Full Proposal Application Form & Instructions

Full Proposal Application Form & Instructions

Fiscal Year 2017-18

PROPOSITION 1

Delta Conservancy Ecosystem Restoration

and Water Quality Grant Program

FUNDED BY THE

Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure

Improvement Act of 2014

Table of Contents

List of Attachments 3

Note to Applicants 4

Evaluation Criteria 6

Applicant Checklist 8

1 Summary Information 9

1.1 Project Title 9

1.2 Applicant Information 9

1.3 Project Information 11

1.4 Eligibility 14

1.5 Conflict of Interest 14

1.6 Abstract 15

2 Project Description, Budget, and Organizational Capacity 16

2.1 Project Description: Purpose and Implementation 16

2.2 Acquisition Projects 16

2.3 Project Location Information and Site Description 17

2.4 Project Maps, Photos, & Site Plan 17

2.5 Budget Details 18

2.6 Organizational Capacity 19

3 State Priorities/Project Benefits 20

3.1 Alignment with State Plans 20

3.2 Long-Term Management and Maintenance 20

4 Readiness and Environmental Compliance 21

4.1 Project Readiness 21

4.2 Site Control 21

4.3 CEQA Process 21

Table 4.1. Status and document information for applicable CEQA documents 23

4.4 Environmental Permitting 24

Table 4.2. Status of applicable environmental permits 24

4.5 Delta Stewardship Council–Delta Plan Consistency 25

Table 4.3. Status and document information for applicable Covered Action processes 25

5 Local Support 26

5.1 Local Support 26

5.2 Local Government Support 26

5.3 Letters of Support 26

6 Scientific Merit & Performance Measures 27

6.1 Scientific Basis for Project 27

6.2 Adaptive Management 27

6.3 Climate Change Considerations 28

6.4 Performance Monitoring and Assessment 28

6.5 Literature Cited 29

List of Attachments

All attachments are on the Delta Conservancy’s website: http://deltaconservancy.ca.gov/prop-1/.

Attachment 1 – Financial Management System Questionnaire and Cost Allocation Plan

Attachment 2 – California Conservation Corps Consultation

Attachment 3 – Schedule and List of Deliverables

Attachment 4 – Acquisition Table

Attachment 5 – Line Item Budget By Task

Attachment 6 – Funding by Source

Attachment 7 – Performance Measures Table

Attachment 8 – Ecosystem and Land Use Types Table

Note to Applicants

Full Application Form Intent and Evaluation

This Full Application Form and Instructions has been designed to comply with the Delta Conservancy’s 2017-2018 Grant Guidelines. By completing this application, its attachments, and the requested supplemental documents, the applicant will be in compliance with the requirements of the Delta Conservancy’s Grant Guidelines.

Applicants are advised to carefully review and consider the Grant Guidelines and full proposal evaluation criteria when preparing their applications. The evaluation criteria and their point values are summarized in the Evaluation Criteria table below, for your reference. In addition, throughout this document, the criterion that will be satisfied by the information provided in a particular question is noted below the header of that question. Note that multiple responses may relate to a single criterion or that a single response may relate to multiple criteria. Applicants are encouraged to refer back to the evaluation criteria table to ensure that all components of the criteria are being addressed, and to understand the point value of each criterion.

Document Submission Process and Deadline

This application form and all relevant attachments and supplementary materials must be received by the Delta Conservancy by 5:00 pm on November 30, 2017. All files should be submitted electronically one of two ways: 1) via large file upload (instructions will be provided separately); or 2) via USB or CD and mailed or hand delivered to the Delta Conservancy’s offices, located at 1450 Halyard Drive, Suite 6, West Sacramento, CA 95691. In person delivery should occur on normal business days between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, with the exception of November 30, 2017 when drop-offs until 5:00 pm will be accepted.

Full Application Form Length

Please submit the Full Application Form as a Word document. The Full Application Form should not exceed 55 pages total, including all of the text provided in a blank form. The character count limits that are provided next to applicable question include spaces and punctuation, and will be strictly enforced. Attachments and supplemental documents are not included in the 55-page limit. Each applicant is required to complete all fields in the Full Proposal Application Form unless noted exceptions apply.

Evaluation Criteria

Criterion Number / Criterion Category / Point Value / Criterion Description /
Eligibility Criteria
1 / Eligibility / Pass/ Fail / Will the project result in the construction, acquisition or long term improvement o f a capital asset or is the project a planning effort that will lead to such project? A capital asset is tangible physical property that has a useful life of at least fifteen years.
2 / Eligibility / Pass/ Fail / Is the project a mulitbenefit ecosystem or watershed protection or restoration project?
3 / Eligibility / Pass/ Fail / Is the project an ecosystem protection, restoration, or enhancement project; a water quality project; or a water-related agricultural sustainability project that has ecosystem or watershed benefits?
4 / Eligibility / Pass/ Fail / Is the project aligned with State priorities as described in with Proposition 1, the California Water Action Plan, the Conservancy’s enabling legislation and 2017-2022 Strategic Plan, and the Delta Plan?
Scoring Criteria
1 / Project Description, Budget, and Organizational Capacity / 10 / How well does the proposal provide a clear description of the project, including:
· the need for the project, and project goals and objectives;
· the project’s tasks and deliverables (deliverables should be recorded on the Schedule and List of Deliverables attachment)
· for acquisition projects, how well does it address the specific requirements of the Conservancy’s enabling legislation and Grant Guidelines that apply to acquisitions?
2 / Project Description, Budget, and Organizational Capacity / 5 / How clear, reasonable, and justified is the project’s budget, including all budget tables?
3 / Project Description, Budget, and Organizational Capacity / 5 / To what extent does the proposal describe appropriate partnerships and organizational capacity, and demonstrate the appropriate qualifications of affiliated staff and committed partners?
4 / Funding: Cost Share and Leveraging / 5 / To what extent does the project have a cost share with private, federal, or local funding to maximize benefits?
· Cost share of >40% (5 points)
· Cost share of 31-40% (4 points)
· Cost share of 21-30% (3 points)
· Cost share of 11-20% (2 points)
· Cost share of 1-10% (1 point)
· Cost share of <1% (0 points)
5 / Funding: Cost Share and Leveraging / 3 / To what extent does the project leverage other state funds?
· Cost share of >20% (3 points)
· Cost share of 11-20% (2 points)
· Cost share of 1-10% (1 point)
· Cost share of <1% (zero points)
6 / State Priorities / 15 / How well does the proposal demonstrate alignment between a specific, on-the-ground project and State priorities as described in Proposition 1, the California Water Action Plan, the Conservancy’s enabling legislation and 2017-2022 Strategic Plan, the Delta Plan, and applicable species recovery plans? Where relevant, proposals should discuss a project’s alignment with regional plans.
7(a) / State Priorities / 5 / For Category 1 projects, how well does the proposal explain how the planning effort will contribute to a specific, on-the-ground project?
7(b) / State Priorities / 5 / For Category 2 projects, how well does the proposal demonstrate plans for long-term management and sustainability of the project for the required minimum of 15 years?
8(a) / Readiness / 12 / For Category 1 projects, how well does the proposal demonstrate how the proposed planning activities will advance the project toward implementation in a timely manner, and how previous and subsequent phases will ensure that environmental compliance and all data gaps are addressed?
8(b) / Readiness / 12 / For Category 2 projects, how complete is project planning including the status of CEQA and permitting efforts, when will the project be ready to begin implementation, and what is the status of land tenure (where applicable)?
9 / Local Support / 20 / How well does the proposal demonstrate that the project has local support? How well does the proposal demonstrate an approach to informing and consulting potentially affected parties, and to avoiding, reducing, or mitigating conflicts with existing and adjacent land uses?
10 / Scientific Merit / 20 / How well does the proposal explain the scientific basis of the proposed project including the application of best available science? Does the proposal demonstrate the application of the Delta Plan’s adaptive management framework, appropriate to the scope of the proposed project? How well does the proposal address potential vulnerabilities of the project site to climate change effects, and how the project will account for and provide adaptation and/or resiliency to potential climate change effects? For Category 2 projects, how well is performance assessment and monitoring described?

Project Title: ______

Applicant Name: ______

Project Title: ______

Applicant Name: ______

Certification of Accuracy

By submitting an application to the Delta Conservancy and checking the box below, the applicant is certifying that all information included in the application is true and correct, to the best of the applicant’s knowledge.

By checking the box, Applicant certifies that all information included in this application is true and correct, to the best of the applicant’s knowledge.

Applicant Checklist

Section 1: Summary Information / Yes No N/A
Authorization to Apply / Yes No N/A
Organizational Documents Required of Applicants / Yes No N/A
Attachment 1 – Financial Management Systems Questionnaire and Cost Allocation Plan / Yes No N/A
Attachment 2 – California Conservation Corps Consultation / Yes No N/A
Section 2: Project Description, Budget, & Organizational Capacity / Yes No N/A
Attachment 3 – Schedule & List of Deliverables / Yes No N/A
Acquisitions Attachments:
· Attachment 4 – Acquisitions Table
· Copy of Purchase & Sale/Option Agreement, or Willing Seller Letter(s)
· Appraisal or Estimation of Fair Market Value
· Map showing lands to be acquired, including parcel lines & numbers / Yes No N/A
Project Maps, Photos, and Site Plan / Yes No N/A
Attachment 5 – Line Item Budget by Task / Yes No N/A
Attachment 6 – Funding by Source / Yes No N/A
Cost Share Commitment Letters / Yes No N/A
Section 3: State Priorities/Project Benefits / Yes No N/A
Section 4: Readiness and Environmental Compliance / Yes No N/A
Table 4.1. Status and document information for applicable CEQA documents / Yes No N/A
Completed CEQA documents and Lead Agency findings, resolutions, and filing fee receipts / Yes No N/A
Table 4.2. Status of applicable environmental permits / Yes No N/A
Final Environment permits / Yes No N/A
Table 4.3. Status and document information for applicable Covered Action processes / Yes No N/A
Covered Action checklist (Category 2 projects only) / Yes No N/A
Section 5: Local Support / Yes No N/A
Local County Board of Supervisor Resolution / Yes No N/A
Letters of Support / Yes No N/A
Section 6: Scientific Merit & Performance Measures / Yes No N/A
Attachment 7 – Performance Measures Table (Category 2 projects only) / Yes No N/A
Attachment 8 – Ecosystem and Land Use Types Table (Category 2 projects only) / Yes No N/A

1 Summary Information

This information is used to evaluate eligibility, conduct the administrative review, and provide context for the project, but is not scored.

1.1 Project Title

Provide a brief, descriptive project title. (150 characters)

1.2 Applicant Information

1.2.1 Applicant Name

Name:

1.2.2 Person Authorized to Sign Grant Agreement (Signatory)

Name:

Title:

Mailing Address:

Telephone:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

1.2.3 Contact Person (if different than Signatory)

Name:

Title:

Mailing Address:

Telephone:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

1.2.4 Authorization to Apply

All applicants will be required to provide a copy of documentation authorizing them to submit an application for grant funding to the Delta Conservancy. For nonprofit organizations, tribes, and local government agencies, either a governing board resolution or letter of authorization with documentation of delegated authority is required. In lieu of a resolution, state agencies may submit a letter authorizing the application. For additional instructions, please see page 22 of the Grant Guidelines. Check the box below to indicate that a resolution or letter is attached.

Authorization to apply is attached

1.2.5 Federal Employer Identification Number

If available, provide the applicant’s Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).

Not Available

EIN: ______

1.2.6 Organization Type

Check the box for which organizational type the applicant falls under. If the applicant does not fall under a listed category, the applicant is not an eligible entity. Additional information, as outlined below, is required for certain applicants.

Project Title: ______

Applicant Name: ______

California Public Agency

501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

Tribal Organization