DIVISION OF CONSERVATION SERVICES FY11 LAND and PARC How-to Workshop DCS GRANT PROGRAMS | | Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) (formerly the Self-Help Program) – acquire conservation land Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) (formerly the Urban Self-Help Program) – acquire recreation land and/or develop public outdoor recreation facilities SECRETARY BOWLES’ LETTER | Grant announcement is in anticipation of funding | Priorities for the FY11 Grant Round: y Conservation Projects (LAND): | Protection of sensitive biodiversity & water resources | Landscape conservation | Working lands y Recreation Projects (PARC): | New park development, especially on parkland recovered from brownfield site clean-up | Projects that serve to stabilize neighborhoods or are part of urban center revitalization | Projects that provide for park equity COMMON THREADS BETWEEN LAND AND PARC Grant deadline July 15, 2010 at 3:00 pm | Applicants must have current Open Space and Recreation Plan on file with DCS by grant deadline | Applicants with outstanding conversion issues are ineligible | Maximum grant award of $500,000 | Reimbursement rate between 52 and 70% | COMMON THREADS BETWEEN LAND AND PARC Download an application package – fillable pdf available at www.mass.gov/eea/dcs-grants | Do not purchase land without signed contract | Do not begin construction without signed contract | ELIGIBLE PROJECT COSTS | For acquisition projects: y | Reimbursement is based on purchase price or approved appraised value, whichever is less For renovation/development projects: Engineering y Design y Construction y Construction supervision y We cannot reimburse for donations or in-kind services | Must have 100% municipal funding | May use some federal monies, such as CDBG, as local portion of total grant costs | SELECTION PROCESS FOR DCS GRANTS All projects are visited by DCS staff, then rated and ranked (rating system is included in the application package) | Recommendations are approved by the Secretary | Recommendations are approved by the Governor | Anticipated grant award announcement date is November 2010 (this is an estimate) | Project completion date will be June 1, 2011 for acquisition projects, June 1, 2012 for construction projects | RATING SYSTEM Two rating systems – one for LAND, one for PARC | Each contain demographic information | Federal census data y Environmental Justice y | Do not attempt to develop these scores – we do it on our end FY11 COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL SCORE Designed to measure municipality’s efforts toward advancing sustainable development goals | Score contributes 30% to overall score on DCS project rating systems | Application due by August 15 | Contact [email protected] or (617) 626-4949 with questions | MUNICIPAL VOTES All projects must have a town meeting or city council vote | The vote will: | Authorize grant application y Approve appropriation of 100% of the total project cost y Dedicate the land to recreation or conservation purposes y Sample vote language is in application package | Send all draft vote language to Celia or Melissa for approval | Vote can occur after application deadline | POST-COMPLETION RESPONSIBILITIES All sites that receive LAND or PARC funding are protected by Article 97, which means the land must remain as conservation or recreation land in perpetuity | Site must be open to all – this includes both nonresidents and the handicapped | Fair fee policy | Sign requirements | OTHER THINGS TO REMEMBER Please use binder clips to fasten applications together – no binders, folders, plastic sleeves, etc. | We require one original and two copies – make it clear which are the copies | Double-sided copies please | Clearly mark all attachments and use the application form as an attachment checklist | Maintain the format of the application form – this isn’t the time to use your favorite font | Focus on the big picture – if one thing is filled in incorrectly, the application will (most likely) still be eligible | PARC PROJECTS Purchase parkland | Develop new public outdoor recreation facilities | Renovate existing municipal public parks | Land must be dedicated to public park purposes and under custody of Park or Recreation Commission or Park Department | PARC GRANTS All cities regardless of size or towns larger than 35,000 residents are eligible for maximum $500,000 grant award | Towns less than 35,000 in population proposing a project with access to public transportation or 100 car parking lot are also eligible for maximum $500,000 grant award | All other town projects are eligible for maximum $50,000 grant award (this is referred to as a “small town” grant) | PARC PROJECTS APPLICATION TIPS Complete answers to all questions | Appraisal(s) are a must for acquisition projects | Preliminary design must be firm enough to generate a solid cost estimate | Make sure to break budget details into design and construction costs (two distinct FYs) | PARC PROJECTS APPLICATION TIPS | Write your project description to answer the following: y y y y y y y y y y Is this park in an EJ neighborhood? Is there public transportation available? Is there a lack of parks in this area of the community? Is this a new park? Is this a brownfields site? Is this an environmental restoration project? Is there water-based recreation offered? Did my community complete enhanced outreach? Will there be environmental education on site? Is this project a partnership with a non-profit? LAND GRANT | Land acquisition: Fee simple Conservation Restriction Under custody of Conservation Commission | For conservation & passive recreation | Cooperate! | y Many towns work closely with non-profits LAND GRANT | Appraisal y | Maps y | | Natural resources and landscape context Budget y | TWO appraisals if the first is >$750,000 Eligible expenditures: Acquisition Title search Recording fees Survey Project narrative Natural Heritage & Historical Commission review MOST COMPETITIVE PROJECTS o Ecological resources Water Habitat & biodiversity o Landscape level protection links to existing protected open space really big wildlife corridors o Public drinking water supply land Open Space & Recreation Plan (OSRP) goals Public recreation Working lands o “Undevelopment” o o o (yes!) NEW FOR 2011 !!! Conservation Appraisals for Small Communities grant population under 5,000 people Up to $5,000 per appraisal Non-competitive, rolling funding Separate application – need a contract before getting the appraisal! (last day: June 11) Must apply to LAND CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Melissa for PARC questions at (617) 6261171 or [email protected] Contact Celia for LAND questions at (617) 6261187 or [email protected] Visit DCS online at www.mass.gov/eea/dcs-grants Remember – open question period ends on June 30, 2010, so get your questions answered before then