Conservation Partners Legacy Grants Program

2. Conservation Partners Legacy Grants Program • Funded thru the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Constitutional Amendment • 2008 election • sales tax 3/8 of one percent. • 33% of receipts dedicated to the Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF). • Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSHOC) recommends projects to the legislature. • 2009 and 2010 MN Legislature approved the recommendation to fund this program.

3. Why was this program created? • Provide financial support for organizations to collaborate on projects at the local level. • Projects are intended to: enhance, restore, and protect forests, wetlands, prairies, and habitat for fish, game, or wildlife in Minnesota.

4. What’s different this year? • Public waters added to eligible sites • Match requirement has changed • Reimbursement payments only • Acquisition of lands in public domain • All parcels coming to DNR on priority list • All parcels coming to DNR include: • All IDP work and funding • $3,000 LAM fees • Revised application system

5. How much money is available?Is match is required? • Total of $4,216,560 for grants • $5,000 - $400,000 per request • Non-state match required • 10% for grant amounts requested under $100,000 • 15% for grant amounts requested over $100,000 • Up to 1/3 can be in-kind resources

6. Who can apply? • Local, regional, state and national non-profit organizations • Government entities • DNR is eligible but will not apply • DNR staff will work with partners to submit applications and complete projects on DNR land

7. What are the timelines? • Applications due September 16, 2010 at 5pm • If funds remain, applications for a second round will be due February 25, 2011. • Announce funded grants in mid-November. • Earliest possible start January, 2011 • Work must be completed by June 30, 2014.

8. Where can the work be done? Restoration and enhancement projects must be done on: • Lands under public ownership; • Lands under a permanent conservation easement (MN Statute 84C.01, Subd. 1); and • Public waters (MN Statute 103G.005, Subd. 15)

9. What about protection? • Acquisition • Fee title • Permanent conservation easement • Fee title: • Must be open to public hunting and fishing during open seasons unless otherwise provided by state law. • Easements: • Must include provisions for monitoring and enforcing conditions of the easement.

10. Acquisitions to be conveyed to DNR • Each parcel must be on DNR’s acquisition priority list • DNR Managers should know this but make sure • Must have $3,000 included in budget for LAM fees (can be grant funds) • Must include Initial Development Plan • Work to be completed must be specified • Specify funding for all work (can be grant $) • Part of Project Review and Approval Form. Work with the Land Manager. Applicant fills in this information on application system.

11. Who can hold conservation easements? MN Statute 84C.01, Subd. 2 "Holder" means: (i) a governmental body empowered to hold an interest in real property under the laws of this state or the United States; or (ii) a charitable corporation, charitable association, or charitable trust, the purposes or powers of which include retaining or protecting the natural, scenic, or open-space values of real property, assuring the availability of real property for agricultural, forest, recreational, or open-space use, protecting natural resources, maintaining or enhancing air or water quality, or preserving the historical, architectural, archaeological, or cultural aspects of real property.

12. Lands in Public Domain • Can not use OHF funds to acquire: • Land fully or partially owned by state or political subdivision of state. UNLESS • Purchase creates additional direct benefit to restore, enhance, protect habitat; and • Purchase is approved by at least 9 members of the council

13. How does that work for CPL grants? • If you want to purchase this type of land, you must get it approved as a CPL grant first • CPL staff will work with the Council to get their approval • Expect a delay in receiving your grant agreement until this project is fully approved

14. Definitions • Land Manager (LM): person responsible for the long-term management of the land that will be acquired or where work will be done. Every parcel of land has a Land Manager. • Provides oversight and input (technical assistance) for grant work • Does not do the work. • Complete the Project Review and Approval form (including a Natural Heritage Review) for the project site.  • Project (Grant) Manager (PM): person responsible for applying for and managing the grant. • Ensures work meets all grant program, legal, and other requirements. • Ensures work is completed in a timely manner and as proposed. • Is not the Land Manager - coordinates with the Land Manager. • Completes all reports according to deadlines.

15. Definitions • Initial Development Plan (IDP): lays out the cost, responsibility, and timing of initial work needed to bring new properties up to agency standards. • Required for DNR acquisition projects. • All costs are eligible as grant funds. • Includes both facility and habitat work • Match funds: all funds provided by grantee or a partner, as part of the required contributions of non-state origins. This includes in-kind resources that may not be actual cash (supplies, volunteer work, etc.) but have a cash value. • Grant Funds: the state funds awarded through this grant program.

16. Project Review and Approval Form • Gives agency approval for a project on land that the agency manages. • i.e., Forest Service completes for MDHA to work on Forest Service land. • Includes Natural Heritage Database review: • Captures records of any endangered, threatened or special concern species from within project site. • Gives applicant feedback on avoidance/ minimization techniques to complete project. • Includes IDP information for DNR acquisitions

17. Project Review and Approval Form, continued • Applicant must upload as a PDF with original signature from agency. • REQUIRED for all project sites. • If the work will be done on lands managed by more than one agencies, multiple forms are required. • Applications will be considered incomplete without all necessary forms attached.

18. Public waters and Project Review and Approval Forms • All public waters projects need Project Review and Approval Forms from: • DNR Area Hydrologist (Division of Waters) • DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor and/or • DNR Area Wildlife Manager • That means at least 2 forms • In addition, any agency approval (county, SWCD, USFWS- this depends on applicant) • Any application missing the required forms will be considered incomplete • Call if confused!!

19. What do applicants need to do? • Begin working ASAP with the Land Managers (DNR, USFWS, USFS, County, etc.) • Decide on project to be done • Discuss entire project with Land Manager(s) • Receive a completed, signed Project Review and Approval form • Original signature • PDF format • One from each Land Manager

20. Then what? • Apply online, entire application. • New this year: • Log-in and password • Save progress, return later • Map sites by Land Manager • Upload Project Review and Approval form • Upload all required financial/ easement documentation to system • Once submitted, no changes • Nothing accepted via email this year

21. Review and Selection Process • Has four steps • Expect to be completed by mid-November • Most application information is non-public until the grants have been negotiated with the grantee

22. Initial Review of Applications • Completed by CPL staff after deadline • Ensures you followed directions, and met program guidelines • Pull all ineligible applications from further review • Pull all incomplete applications from further review

23. Ineligible Applications • Less than $5,000 or more than $400,000 in grant funds requested. • Do not meet the requirements of MN Law Chapter 361, Article 1. • Apps that include: • Legally required mitigation, restoration, compliance to ESA, or court ordered activities. • Projects currently receiving direct appropriations or submitted during L-SOHC’s FY2012 Call for Requests. • Previously funded projects not in active status are eligible.

24. Incomplete Applications • One or all Project Review and Approval forms missing. • Incomplete or unsigned Project Review and Approval form. • Missing financial documentation (if required). • Missing easements or other info (if required) • Match amount doesn’t meet requirements.

25. Technical Review • Four committees based on habitat types • Forest, prairie, wetland/water, and fish, game and wildlife habitat • Comprised of DNR, USFWS, Universities/ Colleges, County, SWCD, BWSR and non-profit staff. • Will review each application and score using predetermined criteria • Rank and recommend projects to DNR Division Directors

26. Criteria and Scoring • All applications scored 0-9 on each criteria. • List of criteria in Program Manual (pg. 17) • Come from Legislative and DNR requirements • Cover variety of topics from urgency to species diversity • Also online; can link to species and landscape plans • Application system requires applicants to specifically address each criteria.

27. Division Directors Review • Comprised of DNR Division Directors • Fish and Wildlife, Forestry, Ecological Resources and Chief Financial Officer • Attempt to distribute funding evenly: • Between all habitat types • Above/ below $125,000 grant amount requested • Geographically around the state • Makes final funding recommendations to DNR Commissioner

28. Commissioner’s Approval • The Commissioner must approve all projects that are funded • Plan to announce funded grants in mid-November

29. How does an organization get paid? • Sign up for electronic payment • Makes it all quicker! • Reimbursement only • Must submit proof of vendor payment with request • Can do limited advances for acquisitions • State must pay within 30 days • Turnaround has usually been quicker

30. Final Payment • 5 percent holdback on final payments for all grants • Includes acquisitions • Will be paid in full if final accomplishment report submitted at time of request • All paperwork and project requirements must be met

31. County board approval • Required for designation of DNR land as: • WMA/ AMA • SNA • Must be obtained before acquisition is complete

32. Vegetation and seed requirements • All vegetation and seed used in all habitat types: • Must be of ecotypes native to Minnesota • Preferably of the local ecotype • Use high diversity of species originating from as close to the restoration site as possible. • Protect existing native prairies, grasslands, forests, wetlands and other aquatic systems from genetic contamination

33. Other tips • Read thru all the info on the CPL website, especially: • The Project Information page for project details • The FY2011 Grantee page for payment and documentation info • Read the RFP and Program Manual carefully • Start early – don’t wait til the last minute • Call with any questions

34. Website Information • www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/habitat/cpl

35. Online Application System • www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/habitat/cpl • How to Apply page • “Enter Application System”

36. Contact • Leslie Tannahill, Conservation Grants Coordinator • 507-206-2861 or 651-259-5242 • Jamie Gangaware, Conservation Grants Specialist • 651-259-5174 • LSCPLgrants.dnr@state.mn.us