Transcript Division of Conservation Services

EEA Partnerships and Funding for Land
Trusts and Municipalities
Conservation Partnership Program
PARC Program
Land and Water Conservation Fund
LAND Program
Drinking Water Supply Protection Program
Landscape Partnership Program
DCS Grant Programs
LAND Program – municipal grant for the acquisition of
conservation land
PARC Program – municipal grant for the acquisition of
recreation land and/or development of public outdoor
recreation facilities
Land and Water Conservation Fund – municipal/ state
agency grant for both conservation and recreation
projects
Conservation Partnership – land trust grant for the
acquisition of conservation land
Drinking Water Supply Protection – municipal grant for
the acquisition of public water supply land
Landscape Partnership – large-scale conservation
projects submitted by 2+ partners
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Sustainable & local certification program
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Division of Conservation Services
Conservation Partnership Program
Melissa Cryan
617-626-1171
[email protected]
Conservation Partnership Requirements
o Eligible projects
o Land acquisition for
conservation and
recreation
o Due diligence expenses
for gifts
o Fee simple or CR
projects are eligible
o Eligible entities are
501(c)(3) non-profits
with environmental,
conservation, or
recreation purpose
Kestrel Land Trust, Terry A. Blunt Watershed and
Conservation Area, Hatfield
photo courtesy Kestrel Land Trust
Conservation Partnership Requirements
o Convey a CR to municipal
or state agency or land
trust
o Must retain an interest in
the property – applicant
cannot be used as a pass
through
o Land must have public
access and benefit
o Conservation and
recreational use only
Berkshire Natural Resources Commission,
Hoosac Parcel, North Adams
Photo courtesy Open Space Institute
Secretary’s Priorities
o Water Resource
Protection
o Landscape Protection
o Biodiversity and Natural
Resource Protection
o Working Farms and
Forests
o Recreational
Opportunities
The Trustees of Reservations, Flag Rock, Great
Barrington
Photo courtesy David Scribner
Conservation Partnership Questions
o What’s the maximum grant
award? $85,000
o What’s the reimbursement
rate? 50% of total cost
o What makes a good
application? Proposing a
project that hits on the
Secretary’s priorities
Essex County Greenbelt Association,
Norcross Gateway, Gloucester
Photo courtesy ECGA
Conservation Partnership: Common Pitfalls
o Purchasing land prior to
receiving signed grant
contract
o Submitting ineligible
project costs for
reimbursement
o Assuming that your project
is too small to be funded
Harwich Conservation Trust, Pleasant Bay
Woodlands, Harwich
Photo courtesy HCT
Division of Conservation Services
Outdoor Recreation Grants:
PARC Grant Program
Melissa Cryan
(617) 626-1171
[email protected]
PARC Requirements
o Eligible projects:
o Purchase parkland
o Develop new public
outdoor recreation
facilities
o Renovate existing
municipal public
parks
Former Chadwick Lead Mills, Salem and Marblehead
Photo courtesy wickedlocal.com
PARC Program Requirements
o Applicant must have an approved Open Space and
Recreation Plan
o Any city regardless of size or town with a
population of 35,000 or more is eligible for
maximum grant award amount
o Towns smaller than 35,000 may apply under the
"small town," "regional," or "statewide" category
o Must have an authorized park/recreation
commission and conservation commission
o Land must be dedicated to public park purposes
and under custody of Park or Recreation
Commission or Park Department
Secretary’s Priorities
o Projects in Environmental
Justice neighborhoods
o Brownfield projects
o New parks that increase
community’s park equity
o Parks accessible by nonvehicular transportation
Tattersall Farm, Haverhill
Photo courtesy tripadvisor.com
PARC Program Questions
o What is the public’s role in the grant process?
Public should participate in project selection and
design
o What is the reimbursement rate? State assistance
ranges from 52 to 70% of total project cost
o What type of approvals are required? Project must
have municipal vote the authorizes application,
raises/borrows/appropriates total project cost (not
just local share), and dedicates land to recreation
purposes
o What is the maximum grant award? $400,000
PARC: Common Pitfalls
o Assuming that only cities
are eligible and only for
ballfields
o Submitting an insufficient
OSRP
o Misunderstanding
reimbursement grant
programs rules
Grenville Park, Ware
Photo courtesy Ware Historical Society
What is the Grant Selection Process?
For Conservation
Partnership, LAND,
PARC, and LWCF:
o Site visits by DCS staff
o Ranked by DCS staff
according to rating
system
o Funding awards made
in rank order
o If LWCF project, also
reviewed by NPS
Splaine Park, Salem
Photo courtesy Tom Devine
What are the Post Completion Responsibilities?
o State Law Article 97
o LWCF projects also have
Section 6(f) protection
o Cannot convert to a nonconservation or nonrecreational use without
observing state and
possibly federal
Elm Park, Worcester
conversion requirements
o Must replace with another
property! Can’t return
funding.
Photo courtesy Rob Antonelli
What are the Post Completion Responsibilities?
o Operation and maintenance
o Availability to users – fair fee policy
o Open to all (not residents only)
o Accessible to people with disabilities
o Permanent sign
Division of Conservation Services
Land and Water Conservation Fund Program
Melissa Cryan
(617) 626-1171
[email protected]
Land and Water Conservation Fund
o Federal money from the
National Park Service
o DCS administers the
program for
Massachusetts
o Can fund both
recreation and
conservation projects
Oak Bluffs, Sea View Park
LWCF Requirements
o Reimbursement rate
is 50%
o Projects must also be
approved by the NPS
o All other LAND/PARC
facts apply to LWCF
as well
Whispering Hill Woods, Woburn
EEA Grant Programs Website
www.mass.gov/eea/dcs-grants
o LAND Program
o PARC Program
o Land and Water Conservation Fund
o Conservation Partnership Program
o Drinking Water Supply Protection Program
o Landscape Partnership Program
o Conservation Assistance for Small Communities