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Grants Outlook 2002 By Ron Hallberg/ CPRP The combination of election year restrictions self-imposed by the Illinois General Assembly and the weakened Illinois economy suggest that few, if any, new state funded grant initiatives will be proposed during 2002. Any proposed will face a difficult financial environment. Most current state grant programs were approved in non-election years: the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program in 1985, the Illinois Bike Path program in 1989, the Off Highway Vehicle Trails program in 1997, and the Open Land Trust in 1999. The same pattern has been true for program enhancements. For example, the OSLAD program was provided dedicated funding in 1991 and the Snowmobile Trail Establishment Fund program will get a funding boost from legislation passed in 2001. However, existing programs have been strongly supported by Governor Ryan and members of the General Assembly and, as of the date of this writing, one can reasonably predict continuation of most, if not all, at their current funding levels. Fortunately, few rely directly on the state's General Revenue Fund, which has been the focus of much recent concern. At the federal level, support and funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) programs have been growing steadily in recent years but events of September 11 and the nation's economy may severely affect these efforts, at least for the next year or two. continued on page 34 WINTER 2002 SUPPLEMENT January/February 2002 | 33 Grants Outlook 2002
Recent funding
Smaller trail grant programs managed by the IDNR outdoor recreation grants staff generally have funded more than 50 percent of the requests received. Boat Access Program One Illinois outdoor recreation program that needs an infusion of new funding is the state's Boat Access Area Development grant program. This program assists local governments with land acquisition for water access and with the development of boat ramps, boat docks, parking and related boating and canoeing facilities on the state's many rivers and lakes. It has modest $200,000 grant limits for motorized grant projects and $50,000 for non-motorized boat and canoe projects. The total available has been reduced from one million dollars as recently as 1999 to the current $725,000. This is compared to the current year's demand of $2.4 million. IDNR's Conservation Congress has recommended a change of funding source from the Department's share of the overstretched Illinois Motor Fuel Tax to state bond funds. Funding Anticipated in 2002 OSLAD is expected to provide at least $21.5 million again in the next fiscal year. And, if the current level of federal Land and Water Conservation Fund monies are provided by Congress, the Department would expect to fund more than 50 percent of requests. A Bike Path grant appropriation in the range of $3.1 million is expected and Open Land Trust grant funds of at least $10 million are likely. Possible New Directions For future consideration, there are local park and recreation needs not provided for in Illinois but available in other states. In Texas, for example, the state Parks and Wildlife Department has a program that assists with local indoor recreation facility development. It is funded by a percentage of the Texas sales tax. A program in Arkansas provides funding for poor communities at a higher than 50 percent level provided by most local government programs in Illinois. The Arkansas program offers 100 percent funding for a modest package of outdoor recreation facilities on land owned by economically distressed communities. The communities choose from a limited menu (one sports field, one piece of play equipment, one passive element) and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism does the rest: designing, bidding and project supervision. Good News Each year grants staff see better projects in Illinois. From acquisition of important natural areas to the development of popular sports complexes, bike trails and skating facilities, local governments provide better planned, better executed and better supported outdoor recreation projects every year. This is a tribute to the elected boards, professionals and volunteers who work the many hours necessary to design, fund and bring to completion facilities that are cost-effective, attractive and meet the needs and desires of their constituents. It is also a reflection of the continuing education programs provided and attended by people interested in providing high quality recreation and open space enhancements in Illinois. Of course, the downside to this from the local sponsor's perspective is that the level of competition for limited funds becomes more challenging each grant cycle. From a national perspective, Illinois continues to be a leader in providing financial assistance to local government agencies, both in the variety of grant programs provided and the amounts of funds for each program. This is a testament to the effective work of organizations such as the Illinois Association of Park Districts, the Illinois Park and Recreation Association, and the many individuals who work closely with their state officials to effectively demonstrate needs. There are still areas important to the parks and recreation field that are not state or federally supported, but these too can be addressed in the future if given the same support as shown for the OSLAD, Bike Path and Open Land Trust grant programs.
Ron Hallberg, CPRP WINTER 2002 SUPPLEMENT 34 | Illinois Parks and Recreations Grants Outlook 2002 Grant Application Quandaries The grants staff of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) continue to receive grant applications presented in what may be called the "Hail Mary" approach to grant writing. In such cases, a grant writer (both local agency staff and grant consultants have been guilty) prepares an application in a vacuum, ships it to Springfield (or wherever) and hopes for the best. There is no effort to contact the appropriate grants staff to get program updates, scoring insights or, in some cases, to even determine if a proposal is eligible. No trip is made to Springfield to have a face-to-face meeting and get more in-depth program background or to even call to discuss basic application procedures. Another concern involves grant applications that were developed with the philosophy "we know more than our constituents do." The applicant's staff or board proposes a project without any citizen input or planning. The application otherwise may be technically excellent, yet it is challenged due to the unknown level of local public support. This can be compounded by outdated comprehensive plans or plans that are in direct contradiction to the project being proposed. A classic example came from an Illinois community that applied for a land acquisition grant, but the master plan identified that "no more land is needed." This became extremely embarrassing to the local officials when a local anti-tax group testified against the project at the Department's OSLAD public hearing and based its objection on the sponsor's own master plan. Note that the Department considers comprehensive plans up to five years old current. A Guide To Community Park and Recreation Planning, recently updated for the IDNR by the Illinois Association of Park Districts, is available free from the Department at 217.782.7481 or grants@dnrmail.state.il.us. A particularly troublesome problem occurs when a grant applicant does not yet hold tide to land for which development funding is requested. A number of "we'll get the tide any day now" projects have dragged on for months. IDNR staff now conclude it is necessary to take a firm stand. Consequently, a development project application that does not show proof of title to the land will be returned as not eligible for grant assistance. Holding money indefinitely for some projects when others, ready to start, have been denied funding is not the best use of the limited resources available. A parallel problem can be found in land acquisition grant requests. Grant sponsors are required to obtain from a tide insurance company what is known as a "Commitment for Tide Insurance" on behalf of the grant applicant. These are agreements from tide companies that they will insure the property title at a later date. It requires the tide company to research the property's title to ensure that marketable tide exists. There is a nominal fee required for such commitments. Without these documents, an application for land acquisition assistance will also be returned as ineligible for grant assistance. Top 12 FAQs Q: Our agency would like a grant to purchase land that is currently farmed. We would like to continue the farm lease for a few years until we have the funds to develop the site. Is this allowable? A: No. If a lease exists at the time your agency closes on the property, it must be canceled by the end of that calendar year. Q: For development projects, what do we do if all the bids come in higher than budgeted? A: There are a couple of options: 1) Rebid the whole project and hope for lower bids, or 2) Reduce or revise parts of your project without eliminating a complete element. For example, change an asphalt pathway to limestone screening or reduce the size of a playground. Adding or deleting bid alternates can prevent this problem. Q: Can a park district use an existing member initiative grant as a match for the IDNR's competitive grant programs? A: Yes, if the member initiative grant is awarded for the same general purpose as the competitive grant. However, the local sponsor must follow all grant program guidelines for both programs such as obtaining environmental sign-offs and no construction may be initiated until the sponsor is notified of the competitive grant award. Q: Can we concurrently submit both land acquisition and development grant applications for the same site? A: Not if the acquisition and development proposals include the same parcel of land. (There is an exception to this rule in cases where the land is being donated). Q: When will we be notified of a decision on our Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) application? continued on page 38 WINTER 2002 SUPPLEMENT January/February 2002 | 35 Grants Outlook 2002 A: Generally, OSLAD and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) announcements are made by mid-January each year. Q: In implementing an approved project, what if some estimated costs are much higher than expected and other costs are lower than expected? A: The Department requires that all recreational components that were part of the approved project be completed and the Department's grant amount cannot be increased. However, variations from original line item costs can be acceptable. Q: Do we have to hire a grant consultant in order to successfully complete and submit a grant application? A: No. However, grant reviewers do expect neat, accurate and complete applications. If you have never submitted a DNR grant application, assistance from either the relevant grant office or a consultant will be helpful. Q: How soon can we begin our project after being notified of the award? A: Project implementation may begin after specific requirements of the DNR have been met, including: 1. The grantee must have received an executed (signed) two party agreement from the Department. 2. If a development project and plans include playground construction, final working drawings of the playground facility must be reviewed and approved by DNR staff for ADA accessibility. Q: How can we (an unsuccessful applicant) improve our project to increase our chances of being funded next year by OSLAD or LWCF? A: Each grant cycle is unique but following are some general points: • Choose recreational components of high need in your community according to the Illinois Recreation Facilities Inventory or IRFI. This is worth up to 10 points (out of 100 points) on a development project. • Ensure that your local comprehensive plan supports the project and is fewer than five years old. • Include in the application evidence of direct public involvement/support for the project. • Ensure diversity of recreational opportunity with a minimum of two recreation elements. • Prepare a development plan that is neat, accurate, to scale and with a directional arrow. • Limit site preparation and support facility costs. The majority of the project dollars should be for outdoor recreation facilities. Q: Can a sponsor develop several parks under one grant? A: No. Project evaluations are site-specific and multi-location applications (e.g., for playgrounds) are almost impossible to fairly evaluate. Q: A local family/individual is willing to donate some land to our agency for a park; can we use the value of that land as all or part of our portion of the necessary match to develop the site? A: Yes, if: • title to the proposed land donation has not passed to the local agency prior to grant approval. • the proposed land donation is not required as a condition of a local ordinance or agreement (i.e., a legally required donation or "quid pro quo" arrangement). • the donation or transfer of land is not from another public agency or for land that was in public ownership within the last five years. Q: Our agency doesn't have much money to do a project, but we can get a lot of local volunteers and donated materials to complete a project. Can we use the value of this donated labor and materials as our local match on an OSLAD project? A: No. The OSLAD program does not allow for "in-kind" contributions of donated labor and materials as match on approved grant projects. With the exception of eligible land donations, only the actual cash outlay incurred to complete an approved OSLAD grant project is eligible for grant reimbursement/payment. The reasons for this involve the subjective nature of the value for donations of labor or equipment and the extensive audit and accounting measures required to ensure accurate, verifiable records. Contributors to this article, for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Grant Administration are:
Greg Akers, Senior Grant Administrator,
Sue Eubanks, Senior Grant Administrator,
Steve Gonzalez, Senior Grant Administrator,
Jan Nation, Grant Administrator,
Mick Rosendahl, Senior Grant Administrator,
Dave Sellman, Senior Grant Administrator,
Chris Selvaggio, Grant Administrator,
Mark Yergler, Chief Grant Administrator, WINTER SUPPLEMENT 2002 38 | Illinois Parks and Recreation Grants Outlook 2002 Greenways & Trails Planning Grants By Amy Madigan and David Sellman The Illinois Department of Natural Resources' (IDNR) Greenways Program assists communities, counties and multi-county/multi-community coalitions with greenway and trail planning. The goal of the program is to encourage and facilitate comprehensive, cooperative and coordinated planning to protect high priority greenways and, where appropriate, provide public access to them by developing trails. Greenways and trails are linear resources, therefore, protecting greenways and developing trails usually requires cooperation and coordination among several jurisdictions. Applicants must be part of a coalition and must demonstrate cost-sharing commitments (either monetary or in-kind) to develop the plan. The commitment should be a recognizable item in the applicant's budget to ensure obligation. The suggested total of cost-sharing should equal 25 to 50 percent of the requested funds. This substantively will expand the scope of the plan beyond the capacity of the requested IDNR financial assistance. Greenway and trail planning coalitions typically include park districts, county, municipal governmental agencies, regional planning agencies, transportation agencies, state agencies such as the IDNR, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, tourism and economic development agencies, and business and community associations. Financial assistance is in the form of a contract between the IDNR and the applicant (not to exceed $20,000) to complete the greenways and trails plan. For more information, contact the IDNR Division of Planning, 217.782.3715. Park districts that have participated in plans include Rockford Park District and Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, the "Boone and Winnebago Regional Greenways Plan," Decatur Park District, "Decatur Metro Area Greenway Plan," Kankakee Valley Park District, "Kankakee County Greenways and Trails Plan," Champaign and Urbana park districts, "Champaign County Natureways, Bikeways, and Trails Plan." C2000 Ecosystems Program The Ecosystems Program, funded through Conservation 2000, is a comprehensive, long-term approach to the protection and management of Illinois' natural resources. It integrates the interests and participation of local communities and private, public and corporate landowners to enhance and protect the watersheds through ecosystem-based management practices. Program assistance is available to all those located within an Ecosystem Partnership area. Grants are available for Ecosystem Projects, Planning/Organizational and Support. Project grants are funded in the following categories: acquisition, planning, research, habitat restoration, resource economics, and outreach projects. Up to $10,000 is available for Planning/Organizational Grants for the initial watershed organization. Up to $3,000 is available biennially to Ecosystem Partnerships through Support Grants for administrative, contractual, operational, and equipment needs For more information, call 217.782.7940 or e-mail ecoprg@dnrmail.state.il.us. More about Motorized Trail Grant Programs The Division of Grant Administration manages three programs that help park and recreation agencies address the needs of motorized trail enthusiasts: the Local Government Snowmobile Grant Program (Snowmobile), the Off-Highway Vehicle Trails Program (OHV) and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The Snowmobile and the OHV programs are both state funded while the RTP is a federally funded grant program. The Snowmobile program is the oldest of the three. It originated in the early 1970s and was administered through the Department's Division of Law Enforcement. In 1978, the program was transferred to the Division of Grant Administration. Since then, the Division has awarded 66 Local Government Snowmobile grants totaling more than $519,800. The program can provide up to 100 percent reimbursement for trail development costs and equipment purchases that solely benefit snowmobiling. (Trail development costs are typically trail signs and markers and equipment is generally trail groomers, snowmobiles for patrol purposes and rescue sleds for use in emergency response.) Other equipment that may be used year-round, such as portable radios and utility all-terrain vehicles, are eligible for 50 percent reimbursement. In addition. Snowmobile grants may be awarded for the acquisition of land for snowmobiling. Approved trail corridor acquisition costs can be reimbursed up to 90 percent while other land purchases such as "scramble areas" are eligible for 50 percent reimbursement. The Snowmobile program is paid for by snowmobilers. The program is primarily funded through a percentage of the snowmobile registration fees collected by the Department along with a portion of the fines levied against snowmobilers who receive citations from the Department's law enforcement officers. During recent years, approximately $65,000 has been earmarked annually for the Snowmobile grant program. This amount fluctuates somewhat from year to year depending on the number of registered snowmobiles and the number of tickets issued. Additionally, the program will begin seeing a WINTER 2002 SUPPLEMENT January/February 2002 | 39 Grants Outlook 2002 slight increase in funding level because of recent legislation signed by Governor Ryan, which has raised the snowmobile registration fee from $12 per three years to $18 per three years. Legislation authorizing the OHV grant program became effective in January of 1998. The first grant applications were accepted March 1, 1999. The Department has awarded twelve OHV grants in the past three years totaling more than $852,400. Eligible applicants for the OHV grant program include not only units of local government, but also clubs, businesses and individuals. To date, only one park district has applied and subsequently received an OHV grant. The Clark County Park District successfully manages approximately 15 miles of OHV trails within Mill Creek Park. The program awards up to 100 percent reimbursement grants for development, acquisition and education/safety projects. Development projects include construction and maintenance costs associated with OHV areas. Also, funds may be awarded for restoration of lands damaged by OHV use. Acquisition grants, which may cover fee simple tide, permanent easement or lease, must be from willing sellers. Associated acquisition costs such as appraisals and surveying are also eligible for 100 percent reimbursement. While the OHV program is relatively new, the available grant funds have increased each year. It is expected that there will be approximately $400,000 available in new appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year. The federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP), formerly known as the Symms Program, allocates funds to the states to be used for both motorized and non-motorized trails. It was enacted as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and re-authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21). In Illinois, RTP funds are administered by the IDNR in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. RTP grants provide up to 80 percent reimbursement for trail acquisition, development and rehabilitation. Land acquisition projects may only involve willing sellers. The Division of Grant Administration began managing the program in 1999. The Illinois Greenways and Trails Council, which serves as the federally mandated recreational trail advisory committee, has recommended 27 local grant projects for funding during the last three years. Grant funds for the projects total almost $3.1 million. Illinois has been informed that its share of these federal funds next year will be slightly reduced from this year's allocation. Instead of having slightly more than $1 million available for local grant projects, there will be $932,000. Amy Madigan heads Greenways and Trails Outreach for the IDNR's Division of Planning. For more information, see the grants matrix and contact Dave Sellman, 217.782.7481, dsellman@dnrmail.state.il.us. GRANT-RELATED INTERNET WEB SITES State Department of Commerce and Community Affairs..........www.illinoistourism.org* *To find the following three grant programs, click on "Industry Insights"
Tourism Attraction Development Grants
Department of Natural Resources
C2000Grant................http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/c2000/manage/partner.htm Department of Transportation, TEA-21..........www.dot.state.il.us/opp/iltep.html Illinois Arts Council................................................www.state.il.us/agency/iac Federal
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)..........................www.cfda.gov/ Foundation
The Foundation Center.......................................................www.fdncenter.org Other
Enhancements Clearinghouse....................................www.enhancements.org 2002 State and Federal Funding Sources WINTER 2002 SUPPLEMENT
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