Lather, Rinse, Repeat:A step-by-step tutorial on preparing

progress reports and reimbursement

requests

due date

ALL REPORTS DUE ON 10TH DAY AFTER EACH QUARTER

The 10th day after each quarter does not mean:• The 11th (unless specified by ReLeaf)

• The 12th

• The next week

• Any other time but the 10th

THIS IS A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION!

Why I’m beIng a

1. One group is late, everybody is late

2. ReLeaf report due to CAL FIRE last day of the month

3. Minimal flexibility to work outside these parameters

-- supplemental submissions create much additional work

OUR GOAL IS TO GET EVERYONE PAID FAST!

part ONE: PROGRESS rePORts

Most common hurdles:• Too Little Information – use your words

• Too Much Information – more is not always better

• Census Tract Data – the ten-digit dilemma

• Corresponding Data – making the numbers match

what every Progress report needs

Completed Progress Report

Photos

Tree Planting spreadsheet with all fields completed in Excel

Two hard copies of all of the above to mail to California ReLeaf

Progress Reports are required every quarter… even if no work was performed

BREAKING IT DOWN: Progress reports

Align these

numbers with

reimbursement

request

Reference

previous

progress

reports

Progress reports CONTINUEDUse ten-digit

census tract

numbers, and only

when work has

been performed

there during the

reporting period.

Best of photos

• Submit majority electronically

• Quality resolution

• Include one or two color pictures in hard copy

• Demonstrate progress

• Connect community

• Visuals of before and after

• Education tools

Tree tracking

What CALFIRE Requires For Tree Inventory and GHG Reductions

Instructions: Urban Forest Management

Instructions: Forest Improvement

Enter your data into the correct quarter.

1

1. Tell us your grant name and number and the date you’re presenting your report.

1. Tell us your grant name and number and the date you’re presenting your report.

2. “Planted trees…” are calculated automatically based on your entries.

2

3. Tree #: must be unique over entire inventory.

4. Funder: Choose from the drop-down menu: CALFIRE or Match

5. Scientific name: Genus, species, and cultivar, if appropriate (NOT common name)

6. Street address

7. Other address info (optional): Park name, school name, west side of street, etc.

8. City: Choose from drop-down menu

3 4 5 6 7 8

9. Ownership: Choose from the drop-down: Public or private

10. Y Coordinate: Should be a (a) positive number (b) between 32.000000 and 42.000000 with (c) six decimals places of accuracy. (**see later slide for more info**)

11. X Coordinate: Should be a (b) negative number (b) between -114.000000 and -125.000000 with (c) six decimal places of accuracy. (**see later slide for more info**)

12. Census tract: Should be a (a) ten digit number (b) starting with 60 or 61, taken from CalEnviroScreen 3.0 (CalEnviroScreen 2.0 for Forest Improvement)

9 10 11 12

13. URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT: DAC Status: 1A = within DAC, 1B = within low income census tract, 1A + 1B = DAC and LI, 1C = within ½ mile of DAC AND LI.

13.FOREST IMPROVEMENT: DAC Status: Use the spreadsheet’s tab labelled “DAC Guidance” to determine. Possible values include 1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D. Values such as 85-89% are not correct.

14. Date planted

15. Stock size: Choose from the drop-down menu. Values include, e.g., 15-gallon, 24” box. Do not enter a measure of the dbh.

16. Grow space: Enter square feet of planting area (ex: 24 sq ft) or, if the space is largely uninterrupted, enter the type of planting area (ex: 12’ median, open)

17.Tree status: Choose from drop-down: New, replacement, dead

13 14 15 16 17

UFM: Census Tract and DAC/LI Status

https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/auctionproceeds/communityinvestments.htm

FI: Census Tract and DAC/LI Status

https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-30

GHG Benefits from shading

18. Distance to nearest building: Choose from drop-down: 0-20 ft, 20-40 ft, 40-60 ft, 60+ ft. (**See later slide for more info**)

19. Tree is to the [direction] of building: Choose from drop-down: East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West, Northwest, North, Northeast (**see later slide for more info**)

1918

Lat/Long: Get Enough Digits

You need SIX digits after the decimal: 37.760083, -122.501716

How To Get Lat/Long

In the field:

GPS device

Smart phone apps (but not the default iPhone compass app!)

Back at your desk:

Google Maps

Google Earth

Smart Phone AppsCommander Compass

Google MapsOut in the field

Google MapsBack at your desk

1. Right click on the exact tree spot.

2. Choose “What’s here?”3. Lat/long appears in box at

bottom.4. Cut and paste! Don’t try to

type it out.

Google Earth

Distance and direction to building1. Distance to nearest building

a. 0-20 ftb. 20-40 ftc. 40-60 ftd. 60+ ft (no energy benefit)e. Easily measured in the field

by teaching people their pace or using Google Earth.

2. Direction from building to tree. It’s very easy to get this backwards, so remember: a. “The tree is to the _____ of

the building”b. Best done using maps, not

in the field.3. In this example, Tree #245 is

0-20 ft to the east of the building.

calculating GHG reductions

DO NOT TRACK YOUR GHGs!

Substituting Species

DO NOT UNILATERRALLY DECIDE TO CHANGE TREES!

All species substitutions need to be approved by CAL FIRE and California ReLeaf to ensure:

Right tree, right place

Comparable GHG reductions

Appropriate water usage

Reasonable Costs

Kelaine’s recommendations for tree inventory record keeping

1. Whenever possible, don’t have people writing down numbers. Use cut and paste.

2. Let people in the field find distance from tree to nearest building (using measured paces?) but use the map image to find direction.

3. If you’re using your phone or a GPS device to find lat/long, stand right next to the tree! You will often find yourself standing several feet away across the sidewalk, looking at the tree and getting your coordinates, which will then be off by several feet.

4. Measure distance and direction to the nearest building. That might not be the most obvious one!

5. Practice a few times with your equipment and data sheets before the real thing!

6. Please give your files helpful names (include your organizations name and the quarter). Ex: TreeHuggers_1Q2020_MDCAReportingForm.xlsx

end part oNE

part II: Reimbursement requestsMost common hurdles:

• Supporting documentation for personnel costs

• Supporting documentation for material and admin costs

• Supporting documentation for match

• Vague or unclear supporting documentation

• Receipts listed by item, not by vendor

• Miscategorized charges, especially in Personnel

• Miscalculated indirect costs

what every request needs

Reimbursement Request Workbook in Excel

Excel Receipt Reporting Form

Excel Timesheet Template for all applicable Personnel

Your organization’s own timesheets for applicable Personnel as supporting documentation

Supporting documentation for all reimbursement requests and listed match funds/materials

Line item reimbursement request for Indirect Costs (not to exceed 10% of total request)

Included Volunteer sign-in sheets with start and stop time completed by staff

Two hard copies of all of the above to mail to California ReLeaf

Reimbursement requests

are optional

Releaf timesheet template

Change

each

month

Add project

staff here…

… and here

as needed

This is not a substitute for your org’s own timesheets!

complete timesheet template

Identifying

staff by

name

optional

getting your sheets together

benefits

consultants and contractors

Tracking costs

reimbursement request workbook

Quarterly tabs for

your reporting

convenience

complete reimbursement request workbook

receipt reporting form

Place your logo first!

Funding for this California Climate Investments grant project has been provided through California ReLeaf and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Acknowledgements are required

Additional

Logos and

Partners

Park and School Signs

Event Banners

Flyers

Education Materials

Door Hangers

Publications

examples

receipt reporting form Example

Indirect costs

• No supporting documentation

needed

• Always claim your prescribed

percentage with each

reimbursement request

• Unclaimed indirect costs without

direct costs will not be

reimbursed

Mileage Reporting (Admin)

Bill for fuel and electric

Primary matching source

Only one form to complete

Almost all unpaid project engagement counts

Keep tracking volunteers even after match requirement is met

Take a Volunteer Tracking Form with you to related meetings and community gatherings

some notes on volunteer tracking

volunteer tracking form

To be

completed

by project

staff

Address

or zip

code

essential

filled Volunteer tracking form

Include

start/stop

times

Replace

our logo with

yours

correct Volunteer tracking form

submitting hard copies

TWO HARD COPIES MUST BE SUBMITTED AND

POSTMARKED ON 10TH DAY AFTER EACH QUARTER

• ReLeaf retains one copy as required by CAL FIRE contract

• CAL FIRE receives one copy – THIS MUST BE SINGLE-SIDED

• Incomplete electronic submissions probably mean incomplete hard

copies, creating more work for everyone

closing comments

• Next report and reimbursement request

due April 10th, 2020

• Always feel free to submit materials up to

eight days early

• Use California ReLeaf as a resource

• Consult with fellow grantees

• Don’t let the paperwork overshadow the

greatness of what you’re doing