Instructins Imprtant Dates Applicatin Deadline: May 15, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Grant Awards Annunced: July 15, 2013 Prject Cmpletin: December 31, 2014 CONTACT: Lancaster Cunty Cnservancy Fritz Schreder PO Bx 716 Lancaster, PA 17608-0716 Tel.: 717.392.7891 x 207 FSchreder@lancastercnservancy.rg www.lancastercnservancy.rg Purpse Mini-Grants fr the Susquehanna Riverlands Cnservatin Landscape Initiative (CLI) are intended t stimulate n the grund prjects that align with the gals f the CLI. The CLI is a place-based strategy fr natural resurces stewardship and advcacy in key landscapes acrss ur state where there are strng natural assets and lcal readiness and supprt fr land cnservatin, lcally driven planning, and cmmunity ecnmic revitalizatin effrts. Mini-Grant prjects shuld wrk t sustain the Susquehanna Riverlands sense f place whether it is thrugh prtectin, prmtin, r building n ur regin s assets. These assets include: eclgy / natural resurces, heritage / cultural resurces, and recreatin. Prjects that have the greatest benefit t multiple assets and have strng partner cllabratin will be funded. Eligibility Wh Is Eligible? Nn-prfit rganizatins with a tax-exempt status 501(c) (3), municipalities, cunties, and educatinal institutins are all eligible fr the Mini-Grant. Nn prfits must prvide prf f nn-prfit status. What Kind f Prject Is Eligible? All prjects must be within Lancaster and/r Yrk municipalities highlighted n the map belw and have significant ties t the assets f the Susquehanna Riverlands, t the cmmunities tied t these assets, and t the wrking lands surrunding it. The grant request shuld nt exceed $25,000 with a minimum f $2,500 and must be matched by the applicant with cash and/r eligible nn-cash (in-kind) services at a rati f 1:1. Ranking f Prpsals Prjects will be ranked n the fllwing criteria, by a cmmittee cmpsed f active Susquehanna Riverlands CLI partners. The cmmittee reserves the right t request additinal prpsal infrmatin if they feel such infrmatin is crucial t the ranking prcess. Prjects are ranked ut f 100; the ranking details are as fllws:
Criteria A: Sufficient Prject Scpe 20 pints.part ne f the prject descriptin must have sufficient detail explaining the scpe, deliverables, budget, timeline, and descriptin f matching funds. Criteria B: Partner and Reginal Cllabratin 20 pints.partner cllabratin is strngly encuraged! Higher pints will be given t thse with mre partners invlved. Mre pints will als be given if the partners r cntributrs cme frm different areas f the regin. Letter f supprt and statement f cash r in-kind match is required. Please ONLY list partners that are matching in-kind r with cash. Criteria C: Satisfies Gals and Objectives f the Susquehanna Riverlands CLI and Municipal and Reginal Planning 20 pints.the prject satisfies the gals, bjectives and strategies identified by the Susquehanna Riverlands CLI wrk plan and Municipal and Reginal Planning. Criteria D: Measurable Success 20 pints.cmpletin f the prject has a measurable utcme r will create measurable pprtunity nce cmpleted. Measurements f success shuld have quantifiable utcmes that can be reviewed t determine success in the shrt and lng term. Criteria E: Match Is Secured 20 pints.prjects will have highest ranking when matched funding is immediately available. Prjects with undetermined r unlikely funding will rank lwer. Fr guidelines n hw t match this grant, refer t the Department f Cnservatin and Natural Resurces C2P2 prgram guidelines. These guidelines can be viewed under Grant Prgram Requirements & Guidelines thrugh this link: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/grants/c2p2prgramguidance/index.htm Required Fr Applicatin T Be Scred: Acknwledgement f Terms and Cnditins Please type yur name at the end f the applicatin that certifies that yu have read the sample grant agreements terms and cnditins. We want yu t knw up frnt what kind f terms and cnditins yur rganizatin will be agreeing t if yu are awarded and an agreement is signed. These terms and cnditins are required and cme frm the PA Department f Cnservatin and Natural Resurces (as the riginal surce f funding). Required Fr Applicatin T Be Scred (if yu are an applying nn-prfit rganizatin): Prf f Nn-prfit status Please include as a PDF attachment in final submissin yur tax exempt status frm (501 C3 w/irs and registratin with the PA Department f State Bureau f Charitable Organizatins).
Applicatin Submittal Infrmatin: Please send all applicatins electrnically t Fritz Schreder f the Lancaster Cunty Cnservancy at fschreder@lancastercnservancy.rg. Please take the time t talk with Fritz Schreder befre the grant deadline. Talking with ther partners and rganizatins t get a cnsensus is strngly encuraged.
Frequently Asked Questins: Purpse Mini-Grants fr the Susquehanna Riverlands regin are intended t stimulate n the grund prjects that align with the gals f the CLI. These prjects shuld wrk t sustain the Susquehanna Riverlands sense f place whether it is thrugh prtectin, prmtin, r building n ur regin s assets. These assets include eclgy / natural resurces, heritage / cultural resurces, and recreatin. Prjects that have the greatest benefit and verlap between partner interests will be funded. The fllwing is a quick verview f frequently asked questins abut the Mini-Grants: Wh can apply? Municipalities, municipal agency, a pre-qualified land trust and authrized rganizatins are all eligible applicants. Authrized rganizatins must be bth tax-exempt under Sectin 501(c) (3) f the Internal Revenue Cde and registered with the PA Dept. f State, Bureau f Charitable Organizatins. When is the deadline fr the applicatin? May 15, 2013 at 5 PM. What are the grant request limits? There is a grant request limit f $25,000 and a minimum f $2,500. What kinds f prjects are eligible? All prjects must be within the utlined areas as shwn n the abve map in Lancaster and Yrk Cunties and have significant ties t the assets f the Susquehanna Riverlands, t the cmmunities tied t these assets, and t the lands surrunding it. Applicants must submit in the applicatin a list f all participating partners wh wuld benefit r participate in the prject. Hw will yu decide what applicants t award? A diverse cmmittee made up f several partnering rganizatins and interests will rank the applicatins based n the fllwing criteria: Has Sufficient Prject Scpe Prmtes Partner Cllabratin Satisfies the CLI s Gals and Objectives Overlaps Many Categries f Interest Has Measurable Success Match Is Secured
Wh decides what applicatins are awarded? The Selectin Cmmittee fr the CLI will decide wh will be awarded the grants based n the criteria. Shuld I cntact the Susquehanna Riverlands leads t let them knw I might be interested? Yes! Yu can cntact Fritz Schreder with the Lancaster Cunty Cnservancy fschreder@lancastercnservancy.rg. Des this grant prgram require a match? Yes. A 1:1 match is required. When d we have t have the cash match available? Yur cash match shuld be available when yu list this match n yur grant applicatin. Yur grant applicatin Must include a supprt letter frm the partner rganizatin(s) that ntes the agreed upn dnatin amunt. Can a nn-cash match be used? Yes. Nn-cash match can include dnated materials, prfessinal time, vlunteer time, dnated land value, and services cnducted in-huse fr which the grantee rganizatin des nt receive cmpensatin. Only dnated land value will be accepted as nn-cash match fr acquisitin prjects. Can I match the Mini-grant t anther DCNR grant? N, because the Mini-grant is a DCNR funding surce yu cannt match DCNR funds t DCNR funds. If awarded a grant, hw much mney wuld we get up frnt? Terms can vary, but generally yu wuld get 50% f the amunt up frnt and the ther 50% when the prject is clsed ut. What are the terms and cnditins f the grant agreement if I am awarded a grant? Mini-Grant funds riginally cme frm the Pennsylvania Department f Cnservatin and Natural Resurces as part f DCNR s Envirnmental Stewardship Fund Prgram. The Lancaster Cunty Cnservancy is the grant administratr but will require any recipient t cmply with the standard Pennsylvania Department f Cnservatin and Natural Resurces (DCNR) terms and cnditins. T view an example f a past agreement, cntact Fritz Schreder f the Lancaster Cunty Cnservancy at fschreder@lancastercnservancy.rg.
Susquehanna Riverlands Mini-Grant Prgram Timeline and Checklist Nte: Items in red are t be cmpleted by the applicant and items in gray are t be cmpleted by Susquehanna Riverlands Mini-Grant Cmmittee r Lancaster Cunty Cnservancy (LCC). May 15, 2013 Applicants submit grant applicatin by 5:00pm n May 15 th 2013 July 15, 2013 Mini-grant selectin cmmittee reviews applicatin and determines initial prject rankings Mini-grant selectin cmmittee may fllw up with grantee t clarify items n applicatin Final awards are determined Award letters r letters f nn-award sent ut t all applicants September 2013 First-time grantees must fill ut a new vendr frm prvided by LCC t be returned t LCC prmptly. LCC drafts Grant Agreements based n applicatins LCC meets with grantees via phne t review agreement, explain terms and cnditins, and discuss any further cncerns LCC finalizes grant agreements and sends t grantee bth in hardcpy and via email Agreement signature page must be sent and received by LCC t begin prject
Octber 2013 Grantee likely begins implementatin f prject Grantee sends LCC first invice nce agreement is signed Grantee must issue a press release abut prject and cpy the LCC n said press release Grantee must have a kick-ff stakehlders meeting and with an LCC representative in attendance Octber 2013 thrugh Duratin f Grant In the case that the grantee requested three payments, a secnd invice will be sent at a determined phase Grantee must send peridic updates t LCC Any materials that require citatin language must be apprved by LCC befre prductin Grantee maintains recrds n all invices and time spent n prject, including partner s match Prject Clse-ut (Must be befre December 31 st, 2014) Grantee must crdinate a press release r event with prject cmpletin Grantee must fill ut prject clseut frm which includes detailed reprting n: Direct prject expenses and time invices Prject Accmplishments Reprt