the heritage fund is making a difference in your community! arizona game & fish department...

THE HERITAGE FUND IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!

Arizona Game & Fish Department (AGFD)Heritage Fund

Marty Herrera, Heritage Fund Administrator

AGFD Heritage Fund

• AGFD Heritage Fund – Historical Context

• AGFD Heritage “Grants Program”

• 2014 Heritage Grant Cycle Overview

• Successful Heritage Grant Restoration Projects

in Arizona

• HOW – TO Apply for a Heritage Grant

• Questions & Answers


AGFD Heritage Fund

AGFD Heritage Fund established in 1990 by a 2 to 1 public vote to

support wildlife conservation efforts in Arizona with revenue from

Arizona Lottery ticket sales. The Department uses Heritage Fund

dollars to manage more than 800 species of fish & wildlife, to include

threatened and endangered species; to help urban residents coexist

with wildlife; to acquire critical habitat areas; to provide public access

to wildlife habitat areas: to educate children and the public about

wildlife conservation and habitat management; to sustain, protect,

restore and manage wildlife habitat’s throughout Arizona and to create

opportunities for outdoor wildlife recreational related activities such as

wildlife viewing.

The Heritage Fund provides critical funding used to plan for Arizona’s

future in Wildlife Conservation. It benefits communities statewide and

supports programs that improve the quality of life in Arizona.


Heritage Grant FundingFact Sheet

• Heritage funds ($10 million annually) are provided to the Arizona

Game and Fish Department from the Arizona State Lottery

• AGFD employs 65 employees statewide in support of AZ Wildlife

Conservation efforts with Heritage Fund dollars received

• The Heritage “Grants Program” is funded solely through the Arizona

Game and Fish Department’s Heritage Fund

• If the Department does not receive its full allocation of Heritage Fund

dollars, available funding for Heritage Grants could be reduced


AGFD Heritage Fund “Grants Program”

The Heritage Fund “Grants Program” was established in 1992 by the

Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department administers the Heritage

Grants Program to provide additional opportunities for the public to be

involved with Heritage related activities.

The Heritage Grants Program benefits communities statewide and

supports critical conservation programs throughout Arizona.

Since Inception, the Department has awarded 740 Heritage Grants

totaling more than $14,800,000


AGFD Heritage Fund “Grants Program”


FYApplications

Received

Total Applications

Awarded

Heritage Grant's Awarded

Total Projects VALUE including Heritage

Grant Award, Match and Donations

2006 34 16 $342,160.00 $827,940.00

2007 59 22 $645,222.00 $1,205,249.00

2008 37 19 $438,799.00 $932,896.00

2009 33 17 $507,635.00 $1,012,466.00

2010 42 17 $539,414.00 $1,080,007.00

2011 24 0 $0.00 $0.00

2012 99 23 $415,647.00 $964,430.00

2013 73 32 $335,777.00 $1,029,459.00

401 146 $3,224,654.00 $7,052,447.00

AGFD Heritage Grant’s

Heritage Grants Successful Restoration Proposals

Town of Sahuarita, AZ for the project “Sahuarita Lake – Public Access For Persons with Disabilities” for the award amount of $ 9,500.00. Town of Clarkdale, AZ for the project “Verde River @ Clarkdale” for the award amount of $ 40,500.00



Heritage Grants Funding “Sub-Category’s”

• Environment Education

• Outdoor Education (implemented in 2013)

• Schoolyard Habitat’s

• Urban Wildlife and Urban Habitat

• Public Access

• IIAPM (Identification, Inventory, Acquisition, Protection and

Management of Sensitive Species and Habitat’s)



2013 Heritage Grant Cycle $Avail/Award #Apps/Award

•Environment Education $ 16k/$16k 5/3

•Outdoor Education $ 16k/$16k 26/10

•Schoolyard Habitat’s $ 37.5k/$37.5k 7/5

•Urban Wildlife $112.5k/$112.5k 25/9

•Public Access $ 50k/$50k 5/3

•IIAPM $200k/$103.7k 5/2

In 2013, 73 applications were received and the Department Awarded 32

Heritage Grant’s for a 44% success rate of applicants who applied



2014 Heritage Grant Cycle – Available Funding $432k

• Environment Education $ 16,000

• Outdoor Education $ 16,000

• Schoolyard Habitat’s $ 37,500

• Urban Wildlife / Urban Habitat $112,500

• Public Access $ 50,000

• IIAPM $200,000



2014 Application DEADLINE!

Monday, September 30, 2013

by 5:00 p.m.

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Phoenix Office

5000 W. Carefree Highway

Phoenix, AZ 85086



Heritage Grant Eligible Applicant’s

• An eligible applicant includes the federal government or any federal department or agency; Indian tribes; all departments, agencies, boards and commissions of the State of Arizona; counties; public school districts or schools; cities; towns; municipal corporations; and any other political subdivisions of the State of Arizona

• In addition, eligible applicants may sponsor an application, through an Inter-governmental Agreement (IGA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), on behalf of a private or not-for-profit organization

• The Sponsor signs and submits the application to the Department

• The sponsor also takes responsibility for the project and fulfillment of the Grant Agreement

• IGA or MOU must accompany the initial Heritage Grant Application



Application Process

• Hard Copy Grant Applications - One original and two copies must be submitted

• Signature on the application must be an individual who has signature authority

• E-mailed grant applications are accepted-MUST be received by the DEADLINE date and time. (Scanned or Electronic Signatures accepted) Note: if emailing proposal we highly recommend applicant confirms receipt by calling 623-236-7530

• Faxed copies will not be accepted.



Application Process

• ALL interested Heritage Grant applicants must submit a grant application by September 30 Deadline Date

• The four page application submitted will contain basic information about the project (for EE, Schoolyard, Urban, Access & IIAPM)

• Additional supporting documents (if applicable) are not required with initial application except for an MOU or IGA for applicants sponsored by an eligible applicant

• OE applicants must submit the one page OE application form and attach a mandatory field-trip itinerary specific to OE proposals

• Heritage Grant application materials and forms can be found at www.azgfd.gov/wildlife&Conservation/HeritageFundProgram

• THE HERITAGE FUND IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!

http://www.azgfd.gov/wildlife&conservation/HeritageFundProgram


Application Pre-screening Process

• All EE, Schoolyard, Urban, Access & IIAPM applications received by the deadline date will undergo an initial pre-screening

• These applications will be screened using the following pre-screening criteria:

• Must be submitted by an Eligible Applicant

• Application proposal must meet one or more of the Goals, Objectives or Priorities listed within the respective Funding Window for which the grant proposal is submitted

• Application must have authorized signature




• All OE applications received by the deadline date will also undergo an initial pre-screening

• These applications will be pre-screened using the following pre-screening criteria:

• Application must be submitted by an Eligible Applicant

• Application must have authorized signature

• Heritage funds requested used solely for transportation costs and/or substitute teacher fees

• A field-trip itinerary is included with the application




• Application proposals that do not meet initial screening criteria are screened out from further grant award consideration

• All applicants screened out are notified

• Proposals that meet the initial pre-screening will transition to the grant Review and Scoring process



Annual Refinement of Funding Window’s

• One of the Most essential component’s of the Heritage Grant Cycle Process

• FW’s for each funding Sub-Category are refined and approved annually by the Department

• Sub-Category FW Goals, Objectives or Priorities

• Grant Proposals Must meet one or more of the FW Goals, Objectives or Priorities

• Ensures Grant’s awarded synchronize to Department Priorities

• Ensures the most relevant use of limited Heritage Grant Funds available



Application Review and Scoring Process

• Scoring Teams are established for each of the six Heritage Grant funding sub-categories

• Scoring Teams comprised of 3-5 members (w/2-3 AGFD and 1-2 HPAC members)

• Scoring Teams evaluate all proposals except OE using the evaluation criteria on Page-13 of the Heritage grants manual

• OE proposals use evaluation criteria found on Page-14 of the Heritage grants manual



Heritage Public Advisory Committee (HPAC)

• Volunteer committee established to improve communication

between the Commission, the Department and the Public

• HPAC member’s come from and represent communities

statewide and serve a 3-year volunteer term

• Critical pre/post Outreach Heritage Fund Advocates

• Communicate to Public Heritage Success & Opportunities

• Provide Heritage information to local governments, School

Boards and other constituent organizations

• Participate as Heritage Grant scoring team member’s




• Each proposal is reviewed and scored based on its own merit as a stand alone grant application

• Individual application proposals are not compared against each other

• Rather, each proposal is evaluated against established evaluation criteria and assigned a score by each scoring member

• Team member scores are averaged and compiled by the Department’s Funds and Planning Staff




• Compiled scores are placed within a highest-to-lowest rank-order list based on final average scores received

• Determined by available fund levels in each sub-category, a fund line is drawn that depicts all above and below the fund line applicants

• All six rank-order lists are presented to the Department’s Executive Staff for review, discussion and approval

• Finally, rank-order lists are presented to the Agency Director for final approval



Heritage Grant Initial Notification Process

• Above-the-fund-line applicants (except OE) notified of possible grant award & instructed to submit additional documents (if applicable)

• Notification begins 60-day window to submit documents

• Applicants not meeting this 60-day window are dropped from further grant award consideration Tentative – March 1, 2014 DEADLINE DATE

• Each applicant notified is assigned a Department technical lead to assist with refinement of their application

• A Grant Agreement is initiated – for each applicant that completes submission of remaining documents

• All below-the-fund-line applicants are also notified



Heritage Grant Application OE Refinement Process

• OE applications undergo a stream-lined approval process

• Above-the-fund-line applicants for OE are notified and informed of their selection for a Heritage Grant award

• A Heritage Grant Agreement is initiated by the Department and sent to the applicant for signature

• OE Participants who wish to request grant funding as early as January, 2014 must sign and return the Grant Agreement to the Department NLT December 1, 2013

• Once signed, ALL Grant Participants have 12-months to request funding and 36-months to complete their project




ENVIRONMENTALEDUCATION (EE)

FW-1, EE Funding Window$16,000 Available in EE

$500 minimum – $10,000 maximum



OUTDOOREDUCATION (OE)

FW-2, OE Funding Window$16,000 Available in OE




SCHOOLYARDHABITAT

FW-3, SCHOOLYARD Funding Window$37,500 Available in Schoolyard



Schoolyard Habitat’s

• Projects should promote wildlife and habitat education from project design, project construction and long-term sustainment of habitat




• Desert tortoise enclosure




• Funds requested to purchase scientific equipment, tools, computers, optics, etc. cannot exceed 5% of requested /proposed budget




• Students should be active participants in all phases of a project, from design, project planning, project implementation to final evaluation & close-out of the project



For Schoolyard Technical QuestionsContact:

Mike Demlong, Wildlife Education Program

Manager(623) 236-7269

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]



URBAN WILDLIFE

FW-4, URBAN Funding Window$112,500 Available in Urban

$500 minimum – NO SET $$ maximum


Urban Wildlife Guidelines

• To conserve, enhance and establish wildlife and wildlife habitats in harmony with urban environments, or;

• Within the limits of an incorporated area or in close proximity to an urban area that receives significant impact from human use

• To increase public awareness of and support for urban wildlife and urban habitat resources

• The Project must be: within an incorporated city or town; or within 5 miles of the boundary



Urban Wildlife Goals & Objectives

• Human/Wildlife Conflicts: Projects that assess & develop measures to reduce the risk of critical incident conflicts

• Wildlife Viewing: Wildlife-focused festivals, wildlife viewing programs and activities; nature tourism recreational activities

• Wildlife Corridors/Habitat Conservation: Projects supporting and promoting urban smart growth efforts; that increase wildlife permeability across urban barriers; or studying the impacts to wildlife of new or proposed development in urban areas

• Urban and Community Fishing Waters: Projects that enhance fish habitats; that increase angling recreation capacity; or that include the construction or renovation of urban waterways



Urban Wildlife

• A wildlife viewing guide to an urban area



Urban Wildlife

• Urban lake activities including fish habitat and angler enhancements



Urban Wildlife

• A wildlife viewing blind or platform



Urban Wildlife Project Ideas

• A birding festival

• Interpretative signs about an urban nature trail

• An educational exhibit about urban wildlife

• Projects that promote partnerships in the community

• Projects that focus on habitat restoration or enhancement

• Projects that focus on public enjoyment of wildlife in an urban setting that enhance wildlife viewing opportunities



Urban Wildlife Project Partners

• Neighborhood or Community Groups

• Universities or Community Colleges

• Public Schools/Districts to include Charter Schools

• Federal, State, and Local Agencies

• Private Consultants



For Urban QuestionsContact:

Robyn Beck, Wildlife Grants Administrator at

(623) [email protected]





PUBLICACCESS

FW-5, ACCESS Funding Window$50,000 Available in Access



Public Access Objectives

• To ensure publicly held lands or waterways in Arizona are available to the general public for wildlife-oriented recreational use

• Create, maintain or enhance wildlife–oriented recreational access (motorized or non-motorized) onto public or State Trust lands previously inaccessible to the public

• Education and information outreach pertaining to public access in Arizona, including ethical and responsible use of private and public lands, and opportunities for volunteerism

• Projects that improve anglers’ access to fishing waterways

• Where feasible, projects should be designed and constructed to accommodate persons with disabilities



Public Access Guidelines

• Create, maintain or enhance wildlife-oriented recreational access previously inaccessible to the public

• Obtain perpetual or long-term rights-of-way for public access

• Create, maintain or enhance wildlife-oriented recreational access onto public lands through improved design and construction

• Education and information outreach pertaining to public access

• Realignments of existing access routes to protect sensitive habitats

• Projects that improve anglers’ access to urban or community fishing waterways




• An example of a project providing new or enhanced recreational access opportunities on or to public lands through improved design and construction methods




• Heritage funds may also be used for realignment of existing access routes to protect or restore sensitive habitat areas




• A project providing enhanced recreational access opportunities to a public waterway that included enhanced accommodations for persons with disabilities



Public Access Contacts

For Land Public Access Technical Questions Contact:

Al Eiden, Access Program Manager(623) 236-7624 [email protected]

For Waterway Public Access Technical Questions Contact:

Eric Swanson, Urban Fishing Program Manager(623) 236-7663 [email protected]






IIAPMFW-6, IIAPM Funding Window$200,000 Available in IIAPM



IIAPM Guidelines

• Identification, Inventory, Acquisition, Protection and Management of Sensitive Species and Habitats (IIAPM)

• To preserve, restore and enhance Arizona’s natural biological diversity

• Project proposals must be consistent with one of more of the Priorities listed within the IIAPM Funding Window

• 2014 IIAPM guidance lists project proposals as Priority 1, Priority 2 or Priority 3 projects for grant consideration



IIAPM Project Types

• Design and/or implement habitat enhancement and restoration activities at extant sites for species reintroduction

• Determine habitat use, needs, selection, and home range and territory of sensitive species;

• Develop landowner site-specific management plans for protecting and conserving sensitive species;

• Assess migration corridors;

• Conduct research of the impacts to wildlife in Arizona due to renewable energy development

• Research methods to effectively restore connectivity of fragmented habitat



IIAPM Project Ideas

• New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse• Conduct surveys in appropriate habitat near the Verde

River and the White Mountains



IIAPM Project Ideas

• Chiricahua Leopard Frog• Design and implement experiments to evaluate the effects

of conservation and wildlife management actions on Chiricahua leopard frogs



IIAPM Project Ideas

• Black-tailed Prairie Dog• Determine the status of black-tailed prairie dog populations

in Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico



IIAPM Project Ideas

• Investigate the status of Arizona bat species during the winter months (November 1 to March 30)



For IIAPM Technical QuestionsContact:

Mike Rabe, Non-Game Branch Chief

(623) [email protected]




Special Notes

• The maximum amount requested for OE is $2,500 and for EE and Schoolyard is $10,000

• Funds must be requested within 12 months of the effective date (date Grant Agreement is Signed)

• Grant projects must be completed within 36 months of the effective date

• Applicants must control the land or waters on which any capital improvements are made

• Please note the grant manual, application forms and scoring information supersede all previous versions prepared by the Department. If you are applying for Heritage Grant funding use the current application forms



Heritage Grant Timeline

• July, 2013 2014 Heritage Grant Cycle Public Announcement

• July/Aug Grant Workshops Conducted statewide• Sep30 GRANT APPLICATION DEADLINE DATE • October Application Pre-Screening Process• Oct19-Nov22 Application Evaluation and Scoring Process• Nov 25-29th Rank-Order Lists compiled • Dec 3rd-31st R-O lists presented/approved by E-Staff &

Director• Jan 2, 2014 Applicants notified additional documents

requested • March 1 Additional documents tentative DEADLINE DATE• Jan-March Grant Agreement’s initiated as applicants

complete• April *Funds available

*Note: Applicants that submit a complete OE Heritage Grant proposal can request funding as early as December once Rank-Order lists are approved and a Grant Agreement is initiated and signedTHE HERITAGE FUND IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!


Budget Worksheet - Personnel

• Heritage Grant applications must include a budget worksheet to include a “line-item” breakout for all anticipated personnel costs

• Must include the title of each position necessary to conduct the work to complete the project

• Must list $ hourly rate and how many total hours anticipated for each position needed to complete the project

• Volunteer labor is also based on the type of work activity and should be designated as “match”

• Although “match” is not required, it is highly encouraged as the overall Heritage Grant award process is a competitive process



Budget Worksheet – Personnel

• Website: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_az.htm

• Hourly Wage Rate Examples:

• Project Administration - $20.65

• Construction Laborer - $15.62

• Grounds Maintenance - $11.49

• Equipment Operator - $19.92


http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_az.htm


Budget Worksheet – Development

• List all design, construction and development items needed to complete the project

• Work already completed (pre-existing) must be listed as match

• Project management associated costs can be listed as a Heritage Funds requested line-item or match, or a combination of both

• Heritage funds will not be approved to supplant (or replace) personnel costs for any permanent, temporary or seasonal salaried or hourly employee

• However, if any current employees are involved in planning and/or completion of a project, their anticipated personnel costs can be included as “match”



Budget Worksheet – Other

• Travel: Heritage fund dollars can be used for travel to and from study or research areas at a rate of 44.5 cents per mile

• Supplies: List all anticipated supplies needed for the project

• Equipment: Equipment needed for a Heritage EE Funded project is limited to 5% of the Heritage funds requested and used for a “public use” for the useful life of the equipment

• “Term of Public Use” refers to the time period during which the project or/facility is expected to be maintained for public use

• Indirect Costs: be sure to list any indirect costs as “match”



Heritage Grant Reporting & Product Requirements

• Project semiannual progress reports• Mid-year report’s due July 31st

• End-of-year report’s due January 31st

• Project participants responsible to maintain project financial statements and receipts

• “Draft” project report/site inspection

• “Final” project close-out report/product(s)

• Post-project close-out documentation and monitoring requirements • On-Site inspection by Dept of up to 10% of completed project’s• Inspection will focus on project compliance IAW project proposal



Marty Herrera, Heritage Fund Administrator

623.236.7527, [email protected]

Robyn Beck, Wildlife Grants Administrator

623.236.7530, [email protected]

www.azgfd.gov/HeritageFund


AGFD Points of Contact



http://www.azgfd.gov/HeritageFund



Questions or Comments?

the heritage fund is making a difference in your community! arizona game & fish department...

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