High-Five
06-18-2009, 01:21 PM
Here's your chance to speak up....
To: People interested in the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board’s (board):
- Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) Program
- Recreational Trails Program (RTP)
The Recreation and Conservation Office’s (RCO) staff would like your comments on a draft proposal to adopt a policy change at the board’s July 2009 meeting. That is, in the upcoming biennium, seek approval to allow RCO’s director the discretion to allocate “returned” NOVA and RTP funds to education and enforcement or maintenance and operation projects, as appropriate. The funds would be used to extend previously approved projects.
The attachment more fully describes this proposal which will have the primary advantage of keeping program dollars at work. Please send your comments by replying to this email (policychanges@ rco.wa.gov).
I'd post the doc, but posting priveleges are limited.
Here's the meat of it w/o the nice Sate of Washington letterhead:
May 22, 2009
Prepared By: Greg Lovelady, Grant Services Program Manager
Draft proposal: Use of Returned Funds in NOVA and RTP Grant Programs
Summary
RCO staff is considering asking the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (board) to adopt a policy change at its July 2009 meeting. That is, in the upcoming biennium, seek approval to allow the Recreation and Conservation Office’s (RCO) director the discretion to allocate “returned” NOVA and RTP funds to education and enforcement (E&E) or maintenance and operation (M&O) projects, as appropriate. The funds would be used to extend previously approved projects.
Background
The Legislature has reassigned grant funding for the NOVA Program for the 2009 and 2010 grant cycles. Though it has not yet acted, national sources indicate that Congress could do the same or eliminate the Recreational Trails Program. In both cases, however, some project funding will still be available due to returned funds.
Currently, by board policy, returned funds are administered differently. In the NOVA Program, RCO staff allocates current year returned fuel tax funds to NOVA recreation categories with partly-funded or unfunded projects. Any remaining funds are added to competitive pool for the next grants cycle. In RTP, RCO staff allocates returned funds to eligible alternate projects.
Though returned funds are limited, they would help if judiciously applied as cost increases to extend certain project types, for example:
• NOVA education and enforcement
• NOVA and RTP maintenance-operations
• Projects previously funded at less than the originally requested amount.
Analysis
In determining whether to adopt this proposal the following considerations may help:
1. The current economic crisis is driving this proposal. Agencies at all levels have suffered major budget cuts and even limited assistance will be appreciated.
2. The proposal is intended to be in effect only during the period in which the grant funding for these programs is eliminated.
3. The proposal targets highly ranked projects that are now underway and in which time extensions will work well: that is, E&E projects where extra funds will allow current staff more time to address recreational NOVA issues in the field, and M&O projects where additional funds will allow field crews to maintain more trail miles.
4. Focusing returned dollars on projects now under contract is an efficient way of keeping the money at work. For example:
a. Agency applicants and RCO would not need to submit/process new applications, there would be no need for evaluations, board re-consideration for funding, or agreement drafting
b. Current agreements would require only an amendment
c. Some existing grantee project staff would likely be able to remain on the job
d. Some existing recreation areas could avoid closure due to the lack of funding.
To: People interested in the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board’s (board):
- Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) Program
- Recreational Trails Program (RTP)
The Recreation and Conservation Office’s (RCO) staff would like your comments on a draft proposal to adopt a policy change at the board’s July 2009 meeting. That is, in the upcoming biennium, seek approval to allow RCO’s director the discretion to allocate “returned” NOVA and RTP funds to education and enforcement or maintenance and operation projects, as appropriate. The funds would be used to extend previously approved projects.
The attachment more fully describes this proposal which will have the primary advantage of keeping program dollars at work. Please send your comments by replying to this email (policychanges@ rco.wa.gov).
I'd post the doc, but posting priveleges are limited.
Here's the meat of it w/o the nice Sate of Washington letterhead:
May 22, 2009
Prepared By: Greg Lovelady, Grant Services Program Manager
Draft proposal: Use of Returned Funds in NOVA and RTP Grant Programs
Summary
RCO staff is considering asking the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (board) to adopt a policy change at its July 2009 meeting. That is, in the upcoming biennium, seek approval to allow the Recreation and Conservation Office’s (RCO) director the discretion to allocate “returned” NOVA and RTP funds to education and enforcement (E&E) or maintenance and operation (M&O) projects, as appropriate. The funds would be used to extend previously approved projects.
Background
The Legislature has reassigned grant funding for the NOVA Program for the 2009 and 2010 grant cycles. Though it has not yet acted, national sources indicate that Congress could do the same or eliminate the Recreational Trails Program. In both cases, however, some project funding will still be available due to returned funds.
Currently, by board policy, returned funds are administered differently. In the NOVA Program, RCO staff allocates current year returned fuel tax funds to NOVA recreation categories with partly-funded or unfunded projects. Any remaining funds are added to competitive pool for the next grants cycle. In RTP, RCO staff allocates returned funds to eligible alternate projects.
Though returned funds are limited, they would help if judiciously applied as cost increases to extend certain project types, for example:
• NOVA education and enforcement
• NOVA and RTP maintenance-operations
• Projects previously funded at less than the originally requested amount.
Analysis
In determining whether to adopt this proposal the following considerations may help:
1. The current economic crisis is driving this proposal. Agencies at all levels have suffered major budget cuts and even limited assistance will be appreciated.
2. The proposal is intended to be in effect only during the period in which the grant funding for these programs is eliminated.
3. The proposal targets highly ranked projects that are now underway and in which time extensions will work well: that is, E&E projects where extra funds will allow current staff more time to address recreational NOVA issues in the field, and M&O projects where additional funds will allow field crews to maintain more trail miles.
4. Focusing returned dollars on projects now under contract is an efficient way of keeping the money at work. For example:
a. Agency applicants and RCO would not need to submit/process new applications, there would be no need for evaluations, board re-consideration for funding, or agreement drafting
b. Current agreements would require only an amendment
c. Some existing grantee project staff would likely be able to remain on the job
d. Some existing recreation areas could avoid closure due to the lack of funding.