST to Municipality

20. 2 4 6 Team Formation Govt. Agencies Cost Estimate 1 3 5 Research & Benchmark Project Selection 7 Local Govt. Support Community Ed. & Support 17 Erosion Improvement Goal 8 Select Next Project Grants Search 16 9 14 11 Lessons Learned Grant Applications Reports & Publicity Vendor Selection 15 10 13 12 Results Monitoring Fund Raising Cash Flow Mgt. Project Implementation

21. Pursuing the Elusive 319 Grant He didn’t follow the nine steps!

22. You Have to Prep Before Applying for a Grant LAKE SARA EPA

23. Research & Benchmarking • Don’t let assumptions get in the way of facts • Google lots…for our favorites links check out www.lakesaraforever.org • IEPA 319 website has great links to important information • Contact agencies, universities, vendors • Visit other lake management teams • Cull out “Best Practices”, key contacts and pitfalls to avoid

24. Local Government Support • No buy-in = Nowhere • Be a support..Not a pain • Let the politicians get the good publicity • Stretch, but don’t break their capabilities • Give them “finished staff work” • If all they have to do is sign on the bottom line they’ll love your group

25. How to Contact Sources • Don’t be afraid to “cold call” • Even if someone can’t help get a referral to someone who can • Meet people face-to-face (eyeballs are important) • If you only phone or e-mail, you’re just a bunch of electrons, not a human being

26. Government Agency Assistance Good first contacts: • Local SWCD or NCRS Office • Regional IEPA Technical Support Specialist • Army Corps of Engineers (permits) • Meet face-to-face…give lake tours

27. Don’t WorryIf You’ve Written a Term Paper, You Can Write A Grant Application

28. Meet with the IEPA • Meet people face-to-face (eye balls again) • Present a business case to demonstrate, need, capability, & community support • Sell, but listen for advice • Determine how your project can support the agency’s (or individuals) objectives • Get the key people on the water, give tours

29. Teri & Amy Prepare to Flee the Meeting! Sell Your Project & Your Team

30. Endorsements Show Community Support Post Oaks RC&D Summit Township Board Upper Little Wabash Ecosystem Partnership Lake Sara forever Foundation SWCD Lake Sara Watershed Steering Committee The Marina @ Lake Sara Lake Sara Marina Good Neighbors of Lake Sara Boat Dockers Marina

31. The New Web Based Application is Great! • The Application is Much Easier to Enter Information • Instructions are Clearer and More Complete • The Linked Reference Information will Save You Many Hours • Hint: Use “Find” Option to Quickly Locate Your Lake, or Watershed in Large PFD Documents

32. The Application Process • Follow the new 319 websites instructions • Provide compelling pictures • Stress use of “Best Management Practices” • Show that project is integral to SWCD Watershed Plan & IEPA Watershed Action Plans

33. The Application Process • Have convincing plan to cover match $$’s • Double check that every issue mentioned by the Agency or application instructions is clearly addressed • If not certain how to answer question…ASK • (EPA provides great support)

34. Once You’re Done • Don’t Miss August 1 Due Date • You’ll Be Notified in the Spring • But Don’t Worry Your Application Will Get Thorough Review Over the Winter….

35. 319 Processing Department IEPA - Springfield Arch of the Covenant Your Application on way to Review